How do the car dealerships feel about moving and where would they go? What is meant about revitalize West Village/Newman street?

HEY - HEY - HO - HO - an idiotic belief in SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT is the way to go! It all starts with high-minded, tree hugging ideals (who could possibly be against trees after all?). Then it morphs into an attitude that people and businesses are screwing up the idyllic vision of a green Dearborn.

In anticipation of this brave new green world, the Mayor dedicated a 6-figure salaried civil service position in his office for a "Sustainability Coordinator" that will likely work with the City Planner to craft an eminent domain http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eminent_domain strategy.

Eminent domain is always the green movement's destination. That's why these committees can simply ignore property owner's rights and entertain talk about moving the auto dealers that have been stalwart employers and pillars of the community for decades.

Out with these auto dealer rascals and in with with the bike paths, greenswards, fountains and gamboling children! Forget that the current Amtrak train offers just 3 departures Eastbound and 3 departures Westbound each day. Somehow this train station championed by the late Mayor Guido a dozen years ago http://www.usmayors.org/usmayornewspaper/documents/03_19_01/guido_rail.asp is the magic bullet (no pun intended) that catapult Dearborn to vanguard of American cities.

To formulate a plan that could involve invoking eminent domain based on assumptions about train service that is neither on-time nor profitable is plain foolish.

I agree Donna, really, move the car dealerships? That is about the stupidest thing I have heard.... its a train station not a destination point, sounds like government just spening money cuz they have it allocated to them... I can't even believe this is on the table, totally ridiculous... who ever thought of this option should be ashamed.... why not just have an amazing waterfall and a retractable dome on the station and a interpretive interactive exhibit on the history of trains in Dearborn, and a train that runs next to the river so people can really experiance Dearborn.... what a crock...this is crazy

The only exposure I have to this idea is the presentation above. In my opinion, it is not clear what these presentation are really saying. Is there more information anywhere else? What are "complete streets?" What does "full pedestrian access" mean? No cars?

To me, one of the worst things about Dearborn (besides the ridiculous parking meters and tiered pricing depending on which row you park in) is that you have Michigan Avenue running through the downtown and all of the entrances are in the rear of buildings. You will never become a Royal Oak or Birmingham if that doesn't change. What is needed is a Michigan Avenue by-pass, then widen the sidewalks on Michigan Ave. so that entrances and outdoor seating can be in the front of restaurants. I noticed some of the hand-drawings said "calm traffic" and "slow down traffic", so maybe that is what they are going for with that?

I would love to see Dearborn become a destination but with the current state of the city and all of the vacancies, why is this the solution? I see the branches (that seem like a glorified People Mover) that go to Fairlane (who even shops there?), The Henry Ford, etc. but where does this get me outside of Dearborn? Can I (safely) take the train downtown Detroit for a night out, so I don't have to worry about drinking and driving? What about to Ann Arbor?

UGH!!!!! Another O'Reilly fiasco. Anyhting to spend money and attempt to create a monument to himself, hoping any part of this rediculous plan will be named after him as some sort of achievement. How about investigating the creation of a City Manager position and get O'Reilly and his highly paid henchmen out of the way of of real progress?

I agree with Patty. We need to attract unique and quirky businesses to Dearborn so folk will want to get off at the Dearborn train stop for more than just visiting The Henry Ford, so Dbn folk will want to visit and purchase items in addition to food. Blocked up front business entrances is not conducive to attracting businesses. A fast Michigan Ave discourages folk from even seeing available store fronts. Bring back free 15 minute parallel parking to Michigan ave. Eliminate the left turn lane. Slow it down to 25 mph like Plymouth, Farmington, Northville, Clawson, Wayne etc. In a hurry? Take I-94 or Ford rd as a by-pass to get to Detroit. Let the car dealerships rent cars to train folk, they may actually buy cars! The dealerships may be the reason the folk are taking the train to Dearborn, let them be. Widen the sidewalks 5 feet per side so bikes can ride next to the curbs, (space taken from ten ft left turn lane). Once unique shops open up due to anticipated increased customer traffic, more folk will visit Dearborn, folk will want to stay longer than the free 15 minutes parking, and actually fill up the parking structures, with shops helping out with validation slips. The goal is to make the sidewalks of Dearborn crowded again, with bike racks by every other store so you can ride to lunch, and a slow Michigan ave so even jay-walking is safe like in this video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=954L9MpfCEo
Is there going to be another public meeting, or not?

Here we go again...what can we do for the west end of Dearborn? How can we improve it more...how can we spend more money on parking structures and parking lots...how can we make it more desirable. Tell me now, looking at the west end and the east end, which do you truly feel needs more attention and investment? I am so sick of hearing about plans for the west end and NEVER about the east end. It's like the city boundry goes from Gulley to Southfield Freeway. Of course, we wouldn't want the major taxpayer, Ford Motor Company, to be left out, so maybe we out to simply gerrymander the boundries to encompass those areas of tax value...and forget about the other business districts and neighborhoods. It make me want to upchuck!.

Phase II of this sustainable development vision could include diverting Michigan Avenue altogether to make way for a verdant rolling parkland featuring meadows, bike paths and zero-emission trolleys between the Adoba Eco Hotel (the first “Green From the Get Go” LEED designed Independent hotel brand) and the new Dearborn Intermodal Transportation complex. You know; the Adoba operated by Atmosphere Hospitality Management http://www.atmospherehospitalitymanagement.com that was supposed to acquire the ownership of the former Hyatt Hotel from Royal Realities around January 15th, 2013?

And, by the way...what is wrong with the train station we have now? It certainly isn't over used and over-crowded. Does O'Reilly think a new train station is in some way going to boost train travel? :PAHLEEZE!!!

R. Eally....spoken like a true narrow minded, snobbish west ender. Sure, just cut it off like an infected, gangrenous, dying body part. Wow, what a mind you have!

My god, why do they have to make it so complicated?! It's a train station for godsakes!! All you need is the station, a parking lot, maybe a taxi pick-up point and a bus stop. Everything else sounds nice, but more money.

Sorry for lashing out R...I am mad that our "leaders" here simply ignore our end of town. The attitide I get so much from west enders is just one of absolute indifference to anything but that end of town. We always seem to et tne short end of the stick. Again, sorry for being so mean spirited towards your comment.

lap, right now the improvements, if you can call them that, are happening with the train station as a focal point, and that happens to be located in the West end.
We can focus on the East end when the city hall makes it's move, another way to spend money, needless but already committed so we are stuck doing the move. Think of all the improvements rallying around the new Art mall in the near future.

Regarding slowing down Michigan ave , Mdot can approve or disapprove, but they are not clairvoyant. Other communities such as Wayne have successfully reduced the lanes and speed limits on Michigan Ave, and so can Dearborn if they take the time to at least consider it. Forget Garrison etc as a byway. All we are doing is slowing down a road, and adding safety to downtown Dearborn once again. Donna, you mention that Mdot has already made up their mind. From what data? I thought this was the 'toss out the ideas stage and everything was on the table'.
MDot needs to explain itself or at least convey its reasoning so others not so well informed as you have a clue as to why they don't want to slow it down, especially as we have Ford Rd, and I-94 both as by-ways for those who simply must rush to get to Detroit and can't be bothered to have any interference. Grand River happens to be major road through Farmington, and yet MDot has no issues with a 25 mph limit, parallel parking, and crosswalks every half block with mandatory stopping for pedestrians. It can be done.

i think that we should put a diner on the corner of the garrison lot backing up to the property line of the andiamos steak house call it the Bark Covered House Cafe be open 24 hours split profits with the museum make at least 20 parking spaces and leave the north west area of where les stanford is a park and call it Memorial park then you can move the veterans monuments and wall there and people can come and pay there respects to the soldiers that were lost in the various battles from the span-american war civilwar to the present

Slowing down Michigan Ave? Huh? Gee, most anytime going through the west end on Michigan I don't think I ever get over 30-35 MPH, what with all the traffic and the stop lights at EVERY intersection. The right -most lane is always held up with people making right hand turns. I don't think anyone can possibly speed through that area. And as Andrea says above, what's so complicated here. Why all these ancillary improvements that really don't have much to do with a train station? And Lee, I don't have any of the optimistic hopes as you do regarding the Art Space deal. If I am not mistaken, Art Space is funded through grants and federal dollars, and perhaps other public sources too. That's just our diverted tax dollars, not something generated trough the private sector and any individual entrepreneurial efforts. The redeveloped Wards property is nothing to attract foot traffic and generate any draw to that area. It's just a clinic, not something to be any great attraction for shopping, dining, etc. The parking lots in east end business districts are horrible with broken asphalt. weeds, and debris. Just compare that to the developed areas in the west and I don't see any equality. The Community and Economic Development Dept. has allowed so many businesses to deteriorate and have not enforced our building and maintenance codes. This is no way to induce other businesses to improve and invest.

lap, 30-35 mph is still too fast, the idea is to entice shoppers to come to both East and West Dearborn, can't do that if it is enticing only commuters who just want to speed through Dearborn to go somewhere else, which is usually Detroit. The idea is to improve Michigan ave, but make it serve our city, instead of having it divide our city by being just another fast road that no one thinks, like you do, is fast enough in the first place. In that case, slow it down to 25 mph, add 15 min free parking, chase away the commuter traffic and attract shopper traffic, and open up the sidewalks and front doors once again. If it works for Grand River ave and the city of Farmington, it can work here as well. New shops need a reason to want to move here, to take a risk, and that means shops need customers. Right now customer access only via the back door is not working out, not worth the risk, so unless you really like what we have now, a change is obviously needed. There is a reason those folk are making those right hand turns that bother you, to find a parking spot behind the stores. Better they block you in front while parallel parking, but keep in mind that they are shoppers, not commuters, so have patience as they are spending $$ in Dearborn, not just passing through. There must be some store owners that see the light. Regarding Art space, private businesses such as starving artists need seed money, and, once launched, some may actually succeed. Do you have a shop?

I have never enjoyed reading so much, lol I agree with it all negative n positive. All jokeing aside the dealership has been there longer than some of are residents are old and the train station for all its intended for dose not need to exstend more than what land has been set aside for it and are weather is not one that allows for for all the extras we want to close pools librarys closed not enough money stop the nonsense

So Lee...you truyly think 30-35 MPH is "speeding through town"? I know why people may n be tryning right is to find parking spaces, but as I said, it also slows traffic down...one of ylour goals. And, the commuter traffic you want to "chase" away are also potential shoppers as well. If you chase more traffic away there will certainly much less exposure to the businesses that are there. Truly, that part of town would have to become a "destination" because there would be less awareness of what is there by the casual passerby. And, what is that now but a lot of bars and more restaurants? By the way, to what extent would you propose to create a 25 MPH speed limit.....only Brady to Westborn....again not considering the businesses in the east end of town, but ONLY in our sacred west end? The only place one can go fast on Michigan Ave is from Andiamo's to Greenfield. Slowing down the west end, narrowing the street to tarffic, providing parking at curbside, eliminating the left trun lane, would really create the very small end of a funnel and push people away.

Lee...you HAVE to be joking! You say "The West end usually just gets a wink of attention once in a while, an afterthought". That is truly incredulous! The west end has been the focsal point of attention since the original "Super Block" fiasco under Guido's tenure. That was in the early 80's for crying out loud. Since then it was followed by Super Block ii with the purchase of Jacobson's, all the parking lot improvements, parking structures, streetscaping, etc. In their inept attempts at real estate developments, the city has been involved with poorly selected developers that have never came close to producing the results that were promised and have defaulted leaving the city holding an empty hat. Hakim Fakhoury is one, Burton/Katzman another. And, where is the Farmer's Market, Art in the Park, Homecoming, where Dearborn Garden Club plants flowers, etc. Yes,the east end has received some attention in regard to the Civic center expansion, but again, something that was supposed to be in the 20 million range that ended up in the 40 million range. And,the the Disc skating rink expansion that took away a substantial part of Ford Woods park for asphalt parking lot, removal of our sledding hill, loss of ball diamonds, and now with thoughts of privatizing it's operations because it has never produced the income for sustainability on its own. I am speaking of improving infrastructure for our east end business district that will help the private sector to make their own improvements

lap, obviously we have both been involved with Dearborn for many decades, I helped teach the directors of the DISC (Shannon and Holly) how to skate when tykes, and they went on to teach me to skate even better. Skated there when just a flooded field, and every stage of the Disc's development. Do you realize private money built the first enclosed rink, and Dearborn residents got to skate on one half, and the daughter of the benefactors on the other half, separated by pylons? Eventually the city bought them out. Anyway, East Dearborn is important, but the train station is West Dearborn, so it is on the table. My flag waving is for slowing West Dearborn traffic, driving away commuters who don't want anything more than to get through Dearborn to go somewhere else. The byways are Ford and I-94 for them to use. Folk going to Ypsi from Detroit don't bother going through Dbn. and Wayne, they take I-94, right? They are not shoppers, they are commuters. West Dearborn, and it's stores, want shoppers. Stores will not come unless shoppers come. Commuters are not really shoppers. Their goal is different. Commute to somewhere. Dearborn residents will travel to West Dearborn via bike ,car, walk, etc to shop, eat, and have fun. Shops will love the business. 25mph is max, how else can folk jaywalk across the street safely?
Of course, pedestrian walks will fix the concern, stopping traffic even more. West Dbn will flourish. E. Dbn, your call. fast or slow or status quo?

Lee, I would love for you and I to agree more often, but the idea of "driving away commuters who don't want anything more than to get through Dearborn to go somewhere else" just does not seem right. Your alternatives are to push them to 1-94 or Ford Rd. I don't think many people traveling that route would find it more convenient to use i-94 for sure. And, for those that would want to go anywhere west (or east) of this area, would have to take quite a detour using Ford Road, or clog Michigan Ave. even more. Michigan is a state highway, used by all state residents and all state residents bear the costs of repair and maintenance. Until, Dearborn wants to take on that financial burden, I don’t think we have the right to choke the traffic such that it inhibits people as much as you are suggesting.

Traffic just DOES not travel fast on Michigan Ave, in west Dearborn, unless perhaps it's very late at night or very early in the morning when businesses are closed anyway. Also, jaywalking is illegal anyway, as I am sure you know, and there are traffic lights at every corner for pedestrians to cross safely. And, why as a Dearborn resident do you say " E. Dbn, your call. fast or slow or status quo?That is the dismissive, divisive and parochial attitude I hate to see. We should have concerns about Dearborn as a whole and not just in self-interested slices. I love the west end of town and want to see businesses thrive, but I can’t agree your suggestions are the way to go about it.

Lap, I am for improving all of Dearborn, but right now we are discussing the West side and the train station area. When the Art Center takes over city hall, then the East side gets addressed. Fast slow, status quo means just that, both East and West Dearborn have a unique personality, and what works for one shopping concept may not work for the other. I would like to keep East and West on even par if possible. Southfield however, is a fact of life. Perhaps just allowing 15 or 30 minute free parallel parking on either side, and leave the speed limit alone would be a compromise, Wayne seems to get away with that approach. That way, if folk want to travel Mich ave and allow for a slow commute, they will be happy. The parallel parking will make shops happy, and that is what I am trying to encourage, more shop owners willing to take a chance. Right now, with access only to the rear, it is just not worth the investment, unless its a bar or food place, which is usually not an impulse buy anyway. Perhaps more angled parking like near Mongolians, close enough to Michigan ave to see the stores, but off the main road. That area is always packed, cars trolling for parking spots. Can it be because the parking is free? By the stores? You bet! Who wants to spend bucks in a parking garage 100 feet away when you are picking up flowers, or a Jimmy John's, 5 minute max impulse fast buys. lap, if you were a store owner on Mich ave, what would you want?? Customer access!!

Lee, you and I seem to have been around Dearborn for quite some time. I can agree with you about that. But, allowing parking on Michigan Ave would never create sufficient spaces to make much of a difference. You refer to "shop owners"....most are bars or restaurants...not the little quint and quirky things you might find in main tourist attractions. And why just 15-30 minute parking? I don't frequent that part of town a whole lot, but it seems to me you now have at least a 15 minute free period in the pay lots directly behind the "shops" you refer to. Wayne is not much of an apple to apple comparison either. They have widely separated one-way east and west bound travel through the main part of the city. There is no choking down on the lanes of travel. Your ideas of no left turn lane, parallel parking for both east and west lanes would truly inhibit all traffic, especially emergency vehicles...EMS, police, and fire...not to mention, as I said before, creating a funnel effect with Michigan Ave. becoming the small part of the funnel.

Paid parking has been a thorny issue since it was first proposed. The fact remains, however, that there has to be a revenue source to maintain the parking lots. Prior to paid parking, the city and merchants had to fund that effort totally through citywide tax revenues and assessments to the merchants. With paid parking, the funding burden is being spread out to include the users of the parking areas as well. Take a look at the city parking lots in the east end. Look at the area east of Schaeffer and north of Michigan Ave. That area is horrendous in appearance and maintenance. I would certainly support paid parking if this area could begin to look like those paid parking lots in the west end. The comparison between the two certainly gives the appearance of preferential treatments. and you can quiickly see the differences between that in the west end.

Lee, I still, don't see how making Michigan Ave. much narrower and with more parking is in anyway going to result in a more diverse type of shopping area. Just because someone can park in front of the business instead of the back will not cause a new variety of shops to open up and create some sort of Birmingham and Royal Oak magnet. The ice cream shop I remember was down across from what it now the Goodwill, with plenty of free parking. That is still there and the ice cream shop is gone. That doesn't equate with your perspective. I have only been to Royal Oak a couple of times, and not recently, but it seems to me they had paid parking all over the place and still thrives. I agree that it would be nice to have all those quaint little shops you refer to, but that is something the private sector determines and those entrepreneurs that operate within it. Parking in front or back doesn’t have much to do with it. If they build or open something that people want and see as unique, they will come and parking in front of back will have little to do with it.

Lee, there is NO way anyone is going to convince me that a 25 MPH speed limit and parallel parking is going to do anything but make any passage though west Dearborn intolerable. It is a state road...it is there to use as a state road. It is not ours to make into a bottle neck for our own perceived benefit. I go back to what I said to another writer….we have a complimentary period to park behind the building to “dash in, dash out, and be on your way.” I do that now all the time when I go to the Wine Merchant. And, if I am there a bit longer, they validate my ticket. I have no idea what makes you people think that the quaint little shops will pour in if we only choke Michigan Ave and provide some parallel parking. Where do you get that analogy? If anything, I bet those communities you refer to had the quaint shops come first, then made other changes afterward…not the other way around. I bet the chicken came before the egg. Also, it seems to me that all the money and resources that went into the transformation of the west end was done with the thought in mind those efforts would do what you say you want there now. It just didn’t materialize. You are grasping at straws,…if only we lower the speed limit, if only we take out the left turn lane, if only do this or if only we do that, the magic wand will appear and, POOF. Nope, I don’t buy it…we need that chicken first.

Lap, do you like what we have now with respect to the business shop mix in Dearborn? Most folk do not. What is the reason those quaint shops don't want to locate on Michigan Ave? Lack of customer access and convenience. Michigan Ave is a state road, and the speed limit can be changed, and the lanes modified to provide better customer access to shops . Traveling slower through Dearborn will save lives, save businesses, and will be a change for the better. Right now, we have vacant store fronts, and are doing nothing to change the scenario. Quaint shops just don't POOF into existence unless there is a reason to be optimistic that business will be good. Quaint shops are not found on fast roads like Michigan ave unless impulse parking is available. Who ever transformed the West end must have been asleep at the switch, as businesses that tried to open found no customers. So, do you just 'give up' or try another approach.? Lap, you can call it grasping at straws, but until we find your chicken, it is better to do something, than complain about the current business climate and do nothing.

Lee...You have been watching Field of Dreams WAY to often and that little catchy part of the script writers dialog that is spoken from an echoing mystical voice in the clouds saying, "Build it and they will come” seems to be also echoing in your head to the point you really believe it. News flash, Lee...that was fantasy, not reality. Maybe you can convince Kevin Costner to come to town and see if he can work his movie fantasy magic on Michigan Ave. and we can see the quaint shops appearing out of the corn fields. Oh, wait, we don't have any corn fields here do we? Well, let's not allow that deter us from any realism. Let's just roll the dice here and hope if we spend millions of dollars (we don't have, by the way) narrow down Michigan Ave to just two lanes, no left turn lane, use that space to widen the sidewalks 3X , remove meters so now either the merchants or the city (you and I and anyone else living in Dearborn) have to pay for all that parking lot maintenance, and let your gambling addiction mindset to rule out logic, hoping those dice don’t roll out to be snake eyes. Gee, do we have to wake up now? Your Yaya land is soooooo, ah, what’s the word here…unrealistic/ Pollyannaish? Starry-eyes hopeful?