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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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Genesee County considers selling or demolishing McCree parking ramp
Ron Fonger | rfonger1@mlive.com By Ron Fonger | rfonger1@mlive.com
on January 16, 2014 at 6:00 AM, updated January 16, 2014 at 6:05 AM
GENESEE COUNTY, MI -- A county-owned parking ramp in downtown Flint is losing more than $50,000 a year, and members of the Board of Commissioners are considering options including selling or demolishing the structure.
Located across Beach Street from the McCree Courts & Human Services Building, the ramp is safe, but will need cosmetic and structural repairs in the near future, commissioners said in a subcommittee meeting Wednesday, Jan. 15.
"I think this issue needs to be tackled in 2014," said Commissioner Ted Henry, D-Clayton Twp. "We're not the county we used to be."
County government has become smaller -- with fewer employees and less need for employee parking as property values and tax collections have dropped the sharply since 2007.
The taxable value of all Genesee County properties declined $3.6 billion -- almost 31 percent -- from 2007 until 2013.
Built in the early 1960s, the McCree ramp has more than 800 parking spaces, about half of which generate no revenue because they are dedicated for use by county employees.
Officials said that many of those dedicated parking spots aren't being used and there could be room in other county-owned lots to accommodate workers.
Although commissioners have talked about the poor condition of the ramp for years, they have not undertaken what's been estimated in the past as an estimated $13-million job of taking it down and replacing it.
Basic repairs have cost more than $2 million in the past two decades.
County Controller Keith Francis said county officials have had "very preliminary" talks with the company that manages the McCree ramp about its interest in purchasing the structure.
Given the condition of the ramp, a buyer would likely offer the county a
"low (dollar) number" for it, Francis said, but such a sale "would stop the bleeding and (avoid) future infrastructure costs."
Commissioners said the Flint & Genesee Chamber of Commerce recently suggested cosmetic repairs to the parking ramp that would improve the appearance of the structure but said they don't have the money to make even those fixes without new revenue. |
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Thu Jan 16, 2014 9:19 am |
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ins&out
F L I N T O I D
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| Looks like Uptown will have a new piece of property soon. |
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Thu Jan 16, 2014 12:49 pm |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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Let's face the fact that the employment plans for downtown Flint have not materialized and all of this parking is not needed. They could probably demolish the ramp and just use the surface lot. It is the ramp that needs so much repair and why is there a need to rebuild. Once used in part for hotel parking, that ship sailed a long time ago.
Taxpayers are already on the hook for the Rutherford Parking structure. The anticipation of creating more jobs downtown was the rationale for that ramp. So far it does not earn enough to fully pay it's bond issue.
Why is the Commissioner from the Fenton area so gung ho to give the facility to Uptown? Isn't Phil Shaltz of Uptown from the Fenton area too? Is there another back room deal in the works?
The Uptown nonprofit got the Genesee Towers for a $1 and was supposed to find the demolition money. Well they reached into the community's pocket and "found" over $800,000 in federal funding to assist in the demolition. This was money that could have gone for a number of services for Flint residents such as improving the sewer and water infrastructure. How much will they rape the community for if they get their hands on the parking structure? |
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Thu Jan 16, 2014 6:41 pm |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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I am not sure I understand what AC is talking about.
A.c. Dumas shared a link.
9 hours ago
.
Give it to the Flint DOA or Uptown. The DA then can give the Rutherford Parking Structure that City of Flint is paying for and we can get the revenue from parking. Ask Uptown and the E.M. for advice or those who don't live in the county.
Genesee County considers selling or demolishing McCree parking ramp
www.mlive.com
A Genesee County-owned parking ramp in downtown Flint is losing more than $50,000 a year, and members of the Board of Commissioners are considering options including selling or demolishing the structure. |
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Thu Jan 16, 2014 6:53 pm |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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| Both Phil Shaltz and Ridgeway White live in the Fenton area. Influencing the county Commissioner? |
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Thu Jan 16, 2014 7:45 pm |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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Businessman Phil Shaltz brokered Michael Brown's appointment as Flint city administrator
Ron Fonger | rfonger1@mlive.com By Ron Fonger | rfonger1@mlive.com
on February 11, 2009 at 10:00 AM, updated February 11, 2009 at 10:07 AM
FLINT, Michigan -- Businessman Phil Shaltz sat away from the fray Monday, saying nothing to draw attention to himself but possibly knowing everything about the behind-the-scenes events that led Mayor Don Williamson to announce his resignation.
Although details remain sketchy about private meetings leading up to Michael Brown's appointment as city administrator last week and Williamson's subsequent farewell, Shaltz was apparently right in the middle of it.
Flint Journal extras Man on a mission
• Name: Phil Shaltz
• Background: President of Shaltz Automation; a managing partner for Uptown Six investors.
• What he did: Brokered an agreement for Michael Brown to become city administrator for Don Williamson, setting the stage for Williamson to resign as mayor.
Brown and Shaltz acknowledged Tuesday that it was Shaltz, an influential investor and downtown booster, who approached Brown about three weeks ago with the idea of becoming city administrator.
After Brown said yes, Shaltz spoke to Williamson, who offered the top job in his administration to Brown just days before announcing his own plans to leave City Hall.
After his appointment, Brown initially declined to say who acted as a go-between him and the mayor, saying only that business people in the community acted in that capacity.
Sources say Shaltz, president of Shaltz Automation and a key downtown investor as a managing partner of the Uptown Six, had been increasingly seen with Williamson as he prepared to leave office.
Williamson announced his resignation Monday, saying his health prompted his decision to leave office. He also faced a Feb. 24 recall election.
Shaltz was there with Williamson on Monday morning before the mayor announced his retirement, according to one source who asked not to be named, and Shaltz sat in the audience during the mayor's news conference.
Shaltz initially would not comment on his motivation in advising Williamson about the hiring of Brown, but he said Tuesday that he was involved in talks between the two men and said the mayor "gave off a vibe" that he would leave office.
Williamson has not detailed why he chose to replace former Administrator Darryl Buchanan with Brown, turning over the reins of authority in City Hall to the former United Way official, but he has said Brown came highly recommended.
Shaltz apparently played a key role in that line of communication.
He said business people and others gave Brown "glowing remarks" as he advised Williamson.
"I had a request from the mayor, and I was fulfilling that request," Shaltz said of his role. "The mayor heard Mike Brown's name someplace and wanted to know what (I knew) about him. I went to Mike and said the mayor would like to know if you're interested in doing something for the betterment of the city."
Shaltz's behind-the-scenes work and Brown's sudden emergence as the new power inside City Hall raised eyebrows almost immediately.
The businessman has been active for years in community-boosting efforts such as the Crim Festival of Races, and he was among investors who tried to bring minor league baseball to Flint nearly a decade ago. But has not been seen as a key adviser to the mayor until just recently.
As a managing partner in the Uptown Six, he's invested in downtown's building boom. The partnership also has close ties to the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation, which has spent millions funding some of the redevelopment efforts downtown.
A Mott Foundation spokeswoman said in an e-mail Tuesday that the organization, an anchor for decades in downtown Flint, was not a part of discussions between Shaltz and the mayor concerning Brown.
The foundation had increased funding to an arm of the Genesee Regional Chamber of Commerce when Brown was hired in November, helping finance his former position at the chamber.
State Rep. Woodrow Stanley, D-Flint, suggested Monday that the appointment -- coming just before Williamson's resignation -- raised questions about "who is calling the shots for the people of the city of Flint?"
The president of the Flint branch of the NAACP has suggested that racism could have played a role in Buchanan's last-minute removal as city administrator.
Brown is white. Buchanan, who was named to a new administrative post by Williamson, is black.
Shaltz said his discussions centered on Brown -- not Buchanan -- and said his goal in advising Williamson was simply to help.
"I've known the mayor three years or more," he said. "We both had to work together. We both want what's best for the community." |
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Thu Jan 16, 2014 9:09 pm |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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| Is County Commissioner Young sucking up to Uptown? |
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Thu Jan 16, 2014 9:10 pm |
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stevemintline
F L I N T O I D
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quote:
untanglingwebs schreef:
Is County Commissioner Young sucking up to Uptown?
Is this referring to your earlier post about White and Shaltz living in Fenton and influencing their commissioner? Young doesn't represent the Fenton area. He represents Grand Blanc, GB Twp east of 75, and Atlas Township. |
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Fri Jan 17, 2014 12:29 pm |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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Mark Young was elected to serve the residents of the 5th District as County Commissioner in 2012. After being sworn in, Mark was appointed as the Chairman of the Finance Committee, Vice-Chair of the Public Works Committee and Chairman of the Animal Control Subcommittee. Mark also serves on the Genesee Regional Chamber of Commerce Operations Board of Directors and the Board of Directors of the Valley Area Agency on Aging (VAAA).
Mark is a lifelong resident of Genesee County and graduated from Baker College. Mark is a retired Genesee County Deputy Sheriff and a former Paramedic. Mark is a Veteran of the United States Army/Michigan National Guard.
Mark has an extensive background in Community Service including work on several United Way Campaigns.
You may contact Commissioner Young at myoung@co.genesee.mi.us or call at 810-257-3020 |
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Fri Jan 17, 2014 3:48 pm |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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| He sits on the chambers board of Directors. So is there a conflict in his request to give the property to an agency he represents? |
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Fri Jan 17, 2014 3:50 pm |
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stevemintline
F L I N T O I D
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quote:
untanglingwebs schreef:
He sits on the chambers board of Directors. So is there a conflict in his request to give the property to an agency he represents?
I must have misread, I thought you said he was sucking up to Uptown. |
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Sat Jan 18, 2014 2:56 pm |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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Some members of both groups overlap
My Downtown
Uptown Drives Downtown Flint
Myron Manns July 1, 2013
Uptown
Many of us have enjoyed the recent business additions to Downtown Flint, an area almost completely devoid of life in the late 1990s that now teems with new ventures; but few of us know the men behind many of these projects, and even fewer know of their desire to see a better Flint. The men of Uptown are a heartbeat away from those in Flint, because they too are from Flint.
“Uptown” is a hot-button word around Flint, and there are assumptions and assertions both in favor of and in opposition to the group, but what you might find most is ignorance. That is, many people simply have no idea who or what Uptown Developments is. Bottom line: at a time when no one else was investing in Flint, these individuals dared to dream, and they defied the odds.
Here’s the skinny:
At the dawn of the 21st century, seven men assembled of their own accord with no agenda other than a desire to see a revitalized Flint. What became known as the Uptown Six—yes, that’s Uptown Six with seven members—was the collaborative effort of seven local businessmen to bring life back into the heart of the city. They invested equal amounts, and later invested again, and then again. Years later, the economic downturn would force three members out of the game, and the remaining four have by all accounts invested their initial amount several times over. To those who look at the numbers and think, Flint isn’t worth it, this model seems like bad business at the least and sheer madness at most; but Flint’s rebirth is more than worth the cost to these men. The following details the backgrounds and foresight of Uptown’s four remaining founders.
Phil Shaltz of Shaltz Automation lives a very open life Downtown. In fact, the only thing Phil seems to hide well is his age, since at 65 he doesn’t even look 50—credited perhaps to the fact that Phil is a runner, participating in the Crim every year since its 1977 launch. It is not uncommon to happen upon Phil daily at any one of Downtown’s common areas. Phil told My City Magazine that it was never a question of whether or not Flint was a wise investment, because he loves the city. He says that the greatest challenge was not creating a business Downtown, but rather, creating something lasting that could be passed down to another generation. With that goal in mind, Phil is not yet convinced that the city is effectively mentoring promising entrepreneurs who can take the reins of sustainable growth.
“We don’t have enough mentoring in Flint,” Phil said. “At 65, I can’t pass my business on to a 25- or 30-year-old. Where’s the 35 to 50 age group? Business has to be done collectively, with people who are in tune with what the city needs. There needs to be a male/female, black/white system of relationships to help mold people to start businesses. I think there’s a greater responsibility than just becoming profitable if you want to be a part of the community.”
Staying true to his convictions, Phil is reaching out to local businessmen in an effort to establish a network of people dedicated to fostering Flint’s future. This explains the commitment he and his wife Ardele have to the Community Foundation of Greater Flint’s Give Forward initiative, which aims to promote business to area residents in the 20-50-year-old age group.
Outside of the business world, Phil created a local nonprofit diaper bank, which has already distributed 600,000 diapers to those in need in the Flint community. He got the idea from Joanne Goldblum, who started the nationally recognized Diaper Bank of Connecticut in 2004. Phil plans to give away close to one million diapers through his partnership with the Food Bank in 2013 alone. Why does Phil do all of this? As a businessman, he says he is looking for a certain return on his investment: “My return on investment is seeing my grandson thrive in Flint,” he says.
Ghassan Saab is a longtime friend of Phil’s. What started as a summer job opportunity in 1966 would become a lifelong career for Ghassan. He came to Flint from Lebanon as a college student when he was invited to work for Sorenson Gross, and has remained in Flint ever since. By 1972, Ghassan became Sorenson Gross’ CEO.
Ghassan, much like Phil, considers it each man’s responsibility in life to do something to benefit the place he calls home. “Flint is my home,” he says, “and one of my core beliefs is that it should be your mission in life to do what you can to improve your surroundings.” Ghassan thinks fondly of the time when he and the other men of Uptown decided to band together to pursue such improvements.
“The idea of putting the group together began to germinate in 2001. We had all experienced both success and failure in Flint, but I felt that we needed to keep trying, so we decided that instead of doing a bunch of big projects, we would do one small project at a time, and it worked.”
Concerning the group’s choice to start with Downtown, a move which has received criticism, Ghassan simply stated that “without a city center, you don’t have a community.” From the center of the city, Ghassan looks around and sees great potential in Flint. “We have what it takes, that is, the correct resources, human and natural. We still have a motivated workforce, so we must pull ourselves up by our bootstraps and continue. The city is terribly underrated. We have an incredibly beautiful environment with access to great recreation, lakes, and major cities, and our cultural center is literally second to none. All these things make Flint a tremendous place to raise a family.”
Gary Hurand knows a thing or two about being raised in and raising a family in Flint. As the son of Arthur Hurand, the man who blessed Flint with Dawn Donuts, Gary has a lot to live up to. His father, who was akin to Flint royalty, took a job in the plant at the age of 13, and afterward worked for his own business until he was 95. He served in World War II, and returned to Flint after the war “committed to his community,” as Gary says.
Gary’s upbringing under such a notable man as Arthur gave him a strong work ethic and a desire to be active in the community. A Central High School graduate, Gary walked to school every day, and his mother still lives in the house where he was raised on the east side of town. After growing and eventually outgrowing the family business, Gary dedicated most of his time and interests to restaurant construction in the area.
When the men of Uptown began to gather, Gary found himself in the mix, and he considered it a chance to continue being community minded while also “learning a new skill.” Gary stayed involved because he liked the idea of working with several different types of businessmen and organizations. “Uptown is a true partnership of the public and private sector. It took non-profit, for-profit, and governmental elements to make it work.”
Much like Ghassan, Gary finds a certain practicality to starting Downtown, and much like Phil, he thinks that recent growth can only be sustained by young innovators. “We just wanted to do good and hopefully do well, and we’ve accomplished good so far. We’re trying to grow from the center out, and I’d like to see ripple effects in the neighborhoods. This is a great town. It’s resilient and diverse, but we need young innovators, and we have to find a way to bridge the gap. We need to keep our kids here.”
Troy Farah, Co-Managing Partner of West Second Street Associates is the youngest remaining member. Troy is the son of George Farah, a Palestinian migrant who left Jerusalem in 1954 and found in Flint a new place to call home. George purchased the Capitol Theatre building in 1975, and the family business has operated from there since the 1980s. Troy is a 1982 graduate of Powers Catholic High School and a 1987 graduate of the University of Michigan.
Troy says he is impressed by how everyone has come together with a “common vision” and “a lot of cooperation over the years.” Though Troy humbly maintains that he is learning from the other men involved, he has accomplished much in his own right, and rightfully asserts that he and his family have been in the business of revitalizing Downtown Flint longer than most. When the chance to partner with the other men of Uptown Developments came about, Troy understood the immediate gratification of fixing up buildings, but he was amazed by the resulting impact.
“I figured we would renovate the buildings, but I never imagined the catalytic impact it would have: University housing, the Durant Hotel, the Flint Farmers’ Market. I believe it has raised the hope of the entire community, and that’s invaluable.”
Troy’s words have weight, even if they do come from Uptown’s junior member. He says that he sees social matters as Flint’s biggest challenge. “We have to confront the issues here in our backyard. Finding a way to improve these conditions is important.” In relation to Gary and Ghassan, Troy sees Downtown Flint as the best place to start, and he thinks progress Downtown should spur others to effect change in other neighborhoods.
Troy combined all of the parables provided by the men of Uptown into this aphorism: he called what Uptown does “real estate philanthropy.” Just like Phil, as a businessman, Troy is looking for a return on his investment. “It’s not a financial return on investment. The return on investment is the economic impact on Downtown and the benefits to the community. You can inspire change by revitalizing blight.”
After all the rumors have fallen to the ground, these words endure. Here are the men of Uptown Developments for everyone’s eyes to see: a group committed to and actively pushing Flint’s rebirth. They are from Flint, they live in Flint, they work in Flint, and they invest in Flint. A love for this city runs through their veins and it has for generations. They are palpable and personable people, the kind to stop mid-stride to shake your hand and share a laugh.
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Sun Jan 19, 2014 7:04 am |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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Uptown Developments
Our Mission is to bring together all downtown interests, including government, education, business, and charitable institutions in a broad-based coalition.
Support existing businesses and encourage entrepreneurial business development in the downtown Flint business district.
Enhance the public infrastructure and improve aesthetics.
Increase downtown residency.
Develop the downtown into an attractive area for business, employment, and entertainment.
Improve and revitalize the downtown district.
The basic premise of the Flint Uptown Reinvestment Strategy is that many small, locally based initiatives and decisions will, over time; result in sustainable and significant improvements for downtown without the need for massive, single-project developments.
The URC commissioned the help of Sasaki Associates, Inc. to develop a reinvestment strategy for downtown Flint. The strategy identifies the specific actions and projects that can be accomplished individually, while collectively contributing to an implementation framework for the regeneration of downtown Flint. The Flint Uptown Reinvestment Strategy (Initiatives for Uptown) identifies the specific actions and projects that can be accomplished individually, while collectively contributing to an implementation framework for the regeneration of downtown Flint. The strategy will encourage dialogue, discussion and a committed vision for the future of the downtown Flint area. It is key to note the community will play a vital role in determining which actions and projects will be given priority or be implemented as identified by the strategy.
Uptown Developments, LLC, was formed in 2002 specifically to acquire and renovate real estate in downtown Flint. The development team consists of eight Flint-based investors that have strong ties to the community and own and manage some of the most respected businesses in Flint. They are a diverse group of community leaders that share a vision of reinventing downtown Flint with a focus on solid real estate investment in housing, office, retail, and cultural/arts/entertainment uses.
The team also includes the Uptown Reinvestment Corporation, a nonprofit organization with a focus on revitalizing downtown Flint. The Uptown Reinvestment Corporation’s recent accomplishments include The Riverfront Residence Hall, the operation of the Flint Farmer's Market and the upcoming MSU project in the old Flint Journal building.
Currently, Uptown Developments has $30 million dollars worth of investment planned for downtown Flint in seven different building projects. When combined, the projects total over 200,000 square feet of mixed-use space ranging from the Brown Sugar Café to the First Street Lofts, a seven story apartment complex, to a new headquarters for Rowe Incorporated and the soon to open Genesys Urban Medical Clinic.
Uptown Developments, LLC, believes that downtown Flint possesses the attributes to once again be a healthy urban center, one that is home to a mosaic of people, exciting recreational opportunities, diverse businesses, corporate headquarters, colleges and a vibrant government center.
Welcome to Uptown Developments. Our mission is a simple one. We believe that having a strong city center will help to create a strong local economy. We are working toward this by creating living/working spaces in Downtown Flint. With several projects completed and more on the way we see a bright future for Flint as it transitions from a Factory town to a College town. |
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Sun Jan 19, 2014 7:28 am |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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INITIATIVES FOR UPTOWN: FLINT UPTOWN REINVESTMENT ... http://media.wix.com/ugd/04b111_789a2696782b3b544e491f73e69a8a42.pdf - - Cached - Similar pages The Flint Uptown Reinvestment Strategy (“Initiatives for. Uptown”) identifies the
Initiatives for Uptown: Flint Uptown Reinvestment Strategy 1 1. GOAL The goal of the Flint Uptown Reinvestment Strategy is to redefine Flint’s central business ...
This strategy was created in 2003 by a grant from the Mott Foundation. Much of this plan has already been implemented. The questions are: |
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Sun Jan 19, 2014 7:40 am |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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d. Relocate the bus transfer station from its current location
on Second Street (between Harrison
and Wallenburg Streets) to First Street (between
Church and Beach): The relocation site is located
closer to the concentration of office buildings and
financial institutions on Saginaw Street and the
large parking garage spanning Beach Street. This
relocation creates an opportunity for an intermodal
transportation center that could serve broader
regional transportation needs.
Page 19 of 34
Business owners in this vicinity oppose the proposed move as the selected site was too small. Some have been discussing it lately. With the new Rutherford parking ramp, there is no need for additional parking at this time. The cost of the current bus site was great and controversial (the art cost). This ramp, if demolished, and surface lot would be large enough to move the bus station. It is also closer to the District Courts and farther away from the University. It might also make the Rutherford Ramp financially solvent for a change. |
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Sun Jan 19, 2014 7:51 am |
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