INSIDE
: OAKLAN CONFIDE D POLITICA NTIAL L AND GOSNEWS SIP PAGE 27
MAY 2016
LGBT CONTROVERSY: NEW STATE BOARD OF ED POLICY THE INTERVIEW: MUSLIM LEADERS ON CURRENT CHALLENGES FISH STOCKING: MILLIONS SPENT TO KEEP ANGLERS HAPPY ECRWSS Postal Customer EDDM
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Controversy over LGBT policy from state board New recommendations from state education officials relative to how schools should deal with transgender students has ignited a groundswell of opposition. Here's a look at the new policy and how Oakland state lawmakers are reacting.
FROM THE PUBLISHER
20
Publisher David Hohendorf's take on our form of government as a democratic republic and the value of understanding the rules of the game if you want to be involved and impact the process of setting the public agenda.
OAKLAND CONFIDENTIAL
27
Our periodic gossip/news column about politics and government captures what's new in the races for county water resources commissioner, county treasurer, governor and other items of interest.
CRIME LOCATOR
31
A recap of select categories of crime occurring in the past month in Birmingham, Bloomfield Township and Bloomfield Hills, presented in map format.
MUNICIPAL
103
Handicapped parking changes in Birmingham; The Varsity Shop building for sale; At Home coming to Bloomfield; all bistro applications rejected by commission; Muslim Center parking approved; who has filed for 2016 ballot; plus more.
FRONT/BACK
142
Katie Deska gives us the the latest on what’s happening in the front and the back of the house in metro Detroit area restaurants with a series of short takes on the latest news and gossip for the industry.
THE COVER The Counselor by Christopher Yockey on the outside of the North Old Woodward parking structure in Birmingham, where the Public Arts Board maintains a CityScape program to educate the community on the value of art in public places and enhance the visual nature of the community. Downtown photo.
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Stocking waterways with fish How state natural resource officials decide to stock state lakes and streams with fish, mostly for the benefit of the sport fishing industry.
56 Muslim leaders speak out Two leaders from the Muslim community – in the Bloomfield and Rochester areas – talking about current issues of concern.
32
Chris Peters
AT THE TABLE
145
Reviewer J. March was a bit befuddled on her return to Ale Mary's in Royal Oak, where food that was once great needs more attention.
SOCIAL LIGHTS
146
Society reporter Sally Gerak provides the latest news from the society and nonprofit circuit as she covers recent major events.
ENDNOTE
154
Our thoughts on the recent rejections of bistro applications in Birmingham and the new policy recommendations on LGBT issues from the state Board of Education.
FACES
32 54 101 131 135
Chris Peters Joe Chila Bruce Abelson Mindy Eisenberg Roz Blanck
KEEP LEO SAVOIE
LEO’S TOP P
Public Safety and Government Transparency In 2015 Bloomfield Township was ranked as the safest City of its size in Michigan. You can find the source of the Township’s revenue, how that money is spent, the Township’s pension obligations, debt services and how it has handled its resources by visiting www.bloomfieldtwp.org.
Listening to Bloomfield Citizens When a DTE contractor began removing and trimming trees from private property, without homeowner approval, Leo Savoie was the first public official to act. He put a stop to the program and demanded that homeowners were contacted before any work was done on private property.
Vote Tuesday AUGUST 2
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Strong Fiscal Management The township has had its Standards & Poor’s AAA bond rating renewed three times under Savoie’s leadership. This is the highest rating possible, and issued to only a few entities in Michigan.
Redevelop Vacant or Abandoned Projects Leo Savoie’s persistent push to redevelop the Bloomfield Park area on Telegraph near Square Lake Road has resulted in plans to create the Village of Bloomfield.
in the Republican Primary Paid for by Retain Leo Savoie Bloomfield Township Supervisor, 3847 Oakland Dr., Bloomfield Hills, MI 48301
PUBLISHER David Hohendorf NEWS EDITOR Lisa Brody NEWS STAFF/CONTRIBUTORS Allison Batdorff | Rachel Bechard | Hillary Brody Katie Deska | Kevin Elliott | Sally Gerak | Austen Hohendorf J. March | Kathleen Meisner | Bill Seklar PHOTOGRAPHY/CONTRIBUTORS Jean Lannen | Laurie Tennent Laurie Tennent Studio VIDEO PRODUCTION/CONTRIBUTOR Garrett Hohendorf Giant Slayer ADVERTISING DIRECTOR David Hohendorf ADVERTISING SALES Mark Grablowski GRAPHICS/IT MANAGER Chris Grammer OFFICE 124 W. Maple Birmingham MI 48009 248.792.6464 DISTRIBUTION/SUBSCRIPTIONS Mailed monthly at no charge to most homes in Birmingham, Bloomfield Township and Bloomfield Hills. Additional free copies distributed at high foot-traffic locations in downtown Birmingham. For those not receiving a free mail copy, paid subscriptions are available for a $12 annual charge. To secure a paid subscription, go to our website (downtownpublications.com) and click on “subscriptions” in the top index and place your order online or scan the QR Code here.
INCOMING/READER FEEDBACK We welcome feedback on both our publication and general issues of concern in the Birmingham/Bloomfield community. The traditional “letters to the editor” in Downtown are published in our Incoming section and can include written letters or electronic communication. Opinions can be sent via e-mail to news@downtownpublications.com or mailed to Downtown Publications, 124 W. Maple Road, Birmingham MI 48009. If you are using the mail option, you must include a phone number for verification purposes. WEBSITE downtownpublications.com
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FROM THE PUBLISHER e involved in the actual “system” if you want to effect change. Once you are there, master the rules of the organization and the unspoken ways that any – especially a political/government – group functions. The two best pieces of advice I learned early on, dating back too many years to even mention here.
B
Mastering the rules of the game – I had some of the best teachers, most of them who have since passed on, including the township supervisors and city mayors/managers in some Oakland communities in the 1970's period. I have them to thank for my understanding of how the government functions. The first principle – involvement in the “system” – I learned in the 1960's. You could protest in the streets over Washington policies, particularly as it applied to the unpopular war in Vietnam. You could even boycott university classes (which, for the record, I personally paid for) and live in a tent city on campus (yes, we did) to give dramatic emphasis to drive your message home. All of this public clamor helped raise the national consciousness and that of my parents' generation, which surely helped influence the course of events, much like we have seen in recent years with the Occupy Wall Street movement. But nearly 50 years later the fact of the matter remains the same – the day-to-day decisions on government were – then and now – controlled by elected officials we send to our county meeting places, state legislatures or Washington D.C. to carry out our wishes – sort of. So it is with some fascination that I follow the current Republican Party fight for delegates in the presidential race, where the 50 states have as many varying rules governing how, or even if, the public popular vote will be honored when it comes time to determine at this summer's national convention who will be the standard bearer for this party. Michigan will have a total of 59 convention delegates in Cleveland this summer. Trump is guaranteed 25, and Cruz/Kasich get the remainder, 17 each. I am told that the delegates are bound, on the first ballot at the convention, to support the candidate to which they are pledged. After the first ballot, delegates are no longer bound. Some observers say that the current Michigan GOP rules, as complicated as they are, prevent the stealth activity we see in other states where a candidate wins the overwhelming popular vote but ends up with only a small part of the delegates. Once again, mastering the rules of the game and commandeering
delegates in case of an open or contested convention is part of the process. It has all the appearance of a game skewed for system insiders and those candidates with the capital to hire the best of political strategists. But these are the rules of the game. The current presidential race is a good reminder of the most important fact about our government – we don't live in a democracy. We are a democratic republic. Still the best, but it has it's idiosyncrasies and imperfect outcomes, including the basic fact of life – representatives we send off to reflect our views don't really do that. In fact, in some cases, only occasionally. They go and carry out only some of our wishes because they all bring their own agenda on key issues, even if out of sync with the majority of residents in a district. And this much heralded yet imperfect system was dealt an even more severe setback when the U.S. Supreme Court court in 2002 (Citizens United vs. Federal Elections Commission) basically struck down as unconstitutional the McCain-Feingold law that sought to restrict soft money in campaigns and limit the flow of funds from corporations and unions, basically opening the financial flood gates in the election process that we are seeing unfold in 2016. It's not the first time that the courts, dating back into the 1970's, have ruled against attempts to limit the influence of money in the electoral process but it was one of the more damaging blows against past attempts to prevent our system of governance from becoming an oligarchy or, worse still, a plutocracy where the leaders are chosen by the rich class and take their orders from those who paved the way to election victory with unrestricted contributions. An imperfect system? Yes, but still one of the best. Can it be improved to reflect more of the wishes of the majority of the population? Yes, but not anytime soon. It would require that first we get a larger percentage of the population to participate, at least marginally, in the system by casting an informed vote in every election. It would require that the general population demand that the rules of the game are simplified so that the insiders cannot control the outcome, sometimes against what the popular vote dictates. And then there must be a constitutional amendment to limit the influence of money. Tall orders, indeed. But only then can the true interests of the majority be better served by those we send off to represent us. David Hohendorf Publisher DavidHohendorf@downtownpublications.com
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BEVERLY HILLS VILLAGE 5 Riverbank | $650,000
BLOOMFIELD 1640 Standish Court | $999,000
Beautiful home in unique & community. Custom designed with open floor plan. Spacious family room with built-ins and gas fireplace. Large master suite with walkout to deck overlooking gorgeous wooded ravine and pond. Finished lower level. Private cul-de-sac built around a center commons area.
Spacious 6000+ sq. ft. one-of-a-kind contemporary architecture tucked at the end of a cul-de-sac on private wooded lot overlooking Island Lake. Home can be remodeled or create your own dream home on 180 feet of Island Lake canal. Wonderful hilltop setting on 1.37 acres.
BLOOMFIELD 6300 Wing Lake Road | $2,999,999
BLOOMFIELD 975 Sunningdale | $2,690,000
FRANKLIN VILLAGE 30645 Rosemond | $2,475,000
Serene estate with lovely views of Wing Lake
Impressive estate on 1.2 acres with walkout setting
DesRosiers masterpiece on almost 3 acres
BIRMINGHAM - Complete June 2016 547 Southfield Road | $1,875,000
BLOOMFIELD 5675 Forman Drive | $1,429,000
BLOOMFIELD VILLAGE 235 Westwood | $1,399,000
6000 sq. ft. new construction with easy flow
Mid-century modern home on Wing Lake
Wonderful new construction with outstanding finishes
BIRMINGHAM 1065 Chesterfield Road | $1,399,000
BIRMINGHAM 300 Warren Court | $1,295,000
CITY OF BLOOMFIELD HILLS 502 Chase Lane | $549,000
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442 S. Old Woodward Avenue | Birmingham, MI 48009
INCOMING Golf course water use I was forwarded the piece on the use of water on golf courses (April/Downtown). Thank you for writing about this topic — I believe it was covered well from both sides of the issue. I wanted to get you a few more facts on water use and golf. Golf courses are professionally managed landscapes with more than 90 percent of the average 18-hole course contributing to valuable green space in any watershed or community. Of the 150 acres for the average 18-hole course, 90 percent is valuable green space. According to the 2014 GCSAA Golf Course Water Use and Conservation Practices survey, golf courses use 21.8 percent less water than they did in 2006 and golf course irrigation accounts for only 1.44 percent of all water used for irrigation in the U.S. Did you also know golf is a $4.2 billion industry in Michigan and a huge part of the economy, especially in the Birmingham-Bloomfield areas? Many of these courses have occupied the same valuable urban green space for more than 100 years. In fact, Oakland Hills is celebrating it's centennial year of employing members of the local community and contributing to the tax base. Golf can sometimes end up with a poor public perception, especially in regards to the environment. These perceptions are almost always based on misconceptions or opinions not derived from fact but from assumptions from those who do not participate in the sport. Adam Ikamas, Executive Director, Michigan Golf Course Superintendents Association
Charter road amendment I thank Downtown for the Endnote editorials that unequivocally rejected the egodriven and potentially destructive attempt to amend the Birmingham city charter over the reconfiguration of Maple Road. Randolph Judd Birmingham
Appreciate Downtown I am writing to let you know how much I appreciate your newsmagazine. I recently finished reading the most current issue, and again I am amazed at the thoroughness of the coverage of topics relevant to us. Your article on the lack of information we have about the millions of gallons being pumped to water Oakland golf courses was downtownpublications.com
SPEAK OUT We welcome your opinion on issues facing the Birmingham/Bloomfield communities. Opinions can be sent via e-mail to news@downtownpublications.com or mailed to Downtown Publications, 124 West Maple Road, Birmingham MI 48009.
detailed, informative and engaging. This has been true of other articles as well. I found myself particularly educated by your recent article on DDA's (November/Downtown) and how they work. Newspapers just don't take the space any more to really dig into the important topics at hand, but your newsmagazine does and I appreciate that. So, thank you. And I wanted to let you know, too, that I just wrote to Senator Knollenberg and Representative Webber to ask them to support the package of bills regarding governmental transparency and FOIA, which you had asked your readers to do. You're doing great work, and I thank you for that. Gary Schmitz Rochester Hills
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Michigan has one of the most inept legislatures in the country. Tom Purcell (Permanent disabled veteran) Our elected representatives have already made their deals and are only interested in passing laws that will benefit their business partners, squeezing everyone else out and screwing the patients that need the benefits only cannabis can provide for them. Zebulon Haze Gwinn, Michigan Worst medical MJ system possible. People, as usual in Michigan, are the last thing that matters to the “leaders" (term used loosely). Kenneth Aaron Detroit DOWNTOWN
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Featured Home
255 Lakewood
Bloomfield Hills
$1,788,000
Spectacular setting and home on Endicott Lake. New kitchen with stained walnut cabinets, large island, breakfast bar & quartz counters. All 4 BRs are suites with updated baths. Finished walk-out lower level includes 2nd kitchen. Three car garage, inground pool and picturesque views. Birmingham schools.
3089 Heron Pointe Bloomfield Hills
$2,500,000
Custom built home with over 250 feet of lake frontage on Forest Lake. New roof, mechanicals and windows. Huge finished walkout lower level. 3 car attached garage. Gated community. Bloomfield schools.
708 Shirley
Birmingham
$2,300,000
Located on a premier street, this 1926 classic Birmingham home sits on almost one acre. 5 bedrooms, 5.2 baths. Three car attached garage. Finished basement. Just a couple blocks from Linden park and walkable to town.
4762 S. Chipping Glenn Bloomfield Hills
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248.797.0784 cgpero@yahoo.com
$2,295,000
Stunning Hills of Lone Pine custom 2004 home. Gorgeous kitchen with Millennium cabinetry and top end appliances. 12 foot ceilings, brazilian cherry hardwood floors, 5 fireplaces. Incredible main level master suite includes his and her baths and closets. Four car attached heated garage with epoxy floor.
275 S. Old Woodward Downtown Birmingham
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455 aspen
Birmingham
$1,775,000
Wonderful newer build home designed by Ron Rea, with a spacious open floor plan and soaring two story living room with fireplace. Gorgeous eat-in kitchen includes large island, premium appls, and custom cabinetry. Spectacular master suite. Finished basement. 4 car garage.
715 Pilgrim
Birmingham
$1,350,000
Just listed classic Quarton Lake Estates home on a larger lot. Brand new kitchen with large center island. Beautifully remodeled master suite. Covered back porch overlooking beautiful grounds. 3 car attached garage..
1023 Chester Birmingham $769,900
593 Fairfax
Birmingham
Newer build 3 bedroom, 2.2 bath colonial just blocks from town. Gorgeous finishes and a great floor plan. Finished basement. Two car garage. Second floor laundry. Beautifully decorated.
$899,900
Extensively remodeled Quarton Lake Colonial on a great lot. New kitchen in 2009 with SS appliances and granite counters. 4 bedrooms, 3.1 baths. Finished rec room in basement. Second floor laundry. Rare 4 car garage. Around the corner from Quarton Elementary.
1000 Floyd Birmingham $689,900 Located north of Lincoln, just a short walk town and around the corner from Barnum Park. Newer build home offers 3 bedrooms upstairs including a spacious master suite. New patio with built in BBQ. Finished basement.
2235 Quarton rd Bloomfield Hills $699,000 Stately red brick colonial, built in the 20's, sitting on nearly one acre of beautiful grounds in Bloomfield Village. Newer kitchen with Wolf stove and Sub Zero fridge. Four bdrms, 2.2 baths. Two car side entry garage. Tremendous character and charm throughout.
45 Kingsley manor Bloomfield Hills
$599,900
Hard to find spacious condo in the city of Bloomfield Hills with a first floor master suite. Two car attached garage and first floor laundry. 3 bedrooms, 3.1 baths with a main floor den. Finished basement.
1273 Yorkshire
Birmingham
$575,000
Wonderful 4 bedroom 3.1 bath home in desirable Birmingham Estates neighborhood. Beautiful newer kitchen with granite tops, center island and SS appls. Gorgeous 80 ft wide lot. Walking distance to town.
660 Lakeside
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1150 Puritan
$309,900
1848 e melton
Birmingham
$289,900
Great Sheffield Estates brick bungalow. Updated white kitchen with granite counters, tiled floor and SS appls opens to nook area. Two main level bedrooms and upstairs master includes a half bath. Large rec room in finished basement. Newer windows. Two car garage. Paver patio on a nice lot with privacy fence.
$799,900
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1298 Brookwood
Birmingham
25812 Hersheyvale Franklin
$410,000
A wonderful property peacefully tucked away at the end of a culde-sac on over an acre of beautiful grounds. The existing quadlevel home is spacious with a nice floor plan. 4 bedrooms, 2.2 baths. Two fireplaces. Close proximity to downtown Franklin Village and cider mill.
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32286 auburn Beverly Hills $319,900 Three bdrm, 3.1 bath colonial on a great street. Newer white kitchen. Large living room w/fireplace. Nice family room off the back overlooking backyard. Finished rec room in basement. Birmingham schools.
CHriS Pero Associate Broker
248.797.0784 cgpero@yahoo.com
$675,000
Well maintained Quarton Lake colonial on a 105 foot wide lot. White eat-in kitchen with corian counters and Sub-zero ref. Gas fireplaces in LR and FR. Spacious master suite with 2 WIC’s and master bath. Finished rec room in basement. Private fenced yard.
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Bloomfield Hills
Birmingham
Spacious Quarton Lake Estates colonial. Beautiful new white kitchen with center island, SS appl and granite counters. 5 bedrooms 3 full baths upstairs. second floor laundry. Finished rec room in basement. Two car attached rear entry garage. Great lot.
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Move in ready Colonial on a great lot in Birmingham Farms sub. New kitchen cabinets, granite tops, and appliances, opens to nook and family room with fireplace. LR with hardwood floors and natural fireplace. Master suite includes double closets and updated bath with dual vanity. New Trex deck with pergola. Two car attached side entrance.
$949,900
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6692 Spruce
Birmingham
Wonderful home overlooking Quarton Lake. Five bedrooms, 3 full baths - all updated. Finished basement with large rec room. Two car rear entry garage. Lots of charm and character. A great home and lot - offers many options in one of Birmingham's best locations. Walk to town.
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OAKLAND CONFIDENTIAL Gift Certificates Available for Mother’s Day Oakland Confidential is a periodic column of political/government news and gossip items, both on and off-the-record, compiled by staff members of Downtown. Possible items for this column can be sent to OaklandConfidential@DowntownPublications.com. DOWNWARD SPIRAL: The month of March was not a good time for Republican Gov. Rick Snyder, who found his standing with the Michigan public plummeting from the start of the year and his inclusion in a Fortune magazine piece on the world’s most disappointing leaders. In a late March EPIC-MRA of Lansing poll of voters, Snyder snagged a 69 percent negative job performance rating and a 75 percent negative rating on how he is handling the Flint leadtainted water crisis. A full 52 percent of voters in the poll gave him an overall unfavorable rating. Then, to add to his misery, Fortune magazine’s editors placed him among the 19 most disappointing leaders in the SNYDER world. Snyder’s ranking appeared under the headline of “Don’t Blame Me, I’m Just The Governor Award,” noting how the embattled Michigan leader seemed to be shifting blame at earlier congressional hearings by blasting the EPA and the “dumb and dangerous” federal rules governing lead in water systems. In early April, Snyder continued the blame game by criticizing “state bureaucrats” in his administration for the Flint fiasco. Snyder was in good company for the Fortune disappointing leaders piece, sharing the limelight with the likes of the former chairman of Volkswagen; the CEO of YAHOO; and New Jersey Governor Chris Christie. Snyder’s woes are cascading in the halls of the House and Senate where one lawmaker labeled him as “toxic” and someone from which party members were trying to get some distance. BLOOD IN THE WATER: A March 21st blurb in Politico noted that “National Democrats say they’re...looking closely at freshman Rep. Dave Trott’s seat outside Detroit.” Trott (R-Birmingham, Bloomfield Hills), was first elected to Michigan’s 11th District seat in 2014, taking out accidental congressman Kerry Bentivolio, who lucked into his seat when former Rep. Thad McCotter’s staffers were found to have forged signatures on filing petitions. The seat, which had been gerrymandered to protect the seat as a Republican one for McCotter, is being targeted by local Democrats, as is Rep. Mike Bishop’s seat in the 8th District (Rochester, Rochester Hills). So say Oakland County Republican and Democratic party chairs. Theresa Mungioli, Oakland County Republican Chairperson, said, “ I don’t know if they’re being targeted nationally, but I do know that both Trott and Bishop are gearing up for a tough election season. With the redistricting, both are stronger Republican seats, but depending on who is at the top of the ticket, it could help or hurt candidates lower down the ticket, even countywide.” She said Bentivolio, a Tea Partier and reindeer farmer who was decimated by Trott’s financial might in the August 2014 primary, had been circulating petitions to run against him once again in this August’s primary. “And we know Melissa Gilbert (Democratic actress who now lives in Holly) is running against Mike Bishop in that district,” Mungioli said. Oakland County Democratic Chair Frank Houston said Dr. Anil Kumar of Rochester Hills, who filed to run against Trott, “has built his business on helping people; David Trott built his on preying on people. We’re working on getting creative to get BISHOP their names out.” The reality is, according to Houston, when McCotter was in office, “he designed his district to be safe – but it’s not so safe anymore. Even though it’s a Republican-leaning district, it’s winnable for a Democrat, as long as you can hold a Republican to their record. There’s a high likelihood that the xenophobic, crazy things Donald Trump says could have trouble down ballot for those running. Oakland County voters tend to be more purple than blue or red, especially in these targeted districts.” downtownpublications.com
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This exhibition has been organized by the Detroit Institute of Arts. Support has been provided by the National Endowment for the Humanities and the National Endowment for the Arts. Additional support has been provided by the Marjorie and Maxwell Jospey Foundation and an ADAA Foundation Curatorial Award and the Association of Art Museum Curators. Any views, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this exhibition do not necessarily represent those of the National Endowment for the Humanities. Dances (detail), 1914 or 1915, oil on canvas. Arthur Bowen Davies, American. Gift of Ralph Harman Booth
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LOOKING AHEAD: While Lisa Posthumus Lyons (R-Alta) Odescribes herself as a fourth generation farmer (the family farm has been in her family for four generations), it’s really politics that runs in her family’s veins. Posthumus Lyons, daughter of former Lieutenant Gov. Dick Posthumus (1999-2002), and the Republican who lost to Jennifer Granholm in 2002, is married to a Kent County deputy sheriff, and is a state House representative since 2010, where she beat off Tea Party challengers in 2012 and 2014. On April 11, she filed for her next job – Kent County Clerk, for the 2016 election. Still, there are persistent rumblings that she is also looking ahead to the 2018 election, and an open Secretary of State seat, and avidly raising money. Sources note she is financed by the DeVos family. “They’re all floating trial balloons, looking to see what sticks,” said Oakland County Republican Chairperson Theresa Mungioli, who said she too, had heard Posthumus Lyons is looking at the Secretary of State position. NEVER TOO EARLY: As rumors swirl around around whether Oakland resident Ruth Johnson, now the Michigan Secretary of State, will run for the governor’s job or the County Executive’s position when her second and final term is up in 2018, Senate Majority Floor Leader Mike Kowall of White Lake confirmed he is considering a run at the Secretary of State position. Kowall is currently in the midst of his second term in the Senate’s 15th District. “I’m looking into it and keeping options open. It’s awful early, but there is a lot that the Secretary of State does that is involved with what I’m working on right now, such as autonomous vehicles, licensing and elections. (Ruth Johnson) has been doing a good job right now at modernizing some things, and technology keeps changing,” said Kowall. Kowall previously represented White Lake’s 44th District House of Representatives seat from 1998 to 2002. While Kowall said it’s too early to gear up any fundraising efforts for the SOS campaign, rumors are that he’s been doing just that in the Lansing area. Campaign finance records show Kowall raised more than $40,000 from fundraising events in Lansing and Orchard Lake last fall, with about $80,700 of cash on hand at the end of 2015. Not bad for a term-limited senator. This isn’t the first time he has considered elevating his position beyond the state legislature. In 2011, Kowall announced plans to run for the U.S. House of Representatives in 2012. At the time, Kowall hoped to take over the 11th District seat held by former Republican congressman Thaddeus McCotter, who was running for President of the United States. However, Kowall withdrew his bid after McCotter pulled out of the presidential election. The seat is currently occupied by Birmingham resident Dave Trott. ON A CLEAR DAY: Well, it’s now official, as noted here last month – Republican John McCulloch, current OCC board treasurer, former HCMA director, Oakland Water Resources Commissioner, and long-time county board member, has officially filed to run for Oakland County Treasurer, a post now held by Democrat Andy Meisner. Aside from a truckload of cash ($350,000) left over from his failed run for re-election in 2012 as water resources commissioner, McCulloch reportedly performed well of late in a name recognition poll against Meisner. Some observers say that the Oakland polling firm’s track record of accuracy in the Michigan presidential primary and methodology in some polls (light on mobile phones; emphasis on landlines) could be skewing results, although no one offered how this poll was conducted. And let’s not forget that the top of the ticket in a presidential election year will impact the outcome on all races further down the ballot. Expect this race to be hard fought, according to one GOP candidate who ranked this Democratically-held county office as one that could move back into the Republican column. After his 2012 loss by less than 8,000 votes, McCulloch was rumored to have learned a lesson and will no longer be taking advice from some party elders who advised him back then that there was no need to expend much cash or effort in beating upstart Jim Nash, who now holds the water resources post.
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FACES Chris Peters usician and music producer Chris Peters has toured the globe and worked with some of the most well known acts in the industry over the past 20 years. Today, the Brother Rice graduate focuses on projects that are taking him in a new direction. Working with his younger brother, Drew, under the name Peters and Peters, Chris has written and produced music for The Black Eyed Peas; Kid Rock; Ted Nugent; Australian artists Holly Valance and Sarah McLeod; Canadian Idol finalist Tara Oram; and British pop group Girls Aloud, among others. In 2010, Chris worked with Motown guitarist Dennis Coffey (formerly of The Funk Brothers studio band) on the legendary guitarist's album. "We went on the road and played Bonnaroo," he said. "That was sort of my last hurrah in the world of commercial music." Peters' latest project, Racehorses Are Resources, is a collaboration with hip hop artists Nick Speed and Quelle Chris, and Nick Cicchetti. "Those are the core guys who are part of it, and we do other weird stuff," he said. "It's a place I can do whatever I want, which is a very big disconnect from trying to write a hit song when the record company needs a young artist to break into the chart." While Peters taught himself to play guitar in high school, it was in Ann Arbor where he got his initial start in the music business while attending the University of Michigan. "I wrote for the college paper, and that gave me a chance to get close to the music business. I went to a lot of shows and figured out how the business worked. I was also in my own band, and picked up a great deal of knowledge about how the music industry functioned. I'm also a voracious fan of music. My brother and I are huge music nerds." When Peters landed an interview with an up-and-coming rapper named Kid Rock, he arrived to find a guitar in the room and decided to pick it up and play. The exchange led to Peters playing guitar and bass on several songs on Kid Rock's second album, “The Polyfuze Method�. Meanwhile, the Peters brothers formed "Getaway Cruiser," which landed a deal with Sony records. "We went to Philadelphia and made a record. The Fugees were huge at the time, and one of them appears on the record, but it ended up tanking. The band broke up shortly after," he said. "One problem was that we didn't have a hit single. Sony expected a hit, and we didn't really know how to write that kind of song. In the aftermath of the band, we figured it out and started writing for others." Peters later joined The Electric Six under the name John R. Dequindre, helping the band to earn four top-five hits in the United Kingdom while still writing songs for other artists with his brother. However, with years of music taking a toll on his brother's hearing, Drew later moved away from the music business and the brothers used their royalties to invest in real estate. "Then I started segueing away from the commercial world and doing things for my own fulfillment," he said. "I enjoy the process of creating with people who think about things differently than I do. I've worked with some Chinese classical musicians and had collaborations with Tibetan singers. People who think about music differently. It's very enjoyable."
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Story: Kevin Elliott
Photo: Jean Lannen
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M
ichigan is finding itself in the center of a storm over policy recommendations relative to LGBT students that have been developed by the Michigan Department of Education and the Board of Education. The proposed guidelines, entitled "Safe and Supportive Learning Environments for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Questioning Students," would be optional for school districts to implement, if approved by the board. However, those opposing the proposed guidelines accuse the board of overstepping its role by promoting policies some claim are an attempt at social engineering that places students in harms way and subverting the rights of parents. Meanwhile, local school districts say without a formal policy in place regarding transgender students, most schools work with students and parents on a case-by-case basis. Citing higher rates of harassment, bullying, suicide and missed days of school among LGBT students, the state Board of Education's recommendations include measures to foster acceptance of transgender students. "The department of education and the board of education had been approached by school districts in the state that were looking for some guidance, outreach and help on how to deal with LGBTQ students. At that request, the department and board worked collaboratively to come up with guidance," said Bill DiSessa, spokesman for the Michigan Department of Education. "They are not requirements. It's guidance that is optional for districts that want and are seeking guidance and want to support students."
LGBT POLICY STORM MICHIGAN DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND THE BOARD OF EDUCATION NEW SCHOOL RECOMMENDATIONS BY KEVIN ELLIOTT
Included in the guidelines are recommendations for school districts to allow transgender students to participate in sports and other activities in accordance with their gender identity, rather than their biological sex; the use of gender-neutral dress codes that don't restrict clothing choices on the basis of gender; additional staff training; and the encouragement of respect for human and civil rights of all people, including those who are LBGT, across the curriculum. However, the guidelines have been met with strong opposition from parents, politicians and others who say the guidelines are lopsided, going too far to protect LGBT students while infringing upon the rights of other students and parents. The recommendations that have received the most attention are those suggesting transgender students be permitted to use the restroom and locker rooms of the gender of which they identify, rather than their biological sex. The guidelines also recommend districts allow transgender students to use different gender names without gaining permission from a parent or guardian first. "I'm firmly opposed to these guidelines, which are framed in protecting from danger these children who have various gender identities, but it goes way beyond the scope of the safety of these children and into social engineering and advocating for calling them one name in front of children and another in front of parents," said state Representative Jim Runestad (R-White Lake). "In my view, it violates the rights of other students. I think it's a policy rife with potential abuse, from boys in particular, who may want to take advantage of this." Introduced in February, the state Board of Education was to consider the guidelines at its May 10 meeting. However, that date has been pushed back for at least another month as the Michigan Department of Education extended the public comment period on the guidelines for at least another 30 days, following a request by Michigan House Speaker Kevin Cotter (R-Mt. Pleasant). "They agreed to push it back 30 days," said a spokesman for Cotter. "There are a couple of individual lines and recommendations that suggest schools allow children to change their name in the school database and designated gender to go into any locker room or bathroom. It also says parents aren't notified because students can make decisions on their own. "We haven't gotten a good explanation of where it came from or the motivation behind
The guidelines have been met with strong opposition from parents, politicians and others who say the guidelines are lopsided, going too far to protect LGBT students while infringing upon the rights of other students and parents.
it. Part of the reason we wanted more time was to figure out what they are trying to accomplish." As of April 13, more than 8,600 comments on the guidelines had been left at everyvoicecountsmi.org, a forum hosted by the Michigan Department of Education. "I have a trans-female child (who looks like a female and presents as a female)," a parent (Cindy Rousch-Cook) wrote. "If she were to have to use the 'boys' bathroom, I think it cause [sic] way more issues than her using the female bathroom. People need to remember that a child who goes into a bathroom needs to 'go to the bathroom.' They are no more a threat than anyone else." Some commenters took to quoting Bible scriptures in their comments to defend their belief and opinions, while others said there are already rules in school that are intended to protect against bullying. Others refer to the guidelines as rules or legislation, or say they are concerned that such voluntary guidelines will become law. The site has come under some criticism because the comment process allows individuals to post multiple comments and is unable to verify who is actually posting. "The gay/lesbian community in the school setting is a MINORITY not the majority! They are boys and girls, period. These facilities should remain separate!" a Michigan parent identifying herself as "Dottie" commented on the website. "These gender confused young people may be harassed in restroom/locker room, but so are the geeks, the unpopular, the fat kids, the 'ugly kids,' etc." Meanwhile, the Michigan House of Representatives Appropriations subcommittee on Education in March 2016 cut $24,500 out of the Michigan Department of Education's budget for travel reimbursement for the state board, possibly as a punitive measure. That measure was upheld on April 19, by the House Appropriations Committee by a partyline vote, which included BirminghamBloomfield Republican, Rep. Mike McCready. On March 31, state Senator Tom
Casperson (R-Escanaba) announced he would introduce a bill that would thwart the most controversial components of the guidelines by requiring all Michigan students to only use bathrooms and locker rooms matching their birth gender. "It's hard to believe that a state board, which is clearly out of touch with Michigan residents, got assistance from equally out of touch unelected bureaucrats, to develop such a document to fundamentally change Michigan's public education system without the public's prior knowledge or consent," Casperson said. "In the pursuit of social justice, this so-called draft guidance document created numerous problems, from the elimination of parental authority and notification, to threatening student safety and beyond. My bill would stop this policy dead in its tracks." Casperson further said his bill would recommend students who don't identify with their biological sex would be accommodated if the student has written consent from a parent or guardian, but wouldn't permit those students to use restrooms of the opposite sex. Instead, the student would be referred to single-occupancy restrooms, staff facilities or "other reasonable accommodations." Democratic House leader Tim Greimel (DAuburn Hills, Keego Harbor, Orchard Lake, Pontiac, Sylvan Lake), said such a bill would make life more difficult for students who may already be struggling with gender issues. "I encourage Senator Casperson to focus on adequately funding schools and improving academic achievement instead of picking on kids who are often bullied already," Greimel said. The bill, which had yet to be introduced by mid-April, would make Michigan among a handful of states that have passed legislation opposed to anti-discrimination laws, if enacted. Similar laws have been passed in Tennessee and Arkansas. Most recently, North Carolina passed a law that requires public schools and agencies to segregate bathrooms by biological sex on someone's birth certificate, and prohibits any city or county from creating new anti-discrimination laws. North Carolina's law was passed in response to a Charlotte city ordinance that would have outlawed discrimination against LBGT people. North Carolina Governor Pat McCrory said the ordinance conflicts with the state's tradition of privacy and equality. Since the North Carolina law was passed in February, several corporations, businesses, entertainers and cities across the country
have refused to do business with the state and passed travel bans to North Carolina. "Royal Oak supports equality, and in keeping consistent with the values of our community we will not spend public money in states that are actively undermining and rolling back the basic human rights of their citizens," Royal Oak Mayor Jim Ellison said. "It's important that cities like ours send a message to leaders in North Carolina and across the country that all people deserve equal protections under the law, and that we stand in solidarity with the LGBT community in opposing discrimination." Royal Oak City Council on Monday, April 11, unanimously approved Ellison's proposal to prohibit the city from using public resources to fund, sponsor or in anyway support nonessential travel to the state of North Carolina. In response to North Carolina's law, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), ACLU of North Carolina, Equality NC and Lambda Legal are challenging the law in federal court. Meanwhile, North Carolina Attorney General Roy Cooper announced he wouldn't defend the constitutionality of the new law. "Not only is the new law a national embarrassment, it will set North Carolina's economy back if we don't repeal it," Cooper said. "And that means there will be a negative impact on innocent people who work hard every day and pay taxes. They don't deserve to lose money because of this. They deserve better." Jay Kaplan, who works on the ACLU of Michigan's LGBT Legal Project and is a member of the workgroup that created Michigan's proposed school guidelines, said it appears Casperson's yet-to-be introduced bill will focus on public schools, while the North Carolina law goes further. Still, he said, such legislation in Michigan would raise questions about equal protections under the Constitution, as well as districts that receive money through federal Title IX funding. "We have great concerns with what has been mentioned, but if it indeed would pass, then I believe there are some serious legal issues and we would be looking at it," he said. "It raises issues of sexual discrimination, and that would be a basis for a legal challenge against a law like this." Michigan School Board President John Austin, who serves as director of the Michigan Economic Center at Prima Civitas Foundation and former director of the Great Lakes Economic Initiative for the Brookings Institution, said he believes similar laws in Michigan would be harmful for the state's economy, as well as students.
Senator Tom Casperson (R-Escanaba) is introducing a bill that would thwart the most controversial components of the guidelines by requiring all students to only use bathrooms and locker rooms matching their birth gender.
"Transgender students have rights and are to be acknowledged under our civil rights laws," he said. "Looking at what is happening in North Carolina, it's very bad for the state and its economic future. It won't help attract talent into the state by saying we aren't supportive and we won't adhere to antidiscrimination measures. "I hope Michigan joins the party that says LGBT people not only exist, but they have the same rights as others, and we should embrace and celebrate them here in Michigan, not chase them out of the state. That's a recipe for us to be a backwater state." Further, Austin said there's no doubt that the need to help LGBT students exists. "We have almost nine percent of our kids in public schools (that) are gay, and more transgender students being comfortable with coming out," Austin said. "Those kids have significant learning challenges in terms of health risks. They are four times as likely to commit suicide and twice as likely to skip class. The need is out there to help these kids get a great education. It can be done if schools can create an environment that is welcoming and supportive." Data from the 2015 Michigan Youth Risk Behavior Survey found about 8.4 percent of high school students in the state are lesbian, gay or bisexual. The survey found students who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender (LGBT) are nearly three times more likely to be injured or threatened with a weapon on school property, with more than 40 percent reporting being bullied on school property. According to national studies, about 26 percent of transgender students were physically assaulted in school in the past year because of their gender expression. Overall, LBGT students who are bullied and harassed are more likely to experience depression and anxiety, feel excluded from the school community and experience lower academic achievement and stunted educational aspirations. Findings from the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network's (GLSEN) 2013
National School Climate Survey, determined that Michigan schools weren't safe for most LGBT secondary school students. Additionally, the study found that many LGBT students in Michigan didn't have access to important school resources, such as having a curriculum that is inclusive of LGBT people, history or events, and were not protected by comprehensive anti-bullying/harassment school policies. The GLSEN study found about nine in 10 LGBT students have been verbally harassed in the past year due to their gender expression, or the manner in which they represent or express gender to others, often through their name, pronouns, behavior, clothing, haircut activities, voice, mannerisms or other distinctive markers of gender. About 53 percent of LGBT students have been physically assaulted, with 54 percent of transgender students stating they don't feel safe enough that they can report incidents to school authorities. Rochester Hills Public Schools spokeswoman Lori Grein said while the district doesn't have a specific policy regarding LGBT students or restrooms, she said the district strives to treat all students equally. "We treat all of our students fair and equally, and that won't ever change. Inclusiveness is very important," she said. In regard to the state's proposed guidelines for school districts, Grein said the district is waiting for official guidelines to be released before commenting. "Out of respect for the state, we want to see what they are putting out and use their guidance," she said. Birmingham Public Schools is currently in the process of reviewing its student policies and making updates, said district spokeswoman Marcia Wilkinson. "The current sexual harassment policy deals with and mentions sexual orientation, but it doesn't break it down," she said. "We deal with each case individually to protect the student's confidentiality and work on a one-on-one basis." Bloomfield Hills Schools spokeswoman Shira Good also said the district doesn't have a formal policy regarding LGBT students and bathrooms, but the district has a Global Education Team in each school, which was born out of work surrounding global education, inclusion and equity. "For example, the high school team recently decided to outfit all graduating seniors with black caps and gowns, for gender equality," she said. "In the past, boys
and girls were split between purple and black. Now, each graduate will wear black. This is just one example of our GET work across the district." As for bathrooms and locker rooms, Good said the new high school bathrooms are, for the most part, single toilet facilities that both men and women staff share. She said the district is conducting an internal dialogue surrounding student restroom use and how they may best address any future concerns or requests. "We know it's not about 'if' a student will ask – it's when – and we would like to be better prepared for those conversations and decisions," she said. Christine Barnett, assistant superintendent of human resources and labor relations for the Bloomfield Hills district, said the district's universal code of student conduct is a board of education policy adopted to enforce policies protecting students from harassment, violence and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. Specifically, she said the policy prohibits intentional conduct which would demean the sexual orientation or gender identity of another person. Like other districts, Barnett said Bloomfield Hills addresses requests by LGBT students on a case-by-case basis. "The district administration involves the student's family and works with the family to arrive at an accommodation that is acceptable to the student and his or her family," she said. "If the district is able to do so, accommodations are provided based on the individual student's needs and requests Such accommodations may include referring to a student by his or her chosen name and gender, changing unofficial student records, such as a yearbook, and allowing the student to use the bathroom of the identified gender." While Barnett said the district will review and consider the state guidelines when they are finalized, she said the district will "ultimately determine and approve the district policy." Farmington Public Schools, which recently made headlines for its acceptance of a transgender student, doesn't have a formal policy outside of its non-discrimination policy that applies to all students, said Naomi Khalil, director of instructional equity for the district. "In conjunction with Title IX law, we address each one on a case-by-case basis," she said. "We have an internal group of people working to make a guidance project
LBGT students who are bullied and harassed, studies show, are more likely to experience depression and anxiety, feel excluded from the school community and experience lower academic achievement and stunted educational aspirations.
for procedure, but we allow Title IX and policy to guide that. They are working on that for counselors who took the lead on this so they have something to refer to." Khalil said the district has had seven to 10 requests by gender transitioning students in the past few years. "We do like to have a proactive approach, not reactive," she said. "A lot of districts like to wait until something happens, then react." Bill Good, spokesman for Ferndale Public Schools said that's not the case in his school district; still, the district doesn't have a formal policy regarding transgender students. "We don't have a lot of written policies, just because Ferndale is so awesome and welcoming, not to sound too Lego Movieesque," he said. Ferndale Schools Superintendent Blake Prewitt said the board has a standard policy, but takes requests on a case-by-case basis. "It hasn't been a problem. We have been very accommodating," he said. "Some students were interviewed the other week, and they said they feel very accepted here. It really hasn't been an issue here. We have a number of transgender students." Prewitt said students, like much of the city, is an inclusive community. "Our board president is a member of the LGBT community," he said. "As we talk to students, they love that its an accepting district. They don't experience bullying or anxiety if and when they come out. It's a very easy, normal process for out students. That's the environment we created over the course of time." Lilianna Angel Reyes, youth program manager with Affirmations in Ferndale, said the organization works with many metro Detroit schools to establish student organizations or training for teachers and counselors. "We usually see – and this goes back to capitalism – that those with more resources can pay for speakers. It doesn't mean other districts don't do anything, but it's easier for them to get funding. So, especially those in the inner city,
they don't have as many initiatives or no money to put toward it. It's even more challenging for LGBT youth of color." In regard to the state's proposed policy, Reyes said the guidelines are "amazing." "We absolutely support it," she said. "What we are teaching the youth and schools is a best practice that most school districts incorporate," she said. "Everything we tell them is rhyming other federal policies. We say people should be be able to live their lives authentically. If I come to school and I want to be Bob, then I should be Bob and referred to as a he. Parents, teachers and schools that trump that don't allow a student to live as themselves." Districts that don't provide equal protections for LGBT students could face problems in the future. While federal law regarding transgender rights has not been clearly defined by the highest courts, the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Civil Rights has defined fair and equal treatment for transgender students in relation to rights in areas such as student names and pronouns, restrooms, privacy, school records, student safety and dress codes. "The U.S. Supreme Court has yet to address transgender people, but at the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals there have been cases that have said transgender people have been discriminated against and have protections under sex discrimination," ACLU attorney Kaplan said. In early April, the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Civil Rights confirmed it was investigating Bedford Public Schools in Monroe County for possible discrimination against transgender students. A spokesperson for the office told mlive.com that the case is the only one of its kind in Michigan. Rachel Crandall, executive director and cofounder of Transgender Michigan, is a licensed psychotherapist specializing in transgender issues. Crandall said she believes the Michigan Board of Education's guidelines are crucial for LGBT students. "Especially regarding restrooms," she said. "Having children use the wrong restrooms, ones that don't really match who they are inside, it can be really traumatic. It really sets them apart from everyone else." Under the state's proposed guidelines, the board of education recommends allowing students to use the restroom in accordance with their gender identity, which is considered a person's deeply held internal sense or psychological knowledge of their own gender, regardless of the biological sex they were assigned at birth. The policy
recommends that alternative and nonstigmatizing options, such as an all-gender or single-user restroom should be made available to students who request them, but not presented as the only option. Any student who has a need or desire for increased privacy, regardless of underlying reasons, has the right to access a single-user restroom. The state's recommended guidelines are similar to GLSEN's model district policy on transgender and gender nonconforming students. However, the GLSEN policy recommends providing any students who want more privacy with alternatives, which could include a partition, curtain or private restroom or office. However, GLSEN states that requiring transgender students to use separate spaces threatens to publicly identify and marginalize the student and shouldn't be done unless requested by the student. Crandall said she believes educating those opposing the proposed guidelines is key to providing protections to transgender students. "Parents need to be educated to really understand (transgender people). Right now, the way they are thinking, it's like they are really not people like everyone else," she said. "When I talk to people about it, especially other transgender kids and adults, there are some things they felt shame about their whole lives. Unfortunately, singling them out adds to the shame." Roz Keith is an Oakland County mother of a transgender child who attends the Frankel Jewish Academy in West Bloomfield. Now 17 years-old, she said her son, Hunter, has been supported by the school and other students. "We've been lucky," she said. "He's just another kid." Keith said the school was able to resolve the bathroom issue quickly and without any pushback. "It's a conservative school. There are defined gender roles, and they are OK with Hunter identifying as male," she said. "There has been no pushback, where as in other communities that may be a problem. In large part, the Jewish community has been accepting." She said the school accepted Hunter's name and gender identity prior to making a legal change. "As we got into ninth grade, he asked if we could pick a different name and use boy pronouns," she said. "It took a while for him to be comfortable asking teachers to change things. The school called me and said, 'Don't worry about school, let's make sure he's OK.' They wanted to do everything they could."
The Michigan Department of Education policy recommends that alternative and nonstigmatizing options, such as an all-gender or single-user restroom should be made available to students who request them, but not presented as the only option.
Keith has since founded Stand With Trans, a non-profit organization supporting transgender individuals. Keith's mother also facilitates a parent support group twice a month, which includes a variety of kids from different schools. "When they aren't being supported and feeling anxious and stressed about not being accepted, their grades suffer and academics are in the toilet," she said. "It's very difficult to be successful...When they are allowed to transition, they are much less likely to harm themselves or engage in risky behavior. "The dynamic of the entire person changes, and it's so simple. It's just being loved and supported by parents and at school. With that, they are no more likely to succumb to depression than anyone else." Lisa, a mother of a transgender child who asked not to be identified, said her son transferred from a public school district in Oakland County, due to bullying he was receiving at school. Adding to the problem, she said it was initially difficult to find a specialist in the area to work with her son. "It was about fourth grade when he started making verbal comments, that he wished he was a boy and that he didn't fit in," she said. "I started to notice my happy child was becoming more depressed and angry, and that was heightened by 100 percent once he started middle school and puberty, and his body started changing in ways he didn't want it to. It was a very difficult and painful time for him and the rest of the family." Rochester Hills counselor Dr. Don Sidelinker, who has focused on providing services for transgender patients for three decades, said he has worked with patients in their teens and as young as six years old. "I have a procedure I follow. I have a 16year-old patient I started counseling at 14, and I counseled him to wait until he had his name legally changed because the schools don't have to follow their request," he said. "That says to me that they are serious, not just saying 'I want to try it out.' And, I suggest they wait until they start hormones, so there
is a medical standing that they are under supervision and in the process of transitioning. I also provide them with a letter saying they are in transition and need to use the bathroom... If a school authorizes the use of a bathroom without legal changes or therapy, that works for me too, but I don't see all schools being able to follow that." Daniel Shumer, a pediatric endocrinologist and director of the Adolescent Gender Management Program at CS Mott Hospital in Ann Arbor, said once a child identifies as transgender, puberty becomes a difficult time for them. "Their body starts developing in an opposite way than their gender identity," he said. "There has been an evolution on how to treat them. If a teen is in puberty and has a persistent gender identity disorder, you can use medication to suppress their puberty, and when they are older you can start cross hormones, meaning estrogen or testosterone, all in close contact with a mental health professional that has diagnosed gender dysphoria. We consider medications or start transitions if they are older." Shumer said the protocol was developed in the Netherlands about two decades ago, and has been adopted across the country. From his personal perspective, Shumer said students transitioning tend to do better when they are in a supportive environment. "Patients that come to see me are often struggling with anxiety, depression and feelings of rejection. When supported, I see how much better they do," he said. "It's helpful to affirm their identity. They start doing better in school and start getting better grades. I feel there has been a lot of progress in that area in the past few years, and I don't want to lose momentum." Sidelinker said fears about students being at risk from transgender students using the same bathrooms as their peers are partially unfounded. "The females transitioning to male aren't having problems. The boys don't care," he said. "The problem is coming from the female who is genetically a male. They are the ones having a problem." However, he said the biggest problem for transgender students is typically the ignorance. "The child does know," he said. "I've done biological research, and the brain is already sexed long before the baby is born. Once that happens, you can't change the brain. The brains of transexual people are different even from the earliest age, based on more than 2,000 children involved in one study. That's what I know, but everyone doesn't' know that. "The problem is the ignorance of the adult, not the child."
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The Michigan Department of Education and state Board of Education’s proposed “Safe and Supportive Learning Environments for Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Questioning Students,” has spurred nearly 9,000 comments from residents across the state, although many may be from the same respondents. Several legislators from Oakland County took time to share their views with Downtown newsmagazine. The other Oakland County lawmakers failed to respond to repeated calls to their offices. MICHIGAN HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES • Rep. Kathy Crawford (R-Lyon, Northville, Novi, South Lyon, Walled Lake): no response. • Rep. Joseph Graves (R-51st, Groveland, Fenton, Holly, Rose): “The State Board of Education’s misguided policy suggestions were made without any input from parents or educators. They go way beyond the scope of the board’s reach and take away important parental rights.”
transgender in the legislature, so we are missing that critical voice in this discussion. “We are trying to figure out how best to address the needs of students. We can either make things better for transgender students, or we can make things worse – which is what I think the Casperson bill will do – or we can do nothing and let suicide rates excel. I prefer we do something.” • Rep. Jim Runestad (R-White Lake, Milford, Highland, Springfield, Waterford): “I am firmly opposed to the construct of these guidelines, which are framed in protecting from danger these children who have various gender identities, but it goes way beyond the scope of the safety of these children and into social engineering and advocating calling them one name in front of the children and another in front of parents. In my view, it violates the rights of other students. I think it’s a policy rife with potential abuse from boys in particular who may want to take advantage of this.”
Township, Rochester, Rochester Hills) A spokesman for Webber said the Representative isn’t commenting on the guidelines at this time, but encourages people to comment on the policy at the department of education’s website. • Rep. Robert Wittenberg (D-Farmington, Farmington Hills, Ferndale, Hazel Park, Huntington Woods, Lathrup Village, Madison Heights, Oak Park, Pleasant Ridge, Royal Oak Township, Southfield): “As legislators, we should be doing everything we can to provide all of our state’s children with safe, secure and fully-funded schools that have the resources they need to provide an excellent education. It saddens me that instead of creating a safe learning environment for all students, we are being sidetracked with this unnecessary and narrow-minded proposal. We must make sure that all students are protected from intolerance and discriminatory practices, and feel comfortable in their learning environment.” MICHIGAN SENATE
• Rep. Christine Greig (D-Farmington, Farmington Hills): “I personally applaud the Department of Education putting out these guidelines. We are trying to make Michigan a top state and grow the state. You don’t do that by excluding people. It’s another example of not living in the real world. That won’t help the economy or our sense of community. It’s playing on illogical fears.” • Rep. Tim Greimel: (D-Auburn Hills, Keego, Orchard Lake, Pontiac, Sylvan Lake): “I encourage Senator Casperson to focus on adequately funding schools and improving academic achievement instead of picking on kids who are often bullied already.”
HOW LAWMAKERS REACT TO NEW SCHOOL POLICY FROM STATE
• Rep. Martin Howrylak (R 41st, Troy, Clawson): no response. • Rep. Bradford Jacobsen (R-Addison, Brandon, Oakland, Orion, Oxford): no response. • Rep. Klint Kesto (R-Commerce, Wixom, West Bloomfield): “We need to make sure parents are involved. Parents are the number one supporters of their children, and you’re creating a different scenario with this policy, and they should be involved. For the schools not to have to notify parents, I think, isn’t the correct policy.” • Rep. Michael McCready (R-Birmingham, Bloomfield Township, Bloomfield Hills, West Bloomfield): “I still have more to learn about it, and want to hear from residents. I’m not sure what to make of it.” • Rep. Jeremy Moss (D-Southfield, Lathrup Village, Beverly Hills, Bingham Farms, Franklin): “I think the Republican Party is a little too obsessed with bathrooms. Nobody is
• Rep. Jim Tedder (R-Clarkson, Independence Waterford, Lake Angelus): no response. • Rep. Jim Townsend (D-Madison Heights, Royal Oak): “LGBTQ students face hardships and challenges that some lawmakers refuse to recognize, but it is important that we put ourselves in the shoes of every student and help provide an environment where every child feels safe, accepted and can learn and excel. Sen. Casperson’s bill fails to consider the circumstances that confront many LGBTQ students who are already twice as likely to be threatened at school. Research indicates that more than half of LGBTQ students feel unsafe at school. The Board of Education is attempting to create a safer and more accepting environment for all students, while Sen. Casperson’s misguided legislation will only increase the hostility toward LGBTQ students.” • Rep. Michael Webber (R-Oakland
• Sen. Vincent Gregory (D- Farmington, Farmington Hills, Ferndale, Hazel Park, Huntington Woods, Lathrup Village, Madison Heights, Oak Park, Pleasant Ridge, Royal Oak Township, Southfield): no response. • Sen. Marty Knollenberg (R-Berkley, Birmingham, Bloomfield Hills, Clawson, Rochester Hills, Rochester, Royal Oak, Troy): no response. • Sen. Mike Kowall (R-Commerce, Lyon, Milford, Northville, Novi, Orchard Lake, South Lyon, Walled Lake, West Bloomfield, White Lake, Wixom) “We send our kids to school to learn, to prepare them for life and jobs, and not be in a position to be terrorized, afraid or made extremely uncomfortable. We need to stop and think about these things before we allow anything to happen. If they need to find accommodations, I think Tom (Casperson) is on the right track on that. The last thing you want to do, if you have a child in that situation, is turn it into a bullying situation. We are doing all we can to stop bullying. I think this will just increase it. I think it will blow up at everyone’s face.” • Sen. Jim Marleau (R-Addison, Auburn Hills, Beverly Hills, Bingham Farms, Bloomfield Township, Franklin, Independence, Keego, Oakland Township, Orion, Oxford, Pontiac, Southfield Township, Sylvan Lake, Clarkston): “Personally, I don’t have an opinion. I want to get more information, and we’ll learn as we go.” • Sen. David Robertson (Brandon, Fenton, Groveland, Highland, Holly, Lake Angelus, Rose, Springfield, Waterford): Sen. Robertson said through a spokesman he did not support the proposal.
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STOCKING MICHIGAN’S LAKES AND STREAMS THE IMPORTANCE OF SPORT FISHING FOR THE WATERWAYS BY KATIE DESKA
ne of the state’s most revered places to fish brown trout runs through Oakland County, namely the Paint Creek. The coldwater stream is a haven for anglers who seek out the spotted fish, accented with a square tail and a golden belly. Since the 1800s, the brown trout has been fished in Michigan, yet many an angler may be surprised to know that it first arrived by boat from Germany, and isn't a native species at all. Released into the Pere Marquette River in 1884, the brown trout was one of many species stocked by the Michigan Fish Commission in response to depleted fish populations due to excessive harvest for commercial purposes, polluted waters from industrialization, and massive destruction of land and water habitat as the logging industry cleared debris from rivers to aid in the transport of fresh-cut logs to sawmills.
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By 1900, the state operated six fish hatcheries, including Oakland County’s Drayton Plains hatchery, which was located on the site of today’s Drayton Plains Nature Center near Waterford. Implementing basic techniques and small-scale operations, when compared to current standards, early hatcheries cultured a variety of species including brown trout, brook trout, rainbow trout, walleye, lake whitefish, and largemouth and smallmouth bass. Early settlers who sought diversified species for food and recreation, took fish indigenous to some Michigan waters, and planted them in other lakes and streams, where the particular species was previously absent. Populations of walleye, brook trout, and largemouth and smallmouth bass were spread this way. Other species, such as Atlantic and Chinook salmon, common carp and rainbow smelt were imported from out of state, and stocked through 1920, according to a 2004 article published by Gary Whelan, current program manager for the fisheries division of the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (MDNR). “There’s a very long history of brown trout management, which relies heavily upon (fish) stocking,” said Kevin Kapuscinski, assistant professor and co-director of the aquatic research lab at Lake Superior State University. “The common carp has been here – also imported intentionally in the late 1800s – so both species have been here for a long time. They’ve been around such a long time that a lot of people may not think of them as non-native, but they are. It’s more of a value system. We look at the carp as a destructive invasive species, and most people don’t view brown trout that way, but they were both brought here intentionally. Value systems change through time, and most of fisheries management is based on these value systems.”
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urrent and future generations of anglers are at the top of the food chain when it comes to making value-based decisions, including the establishment, improvement and diversification of fisheries – a term that refers to the selection of game or sport fish found in a given fish community. “If I had to make a rough estimate, I think 75 percent of what we stock is geared towards providing recreation and the other 25 percent, maybe, is to keep things in balance where things have gotten messed up,” said Jeff Braunscheidel, senior biologist at the Waterford fisheries station, part of the Lake Erie Management Unit, one of Michigan’s eight basin management units. In the 1920s, the first fishing restrictions were implemented in response to rampant overharvesting. Currently, the state enforces laws that dictate the size, number of fish, and when and where a particular species can legally be caught. “The limits, the regulations, we have in place (today) are designed to protect most of the fish species involved, but they’re sort of a one-size-fits-all regulation and they don’t always work as well in some lakes with different conditions,” said Braunscheidel. “But we’ve been pushed by the public to keep regulations simple. We don’t want 30 types of regulations for bluegills out there. People would be confused. So instead of having specific regulations for each lake, we try to have a general regulation (for a specific species) that would work in the majority of cases. We want people to go out fishing. There’s an economic basis behind some of this.” The MDNR estimates that “40 percent of all recreational fishing in Michigan depends on stocked fish, including 70 percent of the Great Lakes trout and salmon fishery.” With a budget of just over $10 million, Michigan’s fish production program generates a hefty return on investment. The fishing industry contributed an estimated
$2.4 billion boost to the state’s economy, according to a 2011 report by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. In some lakes, streams and ponds the stocking efforts of a particular species have been discontinued because the population is successful at maintaining a presence without intervention. “If it survives, and does OK, it reproduces, then if that happens they won’t continue to need to stock,” said Dr. Wally Fusilier, consulting limnologist and former owner of Water Quality Investigators, out of Dexter. But in some cases, to maintain and keep recreational fishing alive, the DNR must repeatedly stock certain species in the same waterways. “We survey lakes and streams in the area on a regular basis, and when we do a survey of the fish community, we determine whether things are out of balance or we could provide more fishing opportunity without affecting the existing fish community,” said Jim Francis, head of the Lake Erie Management Unit.
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pinions of fish stocking vary, and the answer to the question of whether or not fish stocking practices need to be reformed depends on the philosophical perspective of the individual. Yet, history shows that there’s been multiple paradigm shifts when it comes to propagating fish. The first wave, in the late 1800s, was characterized by a need to produce fish in large quantity to supplement agricultural yields, and was a period when exotic fish species were brought in from the native countries of many immigrants. The stocking paradigm shifted again as experience proved that larger fish had a higher survival rate. At the same time, recreational fishing gained popularity in the 1930s, and continued after World War II. The emphasis moved away from planting freshly-hatched fry fish, about a quarter-inch in length, to stocking the somewhat larger fingerlings, which measure over an inch. The late 1940s and 1950s marked the birth of sport fishing, when preferences for particular species developed among anglers, and caused a shift toward stocking larger, ready-to-catch trout. By the mid-1960s, science had shed light on the health concerns of stocked fish, including disease and inbreeding, and another shift took place, with a new concern for habitat restoration and catch limits. “There’s no category in the population beyond hunters and anglers, who have done more for environmental protection and resource conservation in Michigan. We’re the canary in the coal mine. If the condition of a resource is declining, that’s clearly evident to people using that resource on a regular basis. Over the 80-year history of the MUCC, we’ve been involved in effectively every important environmental advancement or policy issue,” said Dan Eichinger, executive director of the Michigan United Conservation Clubs (MUCC), a state branch of the nationwide organization. Representing the interests of anglers and hunters in Lansing, the MUCC played a role in the protection of wetlands and the passage of the Clean Water Act in 1979. “Anglers and hunters pay for wildlife and fisheries management. The funds used for the state, they come (in part) from fishing and hunting licenses. I’m not aware of any negative impacts of stocking fish. That would be a new one for me.” On the other hand, the Center for Biological Diversity, a national non-profit out of Arizona, has linked fish stocking to the decline of native species of fish, including the golden trout and Lahontan cutthroat trout, as well as frogs and toads. “We found 39 endangered and threatened species where the state was stocking non-native fish into the waters,” said Jeff Miller,
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conservation advocate for the Center for Biological Diversity. “There was quite a bit going on in the high Sierras (in California), stocking where native trout never got to. You have these species of frogs and toads that evolved without fish predators, and you had trout eating frogs, and there were concerns about hatchery fish spreading disease to fish and other organisms, and competing with other native fish.” In California in 2008, the Sacramento Superior Court ruled that department had to consult with the Center and Pacific Rivers Council for a review of stocking practices and investigation into the protection of native species from the impacts of fish stocking. “In California, they did stocking and never did an environmental review of stocking practices. We got that review. Now the state stopped stocking trout in the high Sierras and adopted a policy to not stock where endangered species are present. Our focus was on what harm the stocked fish did on the ecosystem and other aquatic life. The goal was to restore the ecosystem to native species, and get invasive species out,” Miller said. However, the approach in Michigan has been more holistic, an aquatic ecologist asserted. “In a lot of western states, there was a lot of put-and-take fisheries, where they just keep pumping them in and people take them out. The expectation is that people will catch them right away,” said Matt Herbert, aquatic ecologist at the Lansing branch of the Nature Conservancy. “Michigan’s approach is more to sustain populations and supplement populations. It’s more habitat-based. It’s a mixture of trying to create or maintain fisheries, but much of the stocking is also just about the ecosystem as well.”
M
ichigan’s fisheries practices are evaluated by professors at Michigan State University, and by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, said Whelan, manager of the research section for the MDNR’s fisheries division. “They (MSU professors) review our practices and procedures. They look at our grants, and make sure the work is done in an appropriate fashion. We consult with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on the species that are listed as federally threatened, endangered, or sensitive,” he said, noting that the state has a handful of mussel species that are on the watch list, in addition to the Eastern Massasauga, a rattlesnake that lives in wetlands. “But, the probability is darn close to zero that (the snake) will be affected by fish stocking.” The DNR issues permits to individuals to stock a private body of water, which does not connect with public water bodies. However, the majority of fish that is stocked come from one of six state-run hatcheries. “The majority of the (fish production) funding is spent at hatcheries, rearing the fish and preparing them for the water bodies,” said Dawn Fedewa, financial manager of the MDNR’s fisheries division, which is operating on a $32 million budget this year. In the Upper Peninsula, there is one hatchery near Lake Superior, located in Marquette County, and one near Lake Michigan in Schoolcraft County. In the Lower Peninsula there are four scattered along the west side of the state, in the counties of Emmet, near the tip of the mitt; Grand Traverse; Wexford, near the Manistee river; and Kalamazoo. Currently, approximately 75 percent of Michigan’s $10 million fish production budget comes from a federal excise tax on fishing equipment, and 25 percent comes from Michigan’s game and fish fund, to which hunting, fishing and trapping licenses contribute,
said Ed Eisch, fish production manager for the fisheries division. “Our funding is a combination of game and fish fund dollars, and federal money, the Dingell-Johnson money,” said Eisch, referring to the 1950 Dingell-Johnson Sport Fish Restoration Act. The act established a federal excise tax on fishing equipment, including “boats, outboard motors, tackle, gas and oil sold in the marina,” said Eisch. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service then distributes a portion of the funds generated to each state based on an equation that involves the number of fishing licenses sold in a given state and the amount of fishable water present, which accounts for lake acreage and stream mileage.
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he Michigan fisheries division received $11.4 million in Dingell-Johnson money for the current fiscal year. About two-thirds is used for fish production – hatcheries and stocking – and the other third goes to resource management, including research and other aspects needed to run a science-based program, said Fedewa, financial manager of the fisheries division. “We don’t want to stock fish that aren’t a size that they can live, or that aren’t healthy,” said Fedewa. Yet, biologists stock hundreds of thousands of fish annually that won’t survive into their first year. “Fisheries biologists tell me that 70 percent of fish stocked die, so only 30 percent survive at all,” said Fusilier. “People want these fish. I don’t think the DNR tells them, ‘you’ll have 70 percent die.’” A total of 227,292 fingerling walleye, which measure just shy of one-and-a-half inches, were planted into four Oakland County lakes last year – Cass Lake, Lake Orion, Long Lake, and Union Lake. The year prior, just under 200,000 fingerling walleye were stocked into seven Oakland County lakes. Walleye is native to some waters in this part of the state, but not all. “They’re not naturally occurring in a lot of these lakes because they don’t have the right spawning habitat in most of the inland lakes here in southeast Michigan. They don’t have a river with rocky habitat for the spawning to succeed,” said Michael Thomas, a fisheries research biologist based the Lake St. Clair station. In 1882, walleye began to be stocked in Michigan waters where the species had previously been absent. Relying on eggs captured from wild walleye adults in various locations across the state, the MDNR consistently rears the species. Once walleye hatch, they’re transported as fry to a walleye rearing pond, where quarter-inch walleye are placed for about two months to grow to fingerlings, about the length of a finger. Rearing ponds, including one located in Oakland County’s Drayton Plains Nature Center, where walleye are raised from fry to fingerlings, have a limited amount of zooplankton, which is the primary feed for growing walleye. “When the zooplankton runs out, they eat each other, or starve. So you’re forced to get them out at a size where they’re still small, and you have to stock a lot of them to hope that a few make it through,” said Thomas. When it’s time to transfer them, “we drain the pond, or net them out, and harvest the fish. Usually it is a man-made pond designed to be drainable,” said Braunscheidel, of the Waterford fisheries station. The fingerlings depart the pond in cylindrical, water-filled tanks, transported on the bed of trucks to their destination. Upon arrival, a tube is attached from the tank, draped over the shoreline, and like turning on a faucet, the fish pour into the water. One species of fish may be stocked at various points in a single body of water, and stocking may occur over the course of multiple days. The Michigan
Fish Stocking Guidelines, updated in 2004, states that 2.9 million fingerling walleye are placed annually into the Great Lakes, and roughly three to four million fingerling walleye are placed in inland lakes. Noting that walleye are the primary species stocked in inland lakes, Thomas explained the science of why so many walleye fingerling have to be stocked. When walleye join the fish community, which may be characterized by bass, bluegill, northern pike, yellow perch and shiners, a minnow-type fish, those that survive will feed on select members of the already-established fish population. “There are risks associated with stocking fish into the wild, whether they’re native or not,” said Kapuscinski, of Lake Superior State University. “One tool we use to prevent risk is disease testing before stocking.” Other factors considered include the presence of competitor species and available nutrient sources, the time of year when a body of water is stocked, and the characteristics of a particular species strain. While learning from mistakes of the past, and acting on guidance provided from scientific research studies, fisheries management is charged with the responsibility of balancing risk with reward. In 2013, the fisheries division released a five-year strategic plan, created with input from MDNR staff, conservation groups, anglers and members of the public. Carrying the department through 2017, the plan notes that goals typically remain static, but, as evidenced by history, “strategies are likely to evolve with changing agency resource levels and advanced technology.” A somewhat recently emerging area of research has led to an increased emphasis on genetic integrity. Using techniques to investigate fish gene complexes, research studies continue to shed light on the impacts of fish stocking.
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uskellunge, affectionately known as “muskies,” were only found in fifteen lakes by the 1950s, according to the Fish Stocking Guide, but with consistent hatchery and stocking efforts, their presence in Michigan lakes has increased significantly. A muskellunge management draft report, written within the last decade, stated that muskies could be found in 112 water bodies throughout the state. “There are cases where muskellunge, from a different source population, have been stocked on top of a native population. Now we have genetic tools to examine the composition of these populations and see where, potentially, we have a pure native population or one where we see the influence of stocked population. It’s the whole idea of disrupting the locally adapted genes, gene complexes,” said Kapuscinski. In addition to providing pleasure to many outdoor enthusiasts, fish stocking may be used to curb an out-of-balance ecosystem, as was the case with alewife. Fisheries managers witnessed an escalating number of alewife, a variety of lake herring, swimming in Lake Huron in the 1960s. They began stocking Chinook salmon, an alewife predator and the largest of the Pacific salmon, which was successful in decreasing the alewife population. As it turned out, anglers had a frenzy over the newly formed salmon fisheries, creating a new booming market. Like most things in nature, it didn’t last forever. “When the alewife (population) crashed, over a long period of time, (fisheries management) were scaling back the stocking of the Pacific salmon,” said Kapuscinski. “That is not a popular thing to do, because people’s livelihood depends on it, but in the end, the ecosystem changed and they adjusted the stocking rates in response. It doesn’t make sense to stock the salmon because they’d starve to death. It’s unpopular, but the reality of it was that it was necessary.”
Another method of population control, which was used more frequently in the past than currently, is a chemical treatment. The DNR has treated lakes with rotenone as a means of conducting intentional fish kills. Targeting waters that had become overrun with a non-sport species, one that anglers weren’t excited about catching, the DNR has reacted by eliminating a species, which enabled the department to re-stock it with an adored fish. “It’s been a while since we’ve done reclamation treatments,” said the DNR's Eisch. When a lake was dominated “with rough or undesirables, like carp or suckers, managers wanted to eliminate and restock with species people wanted. It’s not done a lot anymore because it’s proven to be a temporary measure. You don’t get them all, and the odds are, they will swamp desirable fish populations again. It’s a repetitive thing that’s needed to be done on cyclic basis. You have to collect all those dead fish, which is not a pleasant thing to be around, so it’s not viewed as effective for population management.”
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imnologist Fusilier noted, “They did that to the Huron River and 95 percent of what they killed were carp, (imported) by Germans. It was a food fish for them. I guess the DNR was trying to give more food to the fish in the river that they wanted, like trout, and the carp were probably taking a lot of that biomass, the food.” Looking forward towards best practices, the state continues to move with regard to fishing opportunity, financial investment, and environmental impact. Established in 2013, the DNR’s aquatic habitat grant program provides non-profits with the resources to conduct habitat restoration projects in partnership with the state. Grants are awarded to “non-profits so they can assist us in doing habitat work out there,” said Fedewa, financial manager of the fisheries division. “It enhances habitat so we are more successful when we do stocking, or so maybe we don’t have to stock.” With the 2015 round of funding, the program made $1.25 million available to partner organizations. A large portion of that money came as a result of the increased rates on fishing licenses, which went into effect two years ago. In addition to the increased attention placed on improving habitat and protecting non-game and rare species, the division’s five-year plan has stated as its goal to increase fish production through cooperative partnership; use stocking to create new fisheries; and spread awareness to the public about local fisheries. To that end, Governor Rick Snyder’s budget for the 2016-2017 fiscal year included $12.2 million for “fish production infrastructure improvements that would boost steelhead and coolwater fish production,” stated a release by the MDNR fisheries division. The improvements are intended to result in increased production of walleye, muskellunge, and smolting-sized steelhead, as well as replacing forty-year-old raceway fish feeders and improving measures to safeguard against avian predation. “In southeast Michigan, we have large concentrations of people. There’s so much fishing pressure that we have to stock for years and years,” said Eisch, of the DNR. “We’re fine with that. We want people out there fishing, so if we can provide trout fishing opportunities that’s a cool thing, and if we have to stock fish to do so, there’s nothing wrong with that. Recreational fishing is incredibly important to a lot of people. It’s a tremendous stress reliever, and it has a history in our state. It’s like a balm to the soul for a lot of people. Everybody has to have a place to go for a happy place, and for some it’s the garden, and some it’s the trout stream. From my perspective, being in this field, it’s great to be able to make that a possibility for people.”
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ORCHARD LAKE 5780 80 Lakeview Lakeview Avenue Avenue | $2,899,000 $2,899,000
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tately Quarton Lake Estates colonial boasts light-filled grand foyerr, handcut limestone floors on main level, an open and flowing floor plan, as well as wonderful upgrades throughout. The gourmet kitchen, featuring custom white cabinetry,, stainless steel appliances, farmhouse sink, granite countertops and butler’s pantry, flows easily to the 2-story great room with fireplace and floor-to-ceiling windows. A fformal ormal living room, dining room and library with built-in bookshelves complete the 1st floor. The lush master suite includes wide plank hardwood floors, fireplace, expansive walk-in closets with built-ins, dressing room and luxurious master bath with heated floors, a cathedral ceiling and jetted oval tub. A spacious 2nd floor features 3 generously-sized bedrooms, 2 full baths and an additional study room. French doors from several rooms leads to the lovely patio and private beautifully landsc aped yard. Finished LL with r ec room, bonus room and full bath. Radiant heated driveway leads to oversized heated garage.
442 S. Old W Woodwar oodwarrd A Avenue venue | Birmingham, MI
Cindy Obron Kahn TOP PRODUCER 2009-2015 | $126 Million Sold 2013-15
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BLOOMFIELD VILLAGE 2601 Indian Mound | $1,749,000
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tately Bloomfield Village Colonial situated in a private cul-de-sac and surrounded by lush landscape, salt water pool, elegant patios and mature tree lined grounds. Impressive grand staircase greets you upon entry, yet the balanced floor plan invites guests to each of the gracious rooms, including sunlit Florida room, magnificent chefâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s kitchen, custom paneled library and beautifully designed family room. Each room you enter envelops you with warm sense of luxury and comfort. Stunning master suite features a sitting area, dual custom walk-in closets, a spacious spa-like bath and fireplace. Four additional generously-sized bedroom suites and second staircase will continue to impress. Lower level includes a full second kitchen, guest suite and huge rec room â&#x20AC;&#x201C; all perfecting this truly outstanding residence.
WEST BLOOMFIELD 5310 Putnam | $1,599,000
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utstanding custom built 3-story home on all-sports Walnut Lake with Birmingham schools. Home taken down to the studs & completely redone in 2010. Soaring 2-story foyer leads to bright and open living room with built-ins, marble surround fireplace & door wall leading to patio. Gourmet granite kitchen with cherry cabinetry, stainless steel appliances and large eat-in island flows to beautifully appointed dining room. Master suite boasts wall of windows with stunning lake views, balcony & spa-like master bath with large custom tiled shower, jetted tub & dual sinks. Four additional spacious bedrooms (1 currently being used as office & 1 as multi-purpose room), 2 full granite and cherry baths & laundry complete the 2 upper levels. Other highlights of 4600+ sq. ft home include pristine hardwood floors & crown molding throughout, exercise room, 718-bottle wine cellar & dry/wet sauna. Enjoy beautiful sandy shore & western sunset views from private deck or dock. Beach association with clubhouse.
FACES
Joe Chila rummer for hire, Joe Chila, stumbled into his passion at age nine, when his younger brother was given a drum kit for Christmas. “I started banging on it when he got sick of it, after a few weeks, and that’s when I got the itch,” said Chila, fifty years later. “I started on an accordion when I was about five. My parents, of Italian descent, wanted their five-year-old to play accordion, but once the drum thing came along, I got hooked on it.” Today, the freelance drummer has acquired an impressive resume, peppered with names including, The Marvelettes, Rodney Dangerfield, Mickey Rooney, Florence Henderson, and Iggy Pop. Fresh out of Henry Ford High School, where Chila played snare on the drum line until his 1974 graduation, he was hired as a pit drummer for the musical, ‘Annie.’ Performed at the Fisher Theater over the course of a couple months, that gig turned out to be one of Chila’s early milestones. “If you do good, you pass the test – you stay on the A-List, as we call it. They even asked me to go on the road, but at the time I had other dates booked.” Soon after ‘Annie,’ he played in the 1976 performance of ‘Selma,’ also at the Fisher, and since then, has played as a pit drummer in a number of venues, including the Gem Theater, where he performed for ‘Tribute to the Rat Pack,’ ‘Always Patsy Cline,’ and ‘Respect.’ Over the years, in between long-running shows, Chila has played with various groups, and maintains that his favorite style is Latin jazz. “It’s exciting for a percussionist. It’s very rhythmic. The music is challenging to play, and, as a freelance guy, you stay busier if you’re lucky. I’ll book jazz trios and quartets. I hire the musicians, piano players, and bass players, as needed. In every city there’s hundreds of great musicians, experienced players. We get to the gig and say ‘What tunes do you want do?’ They know their stuff.” When his career was budding, Chila capitalized on his flare for technical skills, and got a job at Percussion World, a former Birmingham shop “owned by a couple of gentleman with the Detroit symphony,” where he taught lessons. “I bought a house at 21 (years old) in Birmingham. I was making good money for my age, and I thought it would be a great bachelor pad,” said Chila, now married to a singer who will be performing on the jazz album that Chila is currently in the process of making. Chila later opened up JC’s Drum and Music Academy in Rochester, where he shares the joy of drumming with students of all ages. “One of my former students played with Uncle Kracker, and now he’s with another singer-songwriter who’s looking promising. Another one is out on the road with Ozzy Osbourne. I get calls to do drum circles, and things with kids, like hand drums, exotic percussion, African drums, Middle Eastern drums – I get into the schools quite a bit in Rochester, and in general the Detroit area. There’s music all over the place if you look for it.”
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Story: Katie Deska
Photo: Jean Lannen
Imam Mohamed Almasmari of the Muslim Unity Center. Inset: Mahir Osman of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community Center. Downtown photos: Jean Lannen
LOCAL MUSLIM CENTERS LEADERS TALK RELIGION, YOUTH RADICALIZATION, ISLAMOPHOBIA AND THE CURRENT POLITICAL CLIMATE
oo often the object of fear and derision, true followers of Islam assert the religion is one of love, respect, and peace. It is also one of three religions, including Christianity and Judaism, which come from the same roots. They are called the “Abraham religions,” because they each trace their history back to Abraham, first mentioned in the Hebrew bible, or Old Testament. Muslims believe that Moses and Jesus are prophets, as well as their prophet Muhammad. Around the world, there are 1.6 billion adherents of the Muslim faith, or 23 percent of the global population. While there are tens of thousands of Muslims in Michigan, according to the U.S. Census for 2010, there were just under 10,000 Muslims in Oakland County.
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Downtown News Editor Lisa Brody met with Imam Mohamed Almasmari, religious leader of the Muslim Unity Center in Bloomfield Township, which first opened in 1993, and Mahir Osman, secretary of public affairs at the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community Center in Rochester Hills, to talk to them about the religion, how the faith has been “hijacked” by radical, gang-like, forces, what they encounter in their local communities, the current political climate, and if Muslims lean politically Republican or Democratic. What is your personal background? ALMASMARI: I am a father of three, I was raised in Detroit, went to Toronto for a few years and then studied in Yemen for about eight years, and that’s where I got my master’s in Islamic Law. I always planned to come back here. This is my home. My family is all here. Michigan is my home. I’m also the executive director of the Michigan Muslim Community Council, the MMCC. It’s a non-profit. What we do is interfaith events, civic engagement, we have a youth council, we have imam’s council – there are over 100 imams in the metro Detroit area. We just address our concerns, how to overcome challenges. We don’t go into politics, but we do get to meet our political representatives, express our concerns. OSMAN: I grew up in Windsor, Ontario, for the first 13 years of my life, and then we moved to the area – I live in Macomb, although I work here in Oakland County. My family, though, was raised in East Africa. My parents – my mother, and my father, who now resides in London – my parents divorced when I was very young – their parents and their grandparents all were born and raised in East Africa, in Kenya. We originated in India, and our families continuously married within the same ethnicity, but they were all born and raised in Africa. When my mother was 12 years old, that’s when a lot of the African nations began gaining independence, so being loyal to Britain, my family then migrated to Great Britain. My mother went to school in London; from there, went to Canada; then Canada, here to the States. I, myself, I am a spiritual person – maybe not as much as I really should be – but I think everyone would say that. We all have our personal jihad – because that’s what jihad means, struggle. When you’re waging a jihad, you’re waging a struggle for the betterment of yourself and for the betterment of mankind. So if individuals say they are going to wage a jihad and kill innocent individuals, where’s the betterment in that? Our readers need to understand the nature or purpose of the Muslim Unity Center in Bloomfield Township and the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community Center in Rochester Hills. What are the centers’ purposes and what activities take place here? ALMASMARI: I think the purpose of our centers, regardless of the religious nature, is to serve the community and to serve their needs. Basically, to cater to them. The activities that take place are service activities, where we serve our communities. So you could begin with exercise, youth activities, basketball, private classes, tutoring, lectures. We have a cafe so youth can get together. It’s pretty large – it can fit over 100 people. We try to make it a welcoming environment where people can come and feel it’s their home. It’s their home away from home. We have a male youth director and a female youth director, so if anyone has challenges – it could be drug challenges, alcohol challenges, whatever it is, we try to provide services to accommodate our community. OSMAN: I am an elected official (not a spiritual leader) with the Ahmadiyya Center of Metro Detroit. Our calipha heads the entire community. Each country has what is called an emir, that is elected
by a congressional body within that country. That emir has his own cabinet. Each director, or national secretary, they have different offices or departments, like public affairs, outreach, moral training, education, a secretary of finance. From there, each individual chapter elects their own president and each cabinet position as well. I’ve been elected to serve as the secretary of public affairs for the Ahmadiyya community. This center has been here since 2008. Can you explain what is the basis of the Muslim religion? There are five pillars of Islam; what are they, and how do they define the faith? How does Islam differ from Christianity and Judaism, and what are its similarities, since the three share similarities? ALMASMARI: There are many ways to look at the Muslim faith. The foundation that Islam is based on, you have five major pillars: the first one is to bear witness that there is no God but God, and Muhammad is the last messenger of God; accepting all the prophets, beginning with Adam all the way to Moses and Jesus. Then you go to the second pillar which is prayer. We do pray five times a day, to show appreciation, to stay connected to God, to distance ourselves from that which is wrong. So it’s a constant reminder. Number three, Muslims do have to gift 2.5 percent of their savings per year, for the less fortunate, for those in need, whatever your religious background, your ethnic background. Basically going and giving to those who live in poverty. Number four, we fast once a year, for a complete month, and we begin from dawn to sunset, even liquids. People do find it challenging, but for Muslims, it’s become part of who they are. You find young children who don’t have to fast who force it upon themselves, just to be part of the whole community. And the last pillar is that Muslims must go to Hajj once in their lifetime, if they’re physically and financially able to travel, then they must fulfill the last pillar. If they are not, then of course, they are forgiven for not performing the pilgrimage. We always tell people that reading is beyond important – it shows how much we have in common. In terms of the basic teachings of Islam, I don’t see any differences from Christianity and Judaism whatsoever. It’s very, very similar, and that’s why they were able to co-exist for so many thousands of years. In Jerusalem, they were able to live together for over 1,000 years. And before that, they were able to co-exist. There’s a lot of commonalities. What brings us together is more than what we differ in. There’s few differences in theology, but in terms of hold in good character, love one another, sacrificing, obtaining high goals in life, receiving the right education, loving your neighbor, everything is very similar. OSMAN: We are the Ahmadi Muslims, we are Muslims who believe in the Messiah, beyond India. (Mirza Ghulam Ahmad) was a reformer, a prophet, who we believe came to reform the Muslim people in 1889. To put it in comparative terms, we know that in the Jewish religion, Moses brought the law, he brought the Torah. There were other Jewish prophets afterwards that didn’t change the Jewish religion – it was just the Jews were going astray, so the Jews had to be brought back to the fold. So prophets were anointed to bring them back to the fold. In a similar sense, prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, brought the religion of Islam, brought the Quran, brought that law, and Mirza Ghulam was a reformer because Muslims were going astray, to bring them back to that fold. Ending religious wars, ending this idea of jihad being anything to do with terrorism, saying the time of the sword is over, saying now the jihad is the pen. Now we must educate and be peaceful individuals. After his demise, a caliphate has been instituted, so we have a central instituted leader, who resides in London, England. We’re currently on our fifth calipha. I say we’re the Catholics of the Muslim world, because we have a spiritual head and an organizational structure. We know all of our members
all across the world. We’re established in over 200 countries. Here in the United States, we have over 72 different chapters. And I know everyone in the Columbus chapter, and the L.A. chapter, Chicago, New York, Florida, all over the place. We’re constantly having national events where we get together.
Many people believe that all Muslims are Arabs, but there are actually followers of Islam all over the world, isn’t that correct? How many Muslims are currently in the United States? In the metro Detroit area? In Oakland County? Is the community growing and if so, is the growth organic or because of Muslims moving to the area from other countries? ALMASMARI: They say around 7.5 million (in the U.S.). I don’t really know (in the metro area) – I know they’re in the hundreds of thousands. First of all, there are a number of converts, people coming in from other countries. Communities like this, people love, they’re attracted to it. Understanding the safety of it, within the location, understanding the mosque, the community, the school district – so there’s a lot that attracts people to come to this city and neighboring cities. Eighty-three percent of Muslims are not Arabs. People always get that wrong. We’re the minority. Most come from southeast Asia. The perception is always Arabs. OSMAN: Correct. Our community was started in India, so the majority of our membership of our followers are Indo/Pakistani. But we have individuals who are of Arab descent as well, African American, even Chinese. We even have a missionary effort in Mexico right now, so we’re having a lot of Latino converts. But our headquarters are in London, and that is where our calipha resides. The reason for that is because we are very heavily persecuted in the Muslim world, because we believe in this prophet who came after prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, we are considered heretic. So even the nation of Pakistan declared us non-Muslims through their constitution. Because of that, we are consistently and heavily persecuted. Our fourth calipha, at the time, had to leave, in exile, and migrate to London. Can you explain what a caliphate is? It’s been misinterpreted perhaps as something negative, when it really isn’t. OSMAN: A caliphate basically means successorship. A comparison again: papacy. There’s the institution of constantly electing a leader then for the Catholic people. In a similar sense, when the prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, died, there were four who we rightly refer to as caliphs. And these individuals were leaders, the heads of the Muslim world. From a spiritual sense and a political sense as well, because at that time, Muslims held power over territories. After the demise of our prophet, Mirza Ghulam, that caliphate was reinstituted. We believe that caliphate is what brings people together. It actually creates that unity. We have tens of millions of followers worldwide, and not one instance of terrorism within our community. Not one instance of youth radicalization. Why is that? Because we believe the spiritual leader is guided by God, and he shows us what the true message of Islam is, and the true peaceful message of Islam. By following that one leader and that one calipha, we’re able to be better and more righteous human beings. The caliph has to abide by the religious mandates. When you compare (our leader’s) mandates, who has spoken on Capital Hill, in front of the Dutch parliaments, spoken in front of the European Union, who has constantly denounced terrorism, who has lived a life of righteousness and promoted that peace, obviously he is an example of what the religion of Islam is – versus the calipha that ISIS has now instituted.
If Islam believes in peace, and promotes peace, but all you see is mayhem and destruction from that individual, then he is not a calipha. That is just from a rational standpoint. Our religion teaches us there should be a separation between mosque and state, that individuals should not be forced to follow a religion if they do not abide by that religion, and the state has no power to institute something like that. It’s just a spiritual successorship to be for the Muslims, not on a totalitarian scale. Explain the Quran, which is considered the Word of God by those who follow the religion, and how it is different from the Christian Bible. ALMASMARI: Muslims do believe in the holy scriptures. We believe the Quran was sent to address certain challenges within the community of the prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, in coming generations. When you read the Quran, it was not just rules but incidents that took place that the Quran addressed. Of course, you will find differences. We have many stories of prophets in the Quran. Moses is mentioned more times than Mohammed in the Quran. Jesus, peace be upon him, is mentioned more times than Muhammad in the Quran. Abraham more times; Ishmael – all the prophets are frequently mentioned. But other verses in the Quran were revealed to the Prophet, peace be upon him, to address certain issues, so people would ask him, and the Prophet would respond with revelations. He would respond on intoxication, or gambling, and God would answer right away. People might find verses in the Quran where military force can be used, and people say, “Oh, this is a violent religion.” The Quran goes beyond spiritual guidance. It is also a foundation for a Muslimgoverned country, where it says if you are being attacked, it says it is permissible for you to defend yourself. (It talks about consequences.) So people find these verses useful, where a simple person who lives in Bloomfield Hills, or another community, would just implement those verses. But those verses are no longer taken as clear rules because that’s a constitution for an existing country. That’s where people go wrong when they hear about fighting in the Quran, and they think it’s personal. No, it’s not. There’s a long story behind it that explains how Islam does allow military force at certain times. For example, Quran tells if you are attacked you have the right to defend yourself. It doesn’t say you have the right to kill. If you speak to a large group of people, to a country that has a ruler, that has a system, that is respected by countries around the world, like America, the second right in our Constitution is the right to bear arms. (It’s interpretation.) And, like everything, it’s there for a reason. You can’t say America is a violent country. But it needs someone who is not biased, who understands the circumstances, and is able to explain it, where there may be some disagreements, but there is always a middle ground. I understand that from an early age you memorized it completely. Is that an unusual accomplishment, or one that all imams must do? How long is it, to memorize? What is an imam, versus a sheik, or an ayatollah, or an allamah, or a mufti? You are an imam and a sheik? ALMASMARI: Yes. No – people do it. It’s very common. And that’s part of our preservation for the Quran. We do completely memorize the book from cover to cover. It took me four years. But I wasn’t consistent. I was a kid. I was like 11. But it was just like afternoon classes, where my dad would take us off the streets for like an hour. It’s not like, this guy has a good imam future. It has nothing to do with that. A lot of kids memorize the Quran. A lot of kids. Here, we have at least 30, 40. It wasn’t like, ‘Oh, we’re not going to guard him at basketball, he’s too special.’ That wasn’t the case. An ayatollah is in the Shia tradition, it’s more of their man of
reference that they completely submit to – his ideologies, his opinions, his schools of thought. For imam, sheik, that goes back to the culture, the tradition. Some people just call people imam, sheiks. And mufti also goes back to the age and the culture. They’re all words that have the same meaning. I look at myself as just Mohamed, a normal person. How does your congregation look at you? ALMASMARI: Both. Mohamed and Imam. It’s a scholar, a leader, because imam comes from the word “leadership.” Although the Quran is considered the sacred scriptures dating back to the 7th Century with the Prophet Muhammad and the Word of God, are there various interpretations of the Quran? ALMASMARI: There are (different interpretations). In the last three months I have been part of interfaith events, and even the English interpretation is very poor. I had never read the Quran with this English interpretation – I just started a month and a half ago. Just trying to realize how many people are misled with all these interpretations that add more words. I find it troubling. It’s done by Muslim scholars, and they’re doing it to add more clarity. OSMAN: It tends to be, unfortunately. That is one thing, also, why a unified leadership is important, and having true, proper scholars that are able to understand the meanings of verses is very important. The problem we are having today isn’t so much of widening opinions of interpretations of scriptures – what we see today are illiterate individuals that do not read or understand scripture in parts of the world, and their Muslim leaders, who are looking just for power and money and more influence, whatever that may be, so they utilize religion to incite those individuals. I’ll give you an example. In the Quran, there’s a verse, “Slay the non-believers where they lay.” There are verses that say that. You see the verse, and mind you, it’s not just non-Muslim Islamophobes quoting it, it’s terrorists themselves quoting it. So both the terrorists and these individuals who don’t understand Islam – one thing that they are missing out on or forgetting is the verse directly before, and the verse directly after, that specifically describes and discusses the times of war. It’s talking about self-defense. So when it gives permission to “defend against those who have wronged you is given, but if they have stopped fighting, God has given you no right to transgress against them.” Why does it have the word transgress? Transgress is an opposing force. It’s doing something first. Harming some individual. If somebody comes up to me and starts waling on me on the head and starts punching me, and I end up punching them and accidentally snapping his neck, that’s self-defense. I have every right to defend myself. I can kill an individual if he is attacking me, if I am in fear of my life. That is the meaning and the intent. But individuals are now trying to interpret it in a different way. What they are doing is just getting more power and more influence, and they’re influencing young individuals who are illiterate, uneducated and don’t know any better.
We often witness the public debate as to whether Islam is a peaceful religion or a religion that calls for the elimination of all those who are not Muslims – does that mean that there are different sects within Islam or that various religious leaders in the Muslim community have varying interpretations of the Word of God, much like we witness in the Christian community? The most ready example of possible divisions within the Islamic community would be the Islam subscribed to by the leaders of Saudi Arabia. ALMASMARI: In history, there were always communities that promoted violence, or utilized religion to fulfill personal agendas, and that’s the struggle of our generation. We’re struggling with it.
Quran has always promoted leadership, generosity. If you look at Muslims just in Michigan, and look at their donations to the people of Flint, the people of Detroit, it’s all motivated from the teachings of Holy Scripture. Can you explain how some members of the Islamic faith are able to use the Quran to justify the violence we see around the world as something that is ordained by God? ALMASMARI: You’ll have people who will take anything and use it for their own personal benefit. The force of religious evidence is very powerful. To understand what these individuals are going through, or what they’re promoting, you have to understand their situation. Understanding that sometimes they’re uneducated. If they are educated, they are individuals who went through certain challenges where these challenges were not addressed nor the community showed them any attention, so they decided to travel. Some of them were fooled, understanding this was the only way towards forgiveness, and you’ll have some leaders who are well-equipped to attract youth, to get these people in. The youth, I could say they are innocent. But the leadership is not. I think everyone knows who they are and what they stand for, and the evil they carry in their message. OSMAN: I attribute it to gang mentality. If we go down to downtown Detroit, if we were to go to Harlem, to Chino, Pontiac, to any of the urban, unfortunate areas, where there’s a lot of crime and a lot of uneducated individuals, and they’re put in situations where they really should not be – you look at the mindset of youth when he decides to join a gang, because they’re in a position where they have no food, or they have no family, no education, no structure and no prospects to their life. It’s not even that, “Oh, I don’t want to do this, but I have to.” They start finding acceptance and purpose in something greater. They find this family of a gang. And they now feel important. Significant. It’s “I’m going to take it because others took it away from me.” Mirror that with what’s going on in the Middle East. You have individuals who are significantly undereducated. They’re illiterate, living in slums, living in areas that are very unfortunate, for them to do the exact same things – it makes sense, rationally. They’re going to cling to something. These individuals are going to cling to religion. When you have religious leaders who are peddling radicalization, it’s a power struggle, it’s money. They utilize them and tell them, “It’s the Jews that are the ones that put you in this situation.” “The Americans are the ones that put you in this type of situation. Death to America.” “Why don’t you take this bomb, go kill yourself, and give me all your money, everything you have left.” The way that I see it, if all these leaders, ISIS, if they truly believed you were going to be getting 72 virgins by blowing yourself up, they’d be doing it. Why aren’t they?
How as a cleric or a leader do you explain the radicalization of a faction in the name of Islam? Is that part of the Quran? Does ISIS represent Islam, or have they hijacked your religion? ALMASMARI: I always tell people there is no Islamic institution or great scholar that has approved ISIS and its doings and its actions. That’s number one. Number two, to show you how bad ISIS is, Al Quaeda itself has denounced ISIS – like, it can’t get any worse, if Quaeda denounces you for your actions. They are fighting ISIS because of the corruption they are causing in certain countries. Number three, I don’t think there are any victims on the face of this planet that are more victimized by ISIS than Muslims. The last United Nations number are that Muslims are eight to nine times more victimized by ISIS than anyone else in this world. The Syrians, the Iraqis, the Iranians, in Turkey. The list goes on. Boko Haram, part of ISIS – they’re attacking Muslims.
What saddens me is that people no longer look at human soul as human soul. I think to address this issue we have to look at it from all of its angles, and allow the Muslim community to take part in addressing this challenge, because without the Muslim community ISIS will not be solved. I remember when Clinton, I don’t remember if it was Bill or Hillary, said that one of four people walking this earth are Muslim, so you do find peaceful people, people who open their own businesses, people who go about their own lives. American Muslims hold 10 percent of American doctors. These people are serving their communities – just the free clinics that we have. The volunteerism. These are challenging times we have to go through with sincerity. OSMAN: I won’t give them the satisfaction of saying they’ve hijacked my religion. I am a Muslim. Islam is a religion of peace. If they are not following what Islam is teaching, by not being peaceful individuals, by not loving their fellow man, by not adhering to what prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, said, that the Christians should never be harmed and touched – then they are not following what true Islam is. And I’m not going to give them the time of day to say they have anything to do with Islam. I will definitely speak out against them. Condemn them to the fullest extent, and do my best to teach the general public what true Islam is, and teach our youth what true Islam is. But I am not going to acknowledge them by giving them even a smidgeon of what they are doing has anything to do with Islam. In plainest terms, yes, they’ve hijacked Islam. But they don’t speak for Islam. I pity them.
A fear for many Americans, and I have read, of many American Muslims, was realized when it was discovered that Syed Rizwan Farook, one of the San Bernardino shooters, or the Tsarnaev brothers of the Boston Marathon bombing, had been self-radicalized. What do you believe compels an American born or American-raised Muslim to radicalize? How often is that happening? ALMASMARI: Sometimes it’s what they watch. I know for a fact these people who were radicalized were not consistently going to mosques. They were people who decided to just live their own lives. You would see things in common with these people. One is that they had to go through certain challenges. Two, none of them knew much about the religion to begin with. You could see by their appearances, or they way they acted, the way they would speak. (They were not becoming more religious) – not at all. They were people who had access to certain websites. The common factor was they were not going to mosques, where they could listen to a religious leader who could empower them, or maybe address their challenges, or if they came up with these radical ideas, let’s address them as community members. More lost souls. OSMAN: This is something that we have been trying to tackle for some time. Our youth association came out with a seminar symposium called Stop the CrISIS. We talk specifically about youth radicalization and how youths become radicalized. It doesn’t have to do with religion; it has to do with being disenfranchised. Not being satisfied with the way one may see it. Was Timothy McVeigh tortured as a young kid? Was he abused? Was he part of a gang? They say you step on a cat’s tail, and you wonder why he’s shrieking. Did he have a cat’s tail? I have no idea. We don’t know what goes through the mind set of a crazy individual. That’s why it’s important for Muslims to properly teach their youth what the religion teaches. And be nurturing. Be loving to those youth. To your children. Here at the mosque, we’re one
big family. I’m in charge of these children just as much as anyone else might be. We have an active youth group. We try to show our youth there is more than just video games and television. It’s giving back to mankind. It’s doing what you can to your fellow human beings. Do many American Muslims identify with the desire to reject westernization and want to go back to the Middle East, or to strike back utilizing terrorism against western targets and people, or is it an isolated segment? ALMASMARI: I’ve never seen one, and I’ve been around a long time. What I think is, you might have people who say, “I want to live in the Middle East.” I don’t want to deny that. Which is their right because that’s more of their home. But the general public, 99.99 percent, they’re here to stay here. This is what they call home. They no longer look at the Middle East as home. I graduated as a judge in the Middle East, and I left all of that to live here. This is my home. I can’t relate to the Middle East whatsoever, even though I go there frequently. I don’t see myself there. I always tell people I would go crazy if I lived there. This is my home, where I feel comfortable, where I see myself living for the rest of my life. OSMAN: There’s 1.7 billion Muslims in this world; there’s millions in the United States, and every time a terrorist attack occurs, it hurts, it’s terrible, and we condemn it to the fullest extent. We don’t want to limit the importance of an attack like that happening, and how much we need to come together. As terror attacks occur overseas, suck as in Paris and Brussels, does that create a feeling of wariness or fear amongst your community, that there could be attacks upon local Muslims as a backlash or retaliation? ALMASMARI: Not really. Here, in the Michigan area, we just hope that things calm down. Every time something happens, I don’t think people realize what we have to go through as a community. We have to deal with these physical attacks, and at the same time, we go through the ‘real world,’ and we have all of these emotional attacks, verbal attacks. It’s very hurtful for many people. OSMAN: At times, yes. Our mosque in Connecticut, after San Bernardino, an individual shot at it a couple of times. The individual, who was arrested and charged, met with our leadership there, apologized, and (later) was a speaker at the symposium there, and again apologized. It was very emotional because obviously, we’re very saddened by what he had done, but for him to come out and apologize and ask for forgiveness, who are we not to forgive? We are always fearful of these things happening, which is why we maintain security as much as possible, but at the same time, we have to keep opening our doors to anyone and everyone who wishes to come in. What is the reaction in the Muslim community when officials call for at least a temporary halt to Muslims being allowed to enter America and that perhaps there should be increased surveillance of the Muslim community? ALMASMARI: The reaction goes back to the educational level of each person that is reacting. You have people that go, “Oh my god, what is happening!” And you have others who know it is a political stunt. People forget we have a Constitution. It’s not about what one person says. OSMAN: When it comes to certain comments about “banning Muslims from entering the country” – forget the fact that it’s just completely unconstitutional and goes against the fabric of our nation – especially when our nation was formed by individuals who were escaping religious persecution in Europe – I would ask a politician, if an American, Muslim soldier is serving overseas,
fighting and dying for this country, are you going to then say, no, they cannot come back in this country? It’s ludicrous and it’s fallacy. Yes, security is very, very important. Yes, it’s important to have background checks. Regarding surveillance, first, the responsibility of Muslims leaders is to be always 100 percent open, their doors are 100 percent open, sermons 100 percent open. Yes, you need to know what is happening in mosques and houses of worship. If a house of worship is open, then the responsibility is to be open. FBI, you want to come in? We’re not doing anything, come in. With that being said, you cannot marginalize or intimidate, a group of people that you need assistance from. You want their cooperation. It’s not practical, and it’s dehumanizing. With the current political campaigns, has there been greater prejudices against Muslims – the “Trump effect”? What is the current climate in Oakland County? Do you feel isolated, or welcome and part of the community at large? Do you encounter Islamophobia, either subtly or overtly? How? ALMASMARI: Of course. The disapproval of Muslims now in the U.S. raised from less than 20 percent to over 60-some percent. And when I say raised from, I mean from 9/11. There’s more towards Muslims now than what they faced (after) 9/11. What shocks me is that, of course there is a lot of support. I’ve had calls, I had Rabbi (Mark) Miller (Temple Beth El in Bloomfield Township) that spoke here, and everyone was able to address these issues. There is some kind of support where you find Islamophobia. In Oakland County, we’re blessed. I think it’s more of a race issue than a religious issue. In the United States, where we are supposed to have religious freedom for all, what are Muslims experiencing in 2016? Is your community finding acceptance, or bigotry? As our children are being raised in a multi-cultured world, with its encouragement of assimilation, is there mutual respect and tolerance among the younger generation, or are there cliques and isolation? Do many Muslim youths attend local public schools? ALMASMARI: Most of the Muslim youth here go to public schools. (With bigotry or acceptance), it matters what school they’re in, the understanding. In Bloomfield, we’re blessed where we have the RDJ – the Religious Diversity Journey – and they come and visit different places of worship, and that breaks a lot of barriers. Here, it’s very good. Jewish kids are more picked on than Muslim kids. I always tell people, if you look at who’s more bullied in schools, among the religious communities, you come to realize the Jewish community is. You have our Jewish youth who are struggling, to hold onto their Jewish identity, being teased and made fun of. We try to empower our youth and teach them. I always tell our Muslim youth, you’re not an exception. You’re not special – why do you expect that special treatment? It’s the identity you carry within, and being selfconfident. OSMAN: Here in the metro Detroit area, so much acceptance. We are so proud, and we are blessed, in fact, to be living in this metro Detroit area. There are many places in this country – many places in the world, in fact – Ahmadi Muslims would be killed by calling themselves Ahmadi Muslims. We are so blessed and so loyal to this country that gives us this freedom. And to be in this tri-county area, where you go on the streets and pass out a flyer that say “Muslims believe in peace.” And they say, “Yeah. Of course they do. Leave me alone. I’ve got work to do.” And for the most part, it’s “Alright, it’s cool, don’t worry about it man. Want to have dinner with us, man?” We’re very, very lucky to be living in communities like this. But there’s always those nut jobs. I’ve always thought the younger generation is more open-minded
than the older generation. For better or for worse, our society is moving towards total acceptance of a lot of things. You can have a young Muslim child, a young Jewish child, and a young Christian child – teenagers, and the three of them can have their discussions, and have fun discussing things, and at the end, it’s let’s go grab a bite to eat. It’s so beautiful to see that in a pluralistic society. The majority attend public schools. What can either the Muslim community or the community atlarge do to provide for greater understanding of Muslims and Islam and create more of a welcoming assimilation of Muslims into the general community? OSMAN: TrueIslam.com. We feel it will be a deterrent to youth radicalization and combatting that ideology. The objective of this campaign is to show 11 specific points of what Islam believes in, and show what ISIS believes. We can cite parts of the holy Quran and sayings of the prophet Mohammed, peace be upon him, that prove each of these points. It’s literally combatting this ideology, to combat what ISIS is putting out there. And it’s not just for nonMuslims – it’s for Muslims, as well. Traditionally, Muslims as a demographic group have aligned themselves with the more traditional values of the Republican Party, with a majority backing former Pres. George W. Bush. Recent bigotry shown by some Republican candidates is suspected of moving many Muslims to lean more Democratic with the past two presidential elections, and in the 2016 primary season, pundits note that the Muslim community is shifting toward the Democrats, with 59 percent of Dearborn’s Arab population voting for Bernie Sanders in Michigan’s primary. Are you seeing that shift reflected within the local Oakland County Muslim community? ALMASMARI: Yep. You have a lot of Muslims that are part of the Republican Party, but recently a lot of them have changed their direction for political reasons. We don’t promote that as a non-profit, but you do see that shift. Who wouldn’t? Sometimes you sense the hatred. You can see it. At the end of the day, people are people. They make their own decisions, they see what’s best for their own families. People want to co-exist. People want to see bright futures for their children, and that’s a very simple movement, moving from one party to another. It’s not a life-changing step. OSMAN: Yes, 60 percent of Muslims voted for President George W. Bush. I would say that shift is reflective all over the United States. It’s obvious that many, and a majority, of Muslims, were leaning more towards being Republican, were right wing, because they believe in fiscal responsibility, they believe in hard work, in family values, Scan for audio more of those social values. But there are also Imam Mohamed those Muslims who believe in the welfare Almasmari interview. system, that the state should care for individuals in other aspects as well. But when certain political candidates, such as Mr. Cruz and Mr. Trump, come out with this kind of rhetoric, with this kind of pushback to the Muslim community, as a Muslim it’s very hard to support. Some of the things Sarah Palin Scan for audio said (in 2008) were very hard to take. I wanted Mahir Osman John McCain. But no, I’m sorry, when you see interview. the acceptance and loving nature of one side over the other – obviously people are going to gravitate to one side. The worst thing the GOP can do is marginalize the Muslim people, to make them feel they are being belittled, to call them enemies. They’re losing votes by doing it.
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Sothebyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s - Global Exposure THE NEW YORK TIMES
Our 2015 advertising program with The
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248.644.7000
Sothebyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s - Global Exposure THE WALL STREET JOURNAL
Our continuous collaboration with
The Wall Street Journal offers an array of opportunities to showcase the homes represented by our network to the global audience that turns to this media icon for their daily source of insights into both micro and macro financial and economic landscapes. Designed to deliver 170 million impressions, this marketing strategy is comprised of a worldwide, multi-faceted program providing our brand with and dominance Wall Network D exclusivity throughout The Street Journalâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Digital
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248.644.7000
Sothebyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s - Global Exposure ARCHITECTURAL DIGEST Every day, Architectural Digest inspires millions of affluent home enthusiasts to redesign and refresh their lives through a multi-platform presence that includes print and digital connections. Our alignment with AD will deliver an anticipated 14 million media impressions and encompasses an integrated online partnership through a commanding presence on
NEW FOR 2013
architecturaldigest.com. Recently redesigned and re-engineered, architecturaldigest.com ARCHITECTURAL DIGEST Every day, Architectural Digest MRWTMVIW QMPPMSRW SJ EJžYIRX LSQI IRXLYWMEWXW
attracts toonredesign average moretheir than unique monthly consuming about 10 and refresh lives900,000 through a multi-platform presencevisitors, that includes print and digital connections.
Our alignment with AD will deliver an anticipated 8 million media impressions and encompasses an pages per visit and the perfect environment to uniquely showcase the Recently homesredesigned we integrated onlineispartnership through a commanding presence on architecturaldigest.com. O and re-engineered, architecturaldigest.com attracts on average more than 900,000 unique represent. monthly visitors, consuming about 10 pages per visit and is the perfect environment to uniquely showcase the homes we represent.
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signaturesothebys.com
248.644.7000
10
10.4
17,515
BEDS
BATHS
SQ. FT.
Bloomfield Hills $10,200,000 Premier custom built Estate on 3.02 acres located on Bloomfield Hills Country Club Golf Course. 215096375
Ronni Keating
signaturesothebys.com
248.644.7000
5
5.2
5865
BEDS
BATHS
SQ. FT.
Lake Michigan/Kalamazoo River Frontage $40,000,000 Private retreat or waterfront investment opportunity in sought-after lakefront village of Saugatuck on 314 acres. 216028920
4
4.2
5169
6
6.2
6302
BEDS
BATHS
SQ. FT.
BEDS
BATHS
SQ. FT.
Bloomfield Hills $2,399,000
Birmingham $1,799,000
This show-stopping Colonial sits on idyllic grounds that back to the prestigious Bloomfield Hills Golf & Country Club. 216002132
Stunning Colonial in prime Birmingham will enchant you with its beautiful brick and stone faรงade, lovely lush grounds, private outdoor spaces, and impeccable details inside and out. 216034456
Dan Gutfreund
signaturesothebys.com
248.644.7000
5
4.2
7100
BEDS
BATHS
SQ. FT.
Lake Angelus Frontage $2,695,000 Spectacular views from every room in this truly unique property reminiscent of the older Estates on the East Coast. 216032484
3
4.1
5200
4
5.3
6423
BEDS
BATHS
SQ. FT.
BEDS
BATHS
SQ. FT.
Metamora $1,499,900
Metamora $1,350,000
"Laughin Fox Farm" Absolutely stunning home situated on an equally stunning private piece of property with almost 24 acres. 216034629
Fabulous French Country Estate on 52 acres and private all sports spring fed 20 acre lake over 35' deep. 216010509
Lee Embrey
signaturesothebys.com
248.644.7000
5
5.1
5243
BEDS
BATHS
SQ. FT.
Bloomfield Village $1,549,000 Exquisite home has been completely renovated by David Force Building Company. Professionally landscaped and in-ground pool. 216010973
4
3.1
5254
4
5.1
3178
BEDS
BATHS
SQ. FT.
BEDS
BATHS
SQ. FT.
Birmingham $1,399,000
Birmingham $1,049,000
Magnificent newer construction with high end amenities in the Heart of Downtown Birmingham. 215073248
A spectacular updated Colonial located on one of the most desirable streets in Birmingham. 216027690
John & Bridget Apap
signaturesothebys.com
248.644.7000
4
4.1
3500
BEDS
BATHS
SQ. FT.
Birmingham $1,549,000 Exquisite in town Tudor residence, boasts gracious living areas exuding charm, warmth & timeless appeal. 216011400
5
3.1
4088
BEDS
BATHS
SQ. FT.
Troy $649,000 Bright, cheerful and spacious located in prestigious Somerset North nestled deep within the subdivision. 216028812
Christine Drinkwater
signaturesothebys.com
248.644.7000
4
3.2
3363
BEDS
BATHS
SQ. FT.
Bloomfield Hills $719,900 Stately English Tudor on beautifully landscaped lot. Over 3/4 acre with gentle stream and woods.
4
3.3
4356
5
4.2
4417
BEDS
BATHS
SQ. FT.
BEDS
BATHS
SQ. FT.
Bloomfield Hills $1,289,000
Bloomfield Hills $1,249,900
Newer Nantucket style Colonial on large and secluded lot at the end of cul-de-sac. 216012321
Outstanding Bloomfield Hills dream home built and designed with the utmost quality and attention to detail. 216013970
Mia Bardy Kathy Manoogian Silvia Stan
signaturesothebys.com
248.644.7000
5
5.1
4923
BEDS
BATHS
SQ. FT.
Bloomfield Village $1,499,000 "The Perfect House." in the perfect neighborhood. Quality and attention to every detail throughout. 216028306
Lorraine Yalman
signaturesothebys.com
248.644.7000
Du ba i, Un ited Aarab Emirates
always on par
YOUR SEARCH...RE-DEFINED. i m m e r s e yo u r s e l f i n s i r.c o m
4
3.1
2762
BEDS
BATHS
SQ. FT.
White Horse Lake Frontage $1,350,000 Stunning with spectacular lake views from almost every room located on a private lot surrounded by trees. 216018434
5
4.1
3867
BEDS
BATHS
SQ. FT.
Woodland Lake Frontage $1,299,000 Welcome to your personal paradise. Over 66 feet of waterfront property and no wetlands. 216003202 Co-listor Dan Gutfreund
Dylan Tent
signaturesothebys.com
248.644.7000
5
4.2
4830
BEDS
BATHS
SQ. FT.
Milford $1,300,000 A luxurious haven unlike any you will find! Impressive traditional estate spans with a unique walkout setting situated on 2 wooded acres. 215118827
5
4.1
5108
5
4.2
4667
BEDS
BATHS
SQ. FT.
BEDS
BATHS
SQ. FT.
Milford $1,200,000
West Bloomfield $789,000
Live the lifestyle of an enchanted dream in this estate serenely nestled on 7 private acres, minutes from the quaint Village of Milford. 216019746
Stunning updated Maple Creek home located on a private natural setting includes pool and waterfall. 216026739
Michelle Payne
signaturesothebys.com
248.644.7000
4
4.2
4715
BEDS
BATHS
SQ. FT.
Birmingham $1,799,000 La Marco Homes designed and built with innovative "European Transitional" interior designs. 215131674
Courtney Monigold
signaturesothebys.com
248.644.7000
I NV E ST ME NT
YOUR HOME IS YOUR MOST VALUABLE ASSET FOR MORE REASONS THAN YOU CAN IMAGINE. Historically, real estate has provided homeowners with their greatest return on investments, an appreciation in value that has been at times both short and long term. It is difficult to put a price on something of such significance, whether it is primary, secondary or vacation home. At the Sothebyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s International RealtyÂŽ brand, we firmly believe in the inherent value of home and helping our clients realize their investment goals by offering unrivalled accesss to qualified people and distinctive properties around the world.
415 S. Old Woodward | Birmingham, MI 48009 | signaturesothebys.com
LIFE HAPPENS. HA HAVE AVE A VE A PLAN. P You're Y ou're making a large large investment. investment. Why Why not invest invest in something to to protect protect it?
A ONE-YEAR ONE-YEAR American Home Shield® Home Protection Protection Plan is included with the purchase purchase of this home. home.
against the cost cost provide affordable affordable protection protection against AHS® helps provide system repairs or replacements replacements to to many many of your your major home system of repairs components and appliances. appliances. components AVERAGE REP PAIR A AIR AND REPLACEMENT COST† NOT NOT ALL ITEMS MAY MAY BE COVERED COVERED IN CORE CORE COVERAGE COVERAGE PLAN
Air Conditioning w/Ductwork
Repair: $390 Replacement: $2,885
Repair: $306 Replacement: $2,141
Water Heater
Main Electrical Panel
ON ON ON
Repair: $92 Replacement: $761
ON
Heating w/Ductwork
Repair: $311 Replacement: $605
Dishwasher
Built-in Microwave
Repair: $127 Replacement: $515
Repair: $97 Replacement: $429
Ranges/ Ovens/ /Cooktops
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D-B-GONE FOO
Repair: $47 Replacement: $182
Repair: $114 Replacement: $782
For information, ormation, please call For more more inf 800 735 735 4663 4663 or visit ahshome.com. ahshome.com. † As reported reported in the national national surv survey ey A S Study tudy o off Homeo Homeowners’ Appliance System Service Experiences, es, Decision Analy Analyst st (20 (2011 3) and rreprinted e Experienc eprinted wners’ Applianc e and Home S Sy ystem Servic with their written written permis permission. sion. Further rreproduction eproduction is e expressly xpressly pr prohibited. Remember, an n AHS AHS Home Home P Protection rotection P Plan lan c covers overs tthe he rrepair epair o orr rreplacement ohibited. R ememberr, a eplacement of many many system system and applianc appliance e br breakdowns, eakdowns, but not nec necessarily essarily the entire entire system system or applianc appliance. e. Please rrefer efer tto oy your our c contract ontract ffor or details. Home protection protection plans ar are e subject tto oe exclusions xclusions and limita limitations tions including repairs repairs or replacements replacements of c covered overed home ssystem ystem c components omponents and appliances. appliances. For For more more inf information ormation or ques questions tions rre: e: c contract ontract tterms, erms, rates rates and coverage, coverage, please visit w www.ahshome.com ww.ahshome.com or call 1 800 7 735 4663. 35 466 3. ©2014 ©201 4 American Home Shield C Corporation orporation and its lic licensed ensed subsidiaries. All rights rreserved. eserved.
131308
5
5.3
8245
BEDS
BATHS
SQ. FT.
Walnut Lake Frontage $3,900,000 Panoramic easterly views of all sports Walnut Lake with luxury living on 1.76 acres of beautifully landscaped grounds. 215054013 Presented by Maria Constante
5
7.1
11,200
BEDS
BATHS
SQ. FT.
Plymouth $1,999,900 Private Retreat tucked back with circular drive on 3.3 beautiful acres with ozone purified indoor pool w/power cover, Spa, Dry Sauna and Exercise Room. 216004864 Presented by Michelle Yurich
signaturesothebys.com
248.644.7000
6
4.1
4623
BEDS
BATHS
SQ. FT.
Birmingham $1,995,000 Meticulously maintained Cape Cod with stunning views of private 1 acre lot on one of Birmingham's most desirable streets. 216033805 Presented by Marty Brown
3
3.1
3000
BEDS
BATHS
SQ. FT.
Birmingham $1,399,000 Luxury newer townhome beautifully finished living space in a superb downtown location. 216035477 Presented by Justyna Slabosz
signaturesothebys.com
248.644.7000
5
4.1
5535
BEDS
BATHS
SQ. FT.
Lake Huron Frontage $1,900,000 Log Home Living Magazine said..."It is one of the most impressive lodges on the Great Lakes." This 5 acre property can be split and sold individually as residential or commercial. 216006867 Presented by Candice Cuyler
3
4
4000
BEDS
BATHS
SQ. FT.
Lake St. Helen Frontage $1,739,000 Drastic Price Reduction! Ultra custom log cabin boasts the most exquisite views. Located on 85 1/2 acres and close to Forest Dunes Golf Course. 215129739 Presented by Jennifer Valenti
signaturesothebys.com
248.644.7000
4
3
2973
BEDS
BATHS
SQ. FT.
Lake St. Clair Frontage $949,900 Lakefront living at its finest! Enjoy the million dollar view of Lake St. Clair waterfront plus boat slip for your private yacht. 215128542 Presented by Donna Barlow
4
3.1
5448
BEDS
BATHS
SQ. FT.
Birmingham $949,900 Quarton Lake Estates Beauty! Charm & Sophistication accent every corner. Meticulously landscaped yard with patio and privacy fence. 216019959 Presented by Lisa Masters
signaturesothebys.com
248.644.7000
5
4.1
4076
BEDS
BATHS
SQ. FT.
Bloomfield Hills $949,000 A one acre storybook setting overlooking Island Lake In The Hills Of The Kirk. Completely renovated. 216027636 Presented by Dovile Satkeviciute & Lila Casenave
6
3.2
4266
4
3.2
3775
BEDS
BATHS
SQ. FT.
BEDS
BATHS
SQ. FT.
Bloomfield Hills $824,900
Pleasant Ridge $795,000
Beautiful and meticulously maintained two story contemporary home located on a generous .84 acre lot with views of Wabeek Lake. 216028406 Presented by Elena Drelichman
Outstanding opportunity to customize your home on one of the most prestigious streets in Pleasant Ridge. 216028461 Presented by Lisa Masters
signaturesothebys.com
248.644.7000
5
3.2
3635
BEDS
BATHS
SQ. FT.
Bloomfield $629,900 Bloomfield Crossing at its finest. Two tiered walkout deck provides wonderful space for entertaining in the large backyard. 216032647 Presented by Brandon Curry
3
4.1
3469
3
2.1
2748
BEDS
BATHS
SQ. FT.
BEDS
BATHS
SQ. FT.
Bloomfield $720,000
Birmingham $675,000
Beautiful and elegant site condo with open floor plan in private and gated Hickory Grove Village. 216031825 Presented by T. Gerald Etue
Fantastic in-town location. Beautifully maintained Plantation style home with charming guest house over the garage. 216033311 Presented by Eva Morrow
signaturesothebys.com
248.644.7000
4
3.1
3750
BEDS
BATHS
SQ. FT.
Troy $589,900 Better than new! Elegant Colonial in Hidden Park with perfect elevation. 216031512 Presented by Vineeta Rastogi
2
2
1911
3
2.2
2522
BEDS
BATHS
SQ. FT.
BEDS
BATHS
SQ. FT.
Ferndale $525,000
Birmingham $519,900
Corner penthouse is the largest unit in the building! All finishes are nothing but top of the line. 216032421 Presented by Michelle Landry
Beautifully updated! Old World charm and modern updates seamlessly marry the beloved character of the old with the convenience of the new. 216031540 Presented by Lucine Tarman
signaturesothebys.com
248.644.7000
4
3.1
3219
BEDS
BATHS
SQ. FT.
Troy $439,900 New to the market...great home in Northwest Troy with award winning Troy schools. 216032732 Presented by Donna Barlow
4
2.1
2264
4
2.1
2500
BEDS
BATHS
SQ. FT.
BEDS
BATHS
SQ. FT.
Bloomfield Village $474,900
South Lyon $339,000
Spectacular renovated Colonial on a huge lot perfect for entertaining. 216025445 Presented by Alex Chapman
Stunning newer colonial located on a cul-de-sac in beautiful Hunters Creek Subdivision, only a 15 minute walk to the quaint Downtown South Lyon! 216035194 Presented by Silvia Stan
signaturesothebys.com
248.644.7000
3
2.1
1938
BEDS
BATHS
SQ. FT.
Bloomfield $304,900 Light & bright Ranch on half acre with great curb appeal in sought after Eastover Estates has plenty to offer. Bloomfield Hills schools. 216009375 Presented by Ann Greenberg
3
3.1
1260
2
2
1623
BEDS
BATHS
SQ. FT.
BEDS
BATHS
SQ. FT.
Novi $214,900
Rochester $159,900
Great opportunity to live in a quiet golf community, move in condition detached-free standing condo. 216017488 Presented by Ann Morrell
Spacious newer built condo in the heart of Rochester! 216034196 Presented by Beth Watson
signaturesothebys.com
248.644.7000
near or far
A Full Service Relocation Department with Distinguished Connections Helping our clients navigate the world of real estate is what sets us apart. We are unmatched in our ability to connect buyers and sellers globally. As a primary real estate brokerage for Cartus Relocation, a global leader in the relocation industry, Signature Sotheby's International Realty participates in servicing relocation buyers coming into our area and sellers moving out of the area every day.
This is our world. Because a homeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s appeal extends far beyond what is near. EXPERIENCE A WORLD OF CONNECTIONS With 825 offices in 61 countries, we are all encompassing. From the enchanting beauty of France to the age-old country that is Thailand. Our locations may be abounding, but our unique-ness remains perfectly constant.
Susan Bailey susan.bailey@sothebysrealty.com f nf s@s bsc800.458.7356 m m m24 . 2.44 . 740. 415 S. Old38Woodward E M Ave. RoBirmingham, o Bi dm gMichigan hm 48009 c i gai4808098
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Lara J. Forte Loan Officer NMLS # 1169665 T: 248-912-9031 C: 248-284-5178
John & Bridget Apap Fine Homes Specialists - Top 1% Nationally
Cell 248.225.9858 japap@signaturesothebys.com
41820 Six Mile Road Northville MI 48168
LForte@mbmortgage.com
415 S. Old Woodward | Birmingham, MI 48009
Featured Listings
270 Martell Drive Bloomfield Hills | $1,950,000 | Exquisite home designed by Kenneth Neumann has been completely remodeled on
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345 Woodridge Road
630 Waddington Street
420 Dunston Road
Bloomfield Hills | $2,499,000
Bloomfield Village | $2,425,000
Bloomfield Hills | $2,295,000 on
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200 Woodland Villa Court
1031 Ardmoor Drive
1234 N Glengarry Road
Birmingham | $2,100,000
Bloomfield Hills | $1,599,000
Bloomfield Village | $1,399,000
John & Bridget Apap Fine Homes Specialists - Top 1% Nationally
Cell 248.225.9858 japap@signaturesothebys.com
Ken Mascia NMLS #135323 Prime Capital Mortgage Corp. 36400 Woodward Ave, Suite 122 Bloomfield Hills, MI 48304 kmascia@primecapitalmortgage.com
415 S. Old Woodward | Birmingham, MI 48009
248-644-1200 248-644-1201 (f)
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344 Fairfax Street
1721 Stanley Boulevard
Birmingham | $1,099,000 | Quarton Lake Estates
Birmingham | $999,900 ed
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6595 Crest Top Drive
2425 Bradway Boulevard
West Bloomfield | $774,900
Bloomfield Village | $699,000
Call us for a Complimentary Market Analysis
6976 Woodbank Drive
700 Emmons Avenue
Bloomfield Hills | $575,000
Birmingham | $549,000
495 Bird Avenue
1331 Tulberry Circle
Birmingham | $465,000
Rochester | $419,000
John & Bridget Apap
Lynn Wiand Senior Mortgage Lender NMLS ID 39420
lwiand@talmerbank.com Office 248-244-4805 Cell 248.228.4805
Fine Homes Specialists - Top 1% Nationally
Cell 248.225.9858 japap@signaturesothebys.com
2301 W. Big Beaver Rd, Suite 525 Troy, MI 48084
415 S. Old Woodward | Birmingham, MI 48009
1394 Pilgrim Avenue Quarton Lake Estates Birmingham - $2,150,000 4700 Sq Ft, 5 BR, 5.1 BA, 3 Car Garage
Extraordinary Homes
1291 Suffield
Vinewood
1025 N. Glenhurst
New Construction
New Construction
Quarton Lake - $2,295,000, 5400 sf, 5 bedrooms 6.5 baths, 3 car garage, finished lower level
Quarton Lake - $2,950,000 - 5900 sf, 5 bedrooms, 6.5 baths, 3 car garage, finished lower level, oversized lot
New Construction Quarton Lake - $2,495,000 - 5,400 sf, 5 bedrooms, 6.5 baths, 4 car garage, finished lower level on
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2609 Covington Place
395 Berwyn
Winthrop
Redding
New Construction
New Construction
New Construction
New Construction
Bloomfield Village - $1,699,000 4,200 sf, 4 bedrooms, 5.5 baths, 3 car garage, finished lower level
Birmingham - $1,299,000 - 4216 sf, 5 bedrooms, 5.5 baths, 2 car garage, finished lower level
Quarton Lake - $1,195,000 - 3,600 sf, 4 bedrooms, 5.5 baths, finished lower level
1st Floor Master
SOLD
Bloomfield - $689,900 Situated on a hilltop this uniquely designed all brick home with French Provincial accents is peaceful and cozy. 4271 Sq Ft - 5 BR - 4.1 BA. 216001562
SOLD
Commerce - $497,900 Wonderful 2012 Pinnacle Homes Energy Star Torino design home with scenic wooded back yard. 3779 Sq Ft - 4 BR - 3.1 BA. 216006939
LISTED & SOLD IN 1 DAY
Powerful Marketing and Proven Results
Oak Park
Contact me for a confidential marketing analysis.
Located in desirable quiet neighborhood. 1702 sq ft, 3 bedrooms, 2 baths.
Olga MacKenzie 248.649.3800
415 S. Old Woodward | Birmingham, MI 48009
omackenzie@signaturesothebys.com
NEAR COMPLETION
118 Waterfall - Quarton Lake Frontage - Offered at $4,995,000 Imagine owning your very own private, new construction, luxury resort, nestled on the only remaining lot in Quarton Lake with views of the waterfall, lake, park & river. Beyond the electric gated entrance with camera and alarm system, sits this exceptional private estate. Generous open floor plan. Stunning great room perfect for entertaining shares a dual sided fireplace with elegant study. Cooks kitchen with top of the line stainless steel appliances, rich exotic wood cabinetry, walk-in pantry and command center. Master suite features a fireplace and its own private patio, spacious spa like master bath with freestanding tub, walk-in shower and beautiful custom closet/dressing areas. Approximately 8000 sq ft of finished living space, walkout lower level with climate controlled wine room, full bar area and spa/sauna. Handcrafted mill work, impeccable materials and gorgeous architectural details throughout. Luxurious Infinity Pool.
Rochester Hills $1,999,000 Frank Lloyd Wright inspired masterpiece designed by Young & Young and meticulously crafted and constructed by Joseph P. Craig Custom Homes. 3800 Sq Ft 4 BR, 4.2 BA 3 Car Attached Garage
All Star
Birmingham $1,639,000 Extraordinary New Construction Ready December 2015 4100 Sq Ft 4 BR 4.2 BA 3 Car Attached Garage
Birmingham $1,549,000 Exquisite New Construction in town Tudor 3500 Sq Ft 4 BR, 4.1 BA 2 Car Detached Garage
Troy $1,100,000 Stunning New Construction with Birmingham schools 4100 Sq Ft 4 BR, 3.1 BA 3 Car Attached Garage
Troy $999,500 Luxurious Colonial on Corner Lot 5276 Sq Ft 4 BR 3.2 BA 3 Car Attached Garage co-listor Pat O'Neill
Marketing a home requires unique skills, knowledge and resources that Signature Sotheby's International Realty offers its clients. I would welcome the opportunity to offer you a confidential marketing analysis.
Christine Drinkwater
Associate Broker
248-318-4745
415 S. Old Woodward | Birmingham, MI 48009
cdrinkwater@signaturesothebys.com
Birmingham $675,000 Enjoy this fantastic in-town location within walking distance to all major conveniences and right across the street from Pierce elementary school and playground! Built by Robertson in 2004, the current owners have maintained this Plantation style home beautifully and creatively enhanced the charming guest house over the garage. The many features we all desire in a newer home are included from the hardwood floors on the first floor to the open kitchen and great room concept to the professionally finished basement complete with a recreation room, gym room, storage room and custom built in children’s play house. The galley style kitchen with breakfast bar island overlooking the great room is finished with tall white mission style cabinetry and stainless steel appliances and has a nice breakfast nook too! The master suite with cathedral ceiling and his and hers walk-in closets also has a large master bath with jetted tub, tall shower and two spacious sink/counter areas. The guest house is amazing with newer full bath, slate floor in the prepped kitchen area and large bedroom/living room space with laminate flooring. This home is convenient living at its best!
“Focused on Selling Your Home!” Custom photography and websites for every listing.
www.MichiganHomes.net
Franklin Village $649,900 Ultra private, mid century California modern home on a secluded 2 acre lot in the ideal Franklin neighborhood within walking distance to downtown and the Franklin Cider Mill! Open and airy layout with unique angles, high ceilings, walls of glass and tons of natural light throughout. First floor master suite with large master bath, walk-in closet and dressing area. Light and bright kitchen with huge center island, soaring ceilings and open to the large breakfast and dining rooms ideal for entertaining. Terracotta and wood floors throughout the first level add a nice rustic flavor. Custom lighting and tall angled white beamed ceilings makes this home truly special with a soft contemporary flair. The upper level with 3 additional bedrooms, 2 full baths and a huge bonus room provides plenty of added living and storage space. With nearly 4300 square feet and two acres this home offers many alternatives for your lifestyle. With expansive secluded property like this the potential for new construction also exists for those who want to build their two million dollar dream home.
Eva Morrow Associate Broker
248-320-9100 415 S. Old Woodward | Birmingham, MI 48009
eva@signaturesothebys.com
FACES
Bruce Ableson efore there was Facebook or Myspace, before WordPress or Blogger, Birmingham Groves grad Bruce Ableson created a social networking website that would host more than 5 million online diaries before it went offline in 2014. Open Diary was launched in 1998, during the age of AOL and GeoCities. Online journaling was just emerging, laying the groundwork for the modern-day blogosphere. By coming up with some of the first code for commenting on posts and building friends lists, Ableson created one of the first online blogging communities on the Internet. "It was a radical idea then. That wasn't being done," Ableson said, who wrote under the handle "TheDiaryMaster" and managed the site with his wife, Susan, "TheDiaryMistress." "We dealt with a lot of issues that hadn't been dealt with before, like copywrite...It was a different time. People hadn't formed opinions on what the Internet should be at that point. The challenge was to make people feel like they weren't going to get targeted or abused. "A beautiful thing about the site was that people felt like they could post and feel safe about it. I think that was one of the largest things about the site." A hacker attack in 2004 deleted months of user content and forced the website into debt. Requiring additional staff and personal time, Ableson decided to close the site. Having been involved in startups for the past several years, Ableson currently evaluates the online needs of clients as senior vice president of customer strategy for Livefyre in New York City. Living in Summit, New Jersey,
B
Ableson keeps the Detroit area close to his heart, like when he stumbled upon the first program he wrote as an 8th grader at Birmingham Schools' former West Maple Junior High. "I was in 8th grade and took a BASIC programming class. I didn't do anything else until college," he said of the 17-line program that could find the sum of any three lengths in feet or yards. "I went to Michigan State University, and the woman who was my girlfriend, who is now my wife, took a programing 101 course, and I helped her." Ableson himself studied television and radio programming, but quickly honed his computer programming skills when he landed a job as a systems analyst after leaving to get married and departing Michigan for the East coast. "It was 1985; using PCs was a new idea. They asked if I knew anything about it, and I said, 'sure.' Then I got the job and actually learned how to do it. It was learning under fire. All of a sudden, I had to learn how to write these programs, and I found I really liked programming and coding." Ableson's spare time now is often spent kayaking or tracing the genealogy of his family and parents, who still live in the house on Walnut Lake where he was raised. Yet, he looks back fondly on the role Open Diary played in developing the Internet. "It was empowering for people to have a tool like that to post about things," he said. "We would get e-mails from a large LGBT community on that site, and in the 1990s there had never been a strong online community for that. People found that online. That was very fulfilling." Story: Kevin Elliott
Beauty
(SALON) by J. Lyle Ltd. 235 Willits Alley Birmingham, MI
$
20 Blow Outs
tuesday through friday
248:: 540:: 0046
MUNICIPAL Old Varsity Shop building for sale By Lisa Brody
The iconic Varsity Shop building, located at the corner of Pierce and Merrill streets in downtown Birmingham since 1954, is officially on the market after the store relocated almost two years ago after a boiler pipe burst, causing tremendous damage to the building and over $300,000 worth of merchandise. Marc Secontine, managing partner of the Varsity Shop, now located at 623 S. Adams Road in the Adams Square shopping center in Birmingham since April of 2015, said it was a family decision to put the building out to bid. “It was a family decision, after much consideration,” he said, of the discussions between himself, his sister and his brother. “We're doing some due diligence as to what the fair market value is of the building. We signed with Signature Associates for 30 days to take offers to find out the fair market price. We don't have a price in mind.” The 30 days will expire on Friday, April 29. It is listed with Chris Secontine at Signature Associates, who happens to be Marc's cousin. “We think bidding on the open market, as people bid against each other, or make bids online, we'll get a better sense of the true value,” he said. “After that, we'll look at the numbers, and we'll determine if it's worth developing it ourselves, partnering with someone else, or selling it.” The building is currently about 10,000 square feet, and is about 100 years old. A new building built in the central business district in Birmingham can be five stories, with the first floor as retail, two stories of office, and two stories of residential, per ordinance. The Varsity Shop has sold sporting and athletic equipment to individuals and school and league teams since Secontine's father Vincent opened the store in 1954. Vincent passed away 11 years ago, and until the flood occurred on May 19, 2014, the 60year-old store was a Birmingham institution. On the other end of the block, the former Wachler building is being renovated into The Woodward by the Surnow Company. It is believed that downtownpublications.com
REPRESENTATIVE IN CONGRESS Two-year term 9th District (Bloomfield Township)
building was purchased for between $3.5 million and $5 million. At the time, the late Jeff Surnow said “it's a prime gateway corner in downtown Birmingham.”
Who's filed for 2016 election contests A full slate of candidates, all Republicans, will be competing for offices in Bloomfield Township this year, based on candidate filings as of 4 p.m. on Tuesday, April 19. Republican Bloomfield Township Supervisor Leo Savoie, Clerk Jan Roncelli and Treasurer Dan Devine all submitted petitions to run for re-election to four-year terms, although many pundits expected Devine to challenge Savoie for the supervisor position. Instead, Devine will face current Republican trustee Brian Kepes, who has frequently criticized Devine's financial management of investment benefit funds and transparency of the treasurer's office. Devine has been at the center of one controversy after another for the past two years, most relating to either his job performance or political grandstanding at the expense of other members of the township board. Running against Savoie will be Republican Dave Thomas, a Bloomfield Township financial consultant and friend of Devine's, who has been critical of Savoie at recent board meetings. Roncelli is facing her first challenger in 12 years as township clerk. Roncelli was named Clerk of the Year in 2012 by the Michigan Association of Municipal Clerks, and is the Michigan representative on the U.S. Elections Assistance Commissions Standards Board. She will face Susie Kern, a selfprofessed stay-at-home mom and also a Republican. Eight candidates, all Republicans, filed petitions to run for four board of trustees seats that carry four-year terms. Incumbents Neal Barnett, David Buckley, and Corinne Khederian filed for re-election, along with new candidates Jeffrey Axt, Kirk Brannock, Geoff Hockman, Michael Schostak and Dani Walsh. There will also be two proposals on the August ballot for township residents to consider, one a renewal of a public safety millage and the other a renewal of a road maintenance millage. All candidates have until Friday, April 22, at 4 p.m. to withdraw.
Democrat Sander Levin*
Republican Christopher Morse 11th District (Birmingham, Bloomfield Hills)
David Trott* STATE LEGISLATURE Michigan House Two-year term 40th District (Birmingham, Bloomfield Hills, Bloomfield Township) Nicole Bedi Michael D. McCready* OAKLAND COUNTY County Executive Four-year term Vicki Barnett L. Brooks Patterson* Mark Danowski County Prosecutor Four-year term Jessica Cooper* Mike Goetz Jim O’Donnell County Sheriff Four-year term Craig Covey Michael Bouchard* County Clerk Four-year term Lisa Brown* Tina Barton Michael D. Smith Bill Bullard Jr. County Treasurer Four-year term Andy Meisner* John McCulloch Water Resources Commissioner Four-year term Jim Nash* Robert E. Buxbaum Paul Welday County Commission Two-year term 12th District (Birmingham, Bloomfield Township, Bloomfield Hills) Charles Gaba Chuck Moss Shelley Goodman Taub* 13th District (Bloomfield Township) Marcia Gershenson* Max Rohtbart 48th District Court Six-year term (Birmingham, Bloomfield Hills, Bloomfield Township) (Non-partisan) Marc Barron BLOOMFIELD TOWNSHIP Supervisor Four-year term Leo C. Savoie* Dave Thomas Clerk Four-year term Susie Kern Jan Roncelli* Treasurer Four-year term Daniel Devine* Brian E. Kepes Trustee Four-year term Jeffrey Axt Neal Barnett* Kirk Brannock David B. Buckley* Geoff Hockman Corinne Khederian* Michael Schostak Dani Walsh
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Anil Kumar
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Muslim Center can expand parking By Lisa Brody
The Bloomfield Township Board of Trustees unanimously approved final site plan approval and special land use for 94 parking spaces over two additional lots adjacent to the Muslim Unity Center, at its meeting on Monday, April 11, with the proviso that the center cannot expand its building any further or the uses at the center. With the addition of the 94 spots, the center will have 294 parking spaces. The Muslim Unity Center is located at 1830 W. Square Lake Road, in a building that formerly housed Irving Elementary School. It was first established by a special land use permit from the township in 1993, which at that time allowed for a maximum occupancy in the building of 300 people and 100 cars; no expansion of the building; no profitmaking activities, including
receptions, pre-school, or daycare, other than during religious services. In her presentation to the board, Patti Voelker, planning, building, and ordinance director, explained that the center had come before various township boards in the last two years for special land use, site plan and special event requests. She noted that “on May 5, 2014, the planning commission held a public hearing to consider a site plan and special land use proposal for the building additions of a multipurpose room/classroom, a gymnasium, and prayer room area and site improvements resulting in a parking lot expansion. At the conclusion of the public hearing, the planning commission tabled the site plan and special land use request pending further information to include a traffic study and parking analysis, and for the Unity Center to meet with the neighbors and the Square Lake Homeowners Association.” On August 18, 2014, the planning commission reviewed a revised site plan and special land use, and recommended it to the board of
trustees for approval. The center did not move forward, seeking other special event requests, notably for parking in a vacant lot for Ramadan/Eid prayers. On April 11, Voelker said, the center had submitted a revised site plan to expand the existing parking lot to accommodate 94 additional parking spaces with landscaping and other site improvements in two adjacent lots, noting that the township's zoning board of appeals had granted them variances in November of 2014. Michael Labadie, a traffic consultant with Fleis & VandenBrink, provided trustees with a written assessment, that based on their review of the revised site plan, they recommended the Muslim Center should commit to controlling the religious services attendance, or add additional service, in order to be consistent with the proposed available 294 parking spaces, as overflow onto adjacent neighborhood streets would not be acceptable. Imam Mohamed Almasmari said the center had purchased a few
adjacent parcels in the rear of the center to create into an expanded parking lot in order to avoid bothering neighbors. “Since 1993, we've grown. Families have continued to grow, kids want to commute to school. There are more cars per family. We want to accommodate our families,” he said. While the center had previously wanted to expand the building, in their current requests they said they no longer did due to neighborhood opposition. A neighborhood organization, established as Residents of Square Lake, created a website, unitytraffichavoc.com, and sent out emails to neighbors, trustees and media, alleging that over the years, the Muslim center had repeatedly violated their special land use, now having a banquet center for up to 750 on the site; developing a preschool, known as Islamic Academy, a Montessori School, and has regular daycare facilities, fitness classes in the evenings and an unapproved restaurant. Voelker pointed out at the meeting the uses had been approved.
The Community house
S FOR REGISTRATION, PLEASE CALL 248.644.5832 OR YOU CAN REGISTER ONLINE www.tchserves.org/classes-and-programs/tch-youth-camps/ downtownpublications.com
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Many residents of adjacent neighborhoods, as well as members of the Unity Center, spoke at the lengthy public hearing. “Some of the people did not have a grasp of the law and the facts,” said trustee Neal Barnett, regarding some of the comments. Supervisor Leo Savoie agreed. “There were some racist comments made against Arabs. I don't condone ignorance,” he said. The board voted to approve the parking expansion for the Muslim Unity Center, 7-0, with a number of conditions, including that the center cannot expand the building in the future; the building is only for the use of members and their guests; and they cannot expand the permitted uses approved at the center, including for religious services, banquets, day care and a kitchen.
Water, sewer rates set for coming year Concerns about the Headlee Tax Limitation Amendment, ready-to-serve
fees, the new Great Lakes Water Authority, SOCWA, increased department employees and a township sewer project were all thrown into the stew pot of complaints Bloomfield Township Treasurer Dan Devine had relative to proposed water and sewer rates for 2016-2017, which were presented at the board of trustees meeting on Monday, March 28, before trustees finally approved a decrease of water debt rates by $2.50 per thousand gallons a quarter, and an increase in sewer debt rates by $4.25 residential equivalent unit (REU) each quarter. Wayne Domine, township engineering and environmental director, informed trustees that all rates were estimates, as he does not have exact rates yet. “With our fiscal year beginning April 1, we're setting all our charges,” he said. “For the last five years, there has been a steady decline in water volumes.” He explained that the township now receives water from the Great Lakes Water Authority, which sells it to Southeastern Oakland County Water Authority (SOCWA), which then sells
the water to the township, saving Bloomfield Township money. “We're about 16 percent of the county system, and that's how we're billed. This is a better system for everyone,” he explained. The Oakland County Water Resources Commission provides the township with sewer services. Domine said there would be no change to residents in the ready to serve charges, which covers the cost to transport water to homes; there would be a decrease in the water debt charge by $2.50 per quarter, and an increase of $4.25 in the debt rate for sewers. Devine continued to challenge Domine throughout his presentation, questioning Domine on the township's involvement with SOCWA, how well the water service was from regional Great Lakes Water, which is the governing board replacing the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department, and on the township's ready to serve fees, as well as staffing in the department, which Domine noted had increased because of accounting changes necessitated when individuals were moved from the treasurer's office
several years before. “The ready to serve fixed fees, just because Great Lakes and SOCWA are doing it – they're wrong,” Devine said. “The consumer has no choice in limiting their use. Just because the industry is doing it – we're going to see a backlash, especially in Michigan where we have Headlee. We have to go back and recalibrate.” Township attorney Bill Hampton disagreed. “I've reviewed the ready to serve charges, and I've determined that they don't violate Headlee,” he said. The Headlee Amendment limits the amount of municipalities can increase taxes. Trustee Corinne Khederian asked Domine how much it would have cost the township if they had stayed with Great Lakes Water, and not switched to SOCWA. Domine said,“ $8.4 million would be our responsibility, so over $2 million a year is being saved by going with SOCWA.” Trustees voted 5-1, with Devine dissenting and trustee Dave Buckley not in attendance, to approve the 201617 water and sewer rates.
BIRMINGHAM BLOOMFIELD SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
Friday, May 20, 2016 – 8:00 pm Christ Church Cranbrook 470 Church Rd., Bloomfield Hills
THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS:
$25.00 General Admission $45.00 VIP
John Thomas Dodson, Music Director
CONCERT PROGRAM Igor Stravinsky Octet for Wind Instruments (1923, rev. 1952)
Antonin Dvorak Serenade in D Minor for Winds, Op. 44 Johann Sebastian Bach Sinfonia from Cantata No. 18 Sinfonia from Cantata No. 152 Johannes Brahms Serenade No. 2 in A Major for Orchestra, Op. 16
TICKETS – VISIT US ONLINE: WWW.BBSO.ORG • FOR INFORMATION, CALL: 248.352.BBSO (2276) 106
DOWNTOWN
WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/BBSO.LIVE 05.16
Holly Geyer Realtor
248.506.7345 HGeyer@HallandHunter.com
NEW LISTING
Views of Quarton Lake
BIRMINGHAM 790 Lakeside Drive | $3,249,000 4 Bedrooms 5 Full, 2 Half Baths 4,454 Square Feet MLS# 216032393
Masterfully crafted, custom-built executive residence with sweeping views of Quarton Lake and just a short stroll to downtown. Features include a gourmet Bella Cucina Kitchen with premium appliances, 5â&#x20AC;? plank walnut floors and Alder wood trim throughout. 5 fireplaces, including a 2-way limestone masterpiece between the 2-story great room and solarium. Master retreat features marble bath and private balcony. The lower level features expansive daylight windows, theater room with new projection equipment, bar, craft room and wine room. Generator and new tankless hot water system.
NEW LISTING
BLOOMFIELD 3847 Oakland | $1,899,000 5 Bedrooms 5 Full, 3 Half Baths 5,064 Square Feet MLS# 216029382
Spectacular custom home overlooking Oakland Hills Country Club features luxurious amenities throughout. Spacious 1st floor master suite with bath spa. Beautiful chefâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s kitchen with huge granite island opens to deck & family room. Elegant formal dining room with terrace overlooks the South Course of Oakland Hills. Walkout LL opens to the patio & outdoor entertainment center and features a custom bar with full granite kitchen, office and wine cellar. A 5th bedroom with handicap access (including lift & ramps) with full bath & powder room completes this level. Beautifully landscaped yard with waterfall and pond. 4-car heated garage.
For more information, visit HollyGeyer.com 442 South Old Woodward Avenue | Birmingham, Michigan 48009
Nanci J. Rands, Associate Broker Meredith Colburn, Associate Broker
CITY OF BLOOMFIELD HILLS 685 Hillcrest | $1,950,000 Renovated and expanded 2-acre Vaughan Road estate for under $2M! Outstanding 1st floor master suite with slate tile bath. Gourmet island kitchen opens to spacious family room with fireplace. Custom rock pool with waterfall and spa. 3-car garage.
4 Bedrooms 4 Full, 3 Half Baths 5,638 Square Feet MLS# 216028260
2000-built Kojaian home on one of Birmingham’s most beautiful streets. Tremendous quality and craftsmanship. Handsome library with custom millwork. Cook’s kitchen. Great room with 2-way fireplace to sunroom. Luxurious master suite with 2 walk-in closets. 3-car garage.
NE W
PR ICE
5 Bedrooms 3 Full, 2 Half Baths 4,616 Square Feet MLS# 216003011
BIRMINGHAM 911 Brookwood Street | $1,995,000
BIRMINGHAM 679 Shepardbush Street | $1,195,000 4 Bedrooms 4 Full, 2 Half Baths 5,115 Square Feet MLS# 216001610
Impeccable, spacious 2003 built home in Poppleton Park area. 4 bedroom suites. Elevator. Gourmet kitchen. Superb master. 3-car garage.
METAMORA 3211 Wilder Road | $1,850,000 3 Bedrooms 3 Full, 3 Half Baths 4,275 Square Feet MLS# 216005224
55-acre estate in Metamora Hunt Country. Exquisite Frank Lloyd Wright inspired architecture. Develop as equestrian facility.
CITY OF BLOOMFIELD HILLS 675 Hillcrest Drive | $2,495,000 6 Bedrooms 7 Full, 1 Half Baths 6,758 Square Feet MLS# 216028253
Estate property on 3.73 acres off Vaughan Road. Pool, spa, tennis and allsports courts. 1500 sq. ft. guest house. 3-car garage.
442 South Old Woodward Avenue | Birmingham, Michigan 48009
Nanci J. Rands
Meredith Colburn
Associate Broker
Associate Broker
248.701.9000
248.762.5319
NRands@HallandHunter.com
MColburn@HallandHunter.com
BLOOMFIELD HILLS 4710 Ardmore Drive | $1,895,000
BLOOMFIELD 1390 Kirkway Road | $4,275,000 Stunning 2005 Tobocman contemporary on nearly 2 acres overlooking Lower Long Lake. Walls of glass offer breathtaking views. Luxurious first-floor master suite. Walkout lower level with indoor pool. 230 feet of lake frontage. Co-listed with Cindy Obron Kahn
6 Bedrooms 5 Full, 2 Half Baths 9,446 Total Sq. Ft. MLS# 216028764
Unbelievable value! Extraordinary 2000-built soft contemporary on nearly 2 private acres. Jerusalem limestone and stucco exterior. Brazilian cherry wood floors. Sophisticated 1st floor master suite with spa-like bath. Poggenpohl kitchen. Finished walkout lower level. 4-car heated garage. Generator.
BU ILD SIT E
4 Bedrooms 4 Full, 1 Half Baths 9,544 Total Sq. Ft. MLS# 216025967
BIRMINGHAM 111 Willits Street, Unit #307 | $749,500 2 Bedrooms 2 Full, 1 Half Baths 1,537 Square Feet MLS# 215081486
FRANKLIN VILLAGE 31600 Briarcliff Road | $895,000
Beautiful in-town Willits Build New unit with quiet balcony. or Renovate Stone and wood floors. 3.37 Acres Open kitchen. Spacious MLS# 215106579 master suite. In-unit laundry.
Fantastic opportunity on gorgeous 3.37-acre site in the heart of Franklin Village. Architectural plans available for new build or renovation.
CITY OF BLOOMFIELD HILLS 200 Woodwind | $1,295,000 4 Bedrooms 3 Full, 3 Half Baths 7,601 Total Sq. Ft. MLS# 216016342
Builderâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s own Tringali design in desirable Chestnut Hills. Great living spaces plus walkout lower level. Spectacular 2-story rec room.
Providing a Luxury Experience at All Prices
Cheryl Riback Associate Broker, ABR, SRES
248.808.3112 CRiback@HallandHunter.com
NEW LISTING
BIRMINGHAM 915 S. Glenhurst | $1,345,000 4 Bedrooms 4 Full, 2 Half Baths 4,127 Square Feet MLS# 216023068
Exquisite and stunning newer-built home features a 2-story foyer, circular staircase and high ceilings. Extensive and exquisite millwork throughout. Fireplaces in dining room, living room, family room and master suite. Separate library/office, a comfortable and bright conservatory and cookâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s kitchen with large island and breakfast nook opening to family room. Large mud room with half bath. Four bedrooms upstairs. 2nd floor laundry and elegant master suite. Finished lower level with 5th bedroom, full bath, built-in bar area, exercise room and family entertainment room.
BLOOMFIELD 3750 Durham Court | $1,599,000 5 Bedrooms 5 Full, 2 Half Baths 9,541 Total Sq. Ft. MLS# 216020743
Gorgeous updated DesRosiers-designed home offers mesmerizing lakefront views of Wabeek Lake with a landscaped sandy beach and floating dock. Highend granite kitchen overlooking lake. Expansive wraparound deck. Walkout LL. 3-car garage.
BLOOMFIELD 1485 Sodon Lake | $645,000 4 Bedrooms 3 Full, 2 Half Baths 3,524 Square Feet MLS# 216003179
Updated home with mid-century flair on almost half acre in Sodon Lake area. Spacious and meticulously maintained. Fantastic master suite with incredible walk-in closet, bath & sauna Jacuzzi. Granite kitchen. Finished LL. Two garages. Bloomfield Hills schools.
For more information, visit HallandHunter.com 442 South Old Woodward Avenue | Birmingham, Michigan 48009
Lynn Baker & Deby Gannes 248.379.3000 LBaker@HallandHunter.com
248.379.3003 DGannes@HallandHunter.com
From cottages to castles – no home too small, no home too large, we DO sell them all! WEST BLOOMFIELD 3332 Pine Estates Drive | $525,000
WEST BLOOMFIELD 4711 Cove Road | $1,899,000 5 Bedrooms 6 Full, 1 Half Baths 8,294 Total Sq. Ft. MLS# 216034276
OAKLAND TOWNSHIP 2312 Pond Vallee Drive | $1,595,000 5 Bedrooms 4 Full, 2 Half Baths 7,442 Square Feet MLS# 216023510
3 Bedrooms 3 Full, 1 Half Baths 2,260 Square Feet MLS# 216009974
Gated 2.3 acres with 226’ on all-sports Walnut Lake. 1st floor master. Finished walkout LL. Land contract terms. Reduced $1,000,000 for quick sale.
2.41 acre estate in luxurious gated community. Georgian Colonial offers elegant master suite and finished daylight lower level. Garages with room for 6-7 cars.
v Regular personal contact with buyers/sellers v Listings advertised on 25 websites with 660+ links
Pine Lake access & dock at end of quiet street. Volume ceilings & lots of light. Updated kitchen & baths. 4th BR in finished LL. Bloomfield Hills schools. Also available for lease.
FRANKLIN VILLAGE 25301 Franklin Park Drive | $649,000 4 Bedrooms 3 Full Baths 3,814 Square Feet MLS# 216015074
Estate section on private, wooded 1.33 acres surrounded by multimillion dollar homes. Panoramic views of nature. Upper level balcony. Greenhouse.
v Consistent advertising in 12 local magazines, newspapers and event venues v We consult with builders and architects on local trends OAKLAND TOWNSHIP 2303 W. Predmore Road | $468,900 3 Bedrooms 2 Full, 1 Half Baths 3,124 Total Sq. Ft. MLS# 215075112
Custom built home on almost 6 acres. Bridge over creek leading to hilltop entrance. Oversized master. 3-season sunroom. Walk- out lower level. Wooded retreat!
v We close on 99% of seller/ buyer transactions! v 8 incredible support staff
Proudly serving Oakland & Macomb counties
OAKLAND TOWNSHIP 1450 Silverbell Road | $1,699,000 4 Bedrooms 4 Full, 1 Half Baths 4,500 Square Feet MLS# 216014260
Extraordinary opportunity to build on a private 10.61 acre estate nestled on your own spring-fed pond & “Billion Dollar Mile.” Every available amenity!
Visit LynnandDeby.com or Like Us on Facebook at Lynn and Deby - Hall & Hunter Realtors 442 South Old Woodward Avenue | Birmingham, Michigan 48009
Ginny Fisher Realtor
248.593.0518 GFisher@HallandHunter.com
NEW TO MARKET
NEW TO MARKET
BIRMINGHAM | 682 Wallace Street | $1,250,000
ROYAL OAK | 101 Curry Avenue, Unit #532 | $389,000
Gorgeous Tringali-designed and Derocher-built home in the heart of town. Enjoy 9’ ceilings, extensive crown & base moldings & a dramatic staircase. Elegant island kitchen/gathering room. Beautiful and a spacious master with spa-like bath. Finished LL with bath & great storage. Attached garage & lovely rear garden area, plus much more.
In-town living at its best in this upscale 5th floor corner loft unit featuring 10’ ceilings, floor-to-ceiling windows and wraparound balcony. Granite kitchen, hardwood floors, fireplace and designer walk-in closet. Secured heated underground garage & fitness center. Located across from Farmers Market and steps from shopping & restaurants
3 Bedrooms | 3 Full, 2 Half Baths | 3,457 Square Feet | MLS# 216023734
2 Bedrooms | 2 Full Baths | 1,405 Square Feet | MLS# 216028334
NEW PRICE
BLOOMFIELD HILLS 1772 Heron Ridge Drive | $1,599,000 4 Bedrooms 4 Full, 2 Half Baths 7,385 Total Sq. Ft. MLS# 216023366
Private, gated enclave on gorgeous ravine setting with serene views. Finished walkout lower level with possible 5th bedroom. 4-car garage.
CITY OF BLOOMFIELD HILLS 245 Chestnut Circle | $750,000 3 Bedrooms 3 Full, 2 Half Baths 3,823 Square Feet MLS# 216029505
Elevated 3/4-acre site in desirable Chestnut Hills. Paneled library. Expansive great room leads to lovely gardens. Spacious master.
NEW LISTING
CITY OF BLOOMFIELD HILLS 1111 Kensington Road | $425,000 Wooded, private 1-acre setting with amazing views. Eat-in kitchen. Master with deck access. Walkout LL. Also listed as vacant land.
4 Bedrooms 2 Full, 1 Half Baths 2,754 Square Feet MLS# 215107960
FOR LEASE
BLOOMFIELD 4410 Charing Way | $389,000 3 Bedrooms 2 Full, 1 Half Baths 2,490 Square Feet MLS# 216030808
Parklike setting! Spacious eat-in kitchen. 1st floor master suite opens to sun room with sauna. 2-story great room. Oak-paneled library. Great storage space.
CLAWSON 981 Shenandoah Court | $335,000 3 Bedrooms 2 Full, 1 Half Baths 2,900 Square Feet MLS# 216026424
Open concept design in cul-desac location. Newly renovated chef’s kitchen with breakfast area. Oversized master. Enclosed porch. Patio and built-in BBQ.
BLOOMFIELD 2307 Lost Tree Way | $3000/month 4 Bedrooms 2 Full, 1 Half Baths 2,278 Square Feet MLS# 216033376
Updated executive long-term rental is move-in ready! Lovely eat-in granite kitchen opens to spacious family room. Expansive master suite. Finished lower level.
For more information, visit GinnyFisherHomes.com 442 South Old Woodward Avenue | Birmingham, Michigan 48009
442 South Old Woodward Avenue Birmingham, Michigan 48009
248.644.3500
Kathleen Jardine Realtor
Amy Zimmer & Tiffany Glime 248.469.6430
248.755.4710
AZimmer@HallandHunter.com
248.930.5656
KJardine@HallandHunter.com
TGlime@HallandHunter.com
NEW TO MARKET
OAKLAND TOWNSHIP 4800 Mill Creek Court | $1,700,000 4 Bedrooms 5 Full, 2 Half Baths 8,916 Total Sq. Ft. MLS# 216036624
Exquisite executive home reminiscent of Meadowbrook Hall. Grand foyer with inlaid travertine marble. Library features “secret passageway” to all levels. Living room with panoramic views of Paint Creek. Master suite with private veranda. Amazing lower level.
NEW TO MARKET
5 Bedrooms 4 Full, 1 Half Bath 2,467 Square Feet MLS# 216001146
This custom brick home is an incredible opportunity to live in walking distance to downtown! Openconcept design. 2-story living room. Epicurean island kitchen. 1st floor bedroom. Upper laundry. Deck and covered porch. 2-car garage with guest house.
NEW TO MARKET
ORCHARD LAKE 4371 Cherry Hill | $529,000 4 Bedrooms 3 Full, 1 Half Baths 3,675 Square Feet MLS# 216032522
BIRMINGHAM | $649,000 1751 S. Bates St. | 1751Bates.epropertysites.com
Entertainer’s dream on 1+ acre! Chef’s kitchen opens to great room with double fireplace and wet bar. Sunroom overlooking multi-tiered deck and inground pool. The lower level has exercise room, bar, entertaining area, full bath and plenty of storage!
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MUNICIPAL Five Birmingham bistros declined By Lisa Brody
Birmingham city commissioners declined to move any of the five proposed bistro applications for 2016 forward to the planning board on Monday, April 11, meaning there will be no new bistros in the city for this year. Bistro applications were due to the planning department by April 1, after no 2016 bistro concepts proceeded to planning from the first round last October. Last October, there were two submissions, The Fun Wine Company and Toshi. The Fun Wine Company received approval from the city commission to move on to the city's planning board, but failed to submit anything to the planning department or the planning board within the permitted 120-day window. Commissioners were presented with five bistro proposals, two for Toshi, an Asian concept for locations in the central business district. Identical plans were submitted for 101 N. Old Woodward, the soon-tobe-vacated Cosi location; and for 135 N. Old Woodward, which previously housed the advertising agency Centigrade. However, commissioners unanimously failed to move forward with the concept, proposed by real estate professional Brian Najor, a coowner of the building, and Executive Chef Justin Varciunias, formerly of 220 Merrill, Forte, Detroit Athletic Club and Kruse & Muer, due to its proposed location in the city's central business district. The application said that “Toshi” in Japanese means urban, which would be reflected in modern Asian art, dim lighting, an exposed kitchen and a sushi station. “The idea is to marry the best flavors from different regions in Asia in an artistic way,” the application described, noting diners will be offered small and large plates ranging in price from $7 to $28. The application said the bistro will be open for lunch and dinner throughout the week. “If we had approved this, we're taking spots away from retail, and that is not the concept of the bistro ordinance,” said commissioner Stuart Sherman. “The concept is to activate the area for the retail stores. Well, the area is already activated downtownpublications.com
and this is prime retail space.” Commissioners said they felt similarly about a proposal for SHO by Townhouse restaurateur Jeremy Sassoon, for 148 Pierce Street, where Lindamood Bell Tutoring is currently located. SHO's application described the proposed bistro as “casual, inviting, intimate, with global twists on Elomae sushi and Japanese Izakaye dining,” featuring “semiformal, personable, highly-educated service” in an inviting ambiance with a cozy, neighborhood vibe. Sasson was approved for the SHO concept with a 2014 bistro license for the location of The Corner Bar at The Townsend, but never followed through and submitted site plans or applications with the planning department or planning board. Commissioners asked him about the Townsend situation, and Sasson claimed there had been a change in rental rates from the Townsend Hotel, with a significant increase from the hotel, rendering it undoable. Commissioner Pierre Boutros made a motion to move SHO forward, but it failed, 3-4, with only commissioners Boutros, Patti Bordman and Andy Harris voting in favor of the motion. Mayor Rackeline Hoff and commissioners Sherman, Mark Nickita and Carroll DeWeese said prime central business district retail space would be lost to a bistro location. A fourth bistro application for BonGiovanni's Raw Bar & Grill, for 523 N. Old Woodward, nestled between Luxe Bar & Grill and Salvatore Scallopini's, both owned by the BonGiovanni families, which also own Market North End across the street, failed due to a perceived monopoly by one family in the N. Old Woodward area of Birmingham. The application described the bistro as a “neighborhood seafood grill serving coastal seafood with a unique, modern approach.” There would also have been a raw bar. “Our concern as commissioners was having one family controlling four liquor licenses,” said Sherman. The bistro application received no votes. At the outset of the bistro discussion, the fifth application almost didn't see the light of day due to a zoning issue. Honey, for The Apiary, located in the former First Church of Christ, Scientist, at 191 N. Chester Street, is not currently zoned
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BIRMINGHAM | 720 Kennesaw Street | $1,345,000 Exquisite Poppleton Park Tudor offers lovely first-floor master suite with high ceilings & fireplace. Close to downtown, this better-than-new completely updated home offers old world detail blended with today’s current style and quality throughout. Foyer with open staircase, iron railing and leaded windows. Charming living room with French doors overlooking bubbling water feature. Spacious dining room with plaster crown molding and bay window. New state-of-the-art kitchen opens to vaulted family room with limestone fireplace, custom wet bar & French doors overlooking private yard. Finished lower level rec room.
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442 South Old Woodward Avenue Birmingham, Michigan 48009
MUNICIPAL The proposal received no support from the commission. Applications for a 2017 bistro license is October 1, 2016.
Water hardship to be like tax hardship After much discussion on a proposed ordinance for water, sewer, and refuse hardships in Bloomfield Township at the board of trustees meeting on Monday, March 28, the introduction was postponed until the next meeting, so that attorneys could revise it to be consistent with the township's property tax hardship ordinance. The revised hardship ordinances would be consistent, providing the township's board of review complete authority to grant hardship appeals for water, sewer and refuse, based on the criteria they currently use to grant hardship appeals for property taxes. Most trustees were in agreement that would be the best policy to serve township residents in need. While supervisor Leo Savoie suggested voting to grant the board of appeals the authority to handle the appeals for
water, sewer and refuse customers, attorney Bill Hampton felt the ordinance should be redrafted and presented at the next meeting, on Monday, April 11. Public works director Tom Trice presented an initial ordinance to trustees, based on information from the trustees meeting on March 14, “Where residents would have to be at the poverty level times 250; they would have to have a true cash value of a home at least of $350,000; and we would look at the time someone has lived in the township,” Trice said. “The whole idea in my mind was to make this as easy as possible for those who find water and sewer fees and Rizzo burdensome,” treasurer Dan Devine said. “I think we should increase the home value to $500,000, because many seniors are house poor; maybe they're paid off, with a high value, but really struggling. The other thing I'd like to strike in the ordinance is paper crunching, they're too old to do that, with property owners needing savings. Also, striking second home. I thought we should build in there discretionary, their age. I'm still of the mindset that
we need to put in an age – if they're of the tender age of 75, and have lived in the township for 25 years, they're exempted from water and sewer, not taxes.” Hampton at that point suggested adopting the same criteria as the township's tax hardship ordinance. “I think we just need to give the board of review the authority to consider the water and sewer hardships as well as the property tax hardships,” Savoie concurred. “I'm appalled someone would say not to have any paperwork. People have always been filling out paperwork. Let's take out the politics and pandering. We've gone from 65 to 70 to 75 – the 'tender age'. You can't just give carte blanche. Let the board of review handle it.” “We've made it clear as a board we will not support an age,” trustee Neal Barnett said. “It's really insulting, Dan, we've moved it forward, to reopen it and talk about it ad nauseum, as if we'll change our minds,” trustee Corinne Khederian said. “Bottom line, there are people struggling at all ages. The board of review has the experience.”
© Diane Lacy Photography
as an office or commercial building. “I brought up that it is not zoned properly, so it should not have been brought before us because if we gave them a liquor license, it would influence the zoning board,” Sherman said. Three other commissioners – Nickita, Bordman, and Harris – agreed with Sherman, but Hoff, as mayor, overruled, and wanted to hear the application. The Apiary is looking to become a member-based private workshop collective “for successful and accomplished visionaries of southeastern Michigan. The Honey Bistro will fuel the collective genius of The Apiary,” the application stated. It said that “nothing like it exists in Birmingham,” with the members-only bistro serving Spanish and Italian tapas, including charcuterie, crab cakes, burratta, raw Coho salmon, mussels, razor clams, skirt steak and foie gras. Partners in the The Apiary are Bill Ludwig, CEO, formerly with Cambell Ewald, Kim Dent, chief creative officer, with Kim Dent Design, and food and beverage advisor Steve Hanson of New York.
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New township safety paths set for 2016 Bloomfield Township trustees approved the continuation of the township's safety path program for 2016 at their meeting on Monday, March 28, for an area of Square Lake Road and in front of an office building under construction along Telegraph Road north of Maple, as well as to complete two projects left over from 2015. In May 2015, trustees approved safety path routes for the west side of Adams Road from Ashover to South Boulevard; the north side of Square Lake Road from Bratton Road to Woodward; the east side of Squirrel Road from Lakecrest to Long Lake Road; the north side of Wattles Road from Kensington Road to Squirrel; the east side of Kensington from Mohr Road to Wattles; and the north side of Maple Road from Red Coat Lake to Telegraph, for a cost of $1.7 million. The township's safety path program is paid for by a millage approved by voters. Wayne Domine, township engineering and environmental director, said that the Square Lake and Maple Road segments had not been completed from 2015, and there was money left from last year's budget to accommodate that construction, along with $1.3 million in the 2017 fiscal year budget to complete new safety paths along Squirrel Road up to Westview; and Long Lake Road from Square Lake Road to Adams. “That would be nearly a mile of new construction,” Domine said. Trustees voted 6-0, with trustee Dave Buckley not in attendance, to approve the routes, and 5-1, with treasurer Dan Devine voting against, to accept the pricing for the safety path routes.
At Home coming to former Kmart location After being vacant for a few years, the former Kmart location on Telegraph Road in Bloomfield Township is getting a new and exciting tenant with the introduction of the home décor superstore At Home. Coming to 2101 Telegraph Road north of Square Lake Road, At Home will anchor the other end of the Bloomfield Town Square shopping center from Costco. With over 50,000 pieces of merchandise ranging from downtownpublications.com
lamps to throw pillows to home furnishings and patio furniture, the stores are like Costco for home design aficionados, with stores averaging between 85,000 to 135,000 square feet. “At Home is the home décor superstore that provides endless possibilities at an unbeatable value,” the website states. “From quirky to traditional, modern to exotic, we pride ourselves on having something for everyone. Our broad assortment and everyday low prices enable everyone to affordably make their house a home.” A spokesperson said the Bloomfield Township store will open this fall or winter, with final dates to be finalized in a month or so. She said shoppers will be able to expect about 500 new products per week in a store similar in size to the nearby Costco. Tony Calloway, Dallas architect designing the store, said the store will be beautiful, and they are excited to be coming to Bloomfield Township. The site will have a lot of money invested into it to update it and adapt it from a Kmart/Sears store to a new At Home store, township supervisor Leo Savoie said. “They're going to put a lot of money into this building,” he said. “They seem to be very optimistic about the area.”
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New handicapped rules and meters The city of Birmingham will begin charging shoppers and diners for handicapped parking after the city commission unanimously approved the implementation of a new disabled parking policy for the city at their meeting on Monday, March 28, ending years of free, unlimited parking to those with handicapped permits. City staff will begin implementing the new policy, which follows guidelines from the national American Disabilities Act (ADA), throughout the downtown business district during 2016, at which time the current policy of parking for free or at yellow curbed zones will no longer be allowed, city engineer Paul O'Meara told commissioners. Disabled parkers with a yellow free parking tag affixed to their permit will still be allowed to park for free. The new ADA regulations will require all cities to provide reserved, marked handicapped-accessible spaces at the rate of at least one parking space per 25 that already exist on any city block, to be implemented whenever a street is improved.
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Birmingham is being proactive, and beginning to implement the new policy as city streets are improved, beginning with Hamilton Street, which is undergoing a reconstruction. However, all central business district parking meters will be done during this calendar year, O'Meara said, with each reserved space having a blue marked parking meter and post, a reserved parking sign using the standard accessible parking symbol, and blue pavement markings. Payment for the meters will be the same as at other meters, $1 an hour, but handicapped meters will allow for a time limit of no less than two hours, and Parkmobile customers will be allowed to renew their meters remotely once. “This is just one of those things we have to react to because it's federallydriven,” said commissioner Mark Nickita when the initiative was introduced. “We may or may not want to do it this way, and then we figure out, with the general guidelines given, the best way to do it under the circumstances. We really have no choice.”
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Treasurer ordered to transfer funds to trust Despite three dedicated meetings of the Retired Employees' Health Care Benefits Trust, also known as the VEBA trust, attorneys rulings from two separate law firms that it is legal and necessary, and explicit direction from the Bloomfield Township Board of Trustees, Bloomfield Township Treasurer Dan Devine has refused to transfer dedicated funds collected from water and sewer into the a health care trust set up for retired employees of the township. Township finance director Jason Theis, who along with trustee Brian Kepes, was appointed co-trustee of the trust by the board of trustees at a meeting on January 25, told the board at their meeting on Monday, March 28, that it was a routine transfer, and that the township's actuary from UHY said the “payment was not currently part of the trust, and it must be.” Theis noted that the three-member Retired Employees' Health Care
Benefits Trust had met three times, with all agreeing to have an open meeting format with posted notices for the public, with regularly scheduled meetings at 7:30 a.m. the second Tuesday of each month. Theis was made chair of the committee. But Devine remained resistant to having co-trustees on the trust and to transferring the necessary amount for the 2016-2017 fiscal year. The amount to be transferred for fiscal year 2016-2017 is $220,000. “I see that the board has given you the authority to transfer fund for prior years, and we have to do this for 20162017 by March 31,” said clerk Jan Roncelli. “I don't know what to say when we have a treasurer who doesn't want to do what he is required to do,” Kepes said. “It's taken us three meetings to get us to where we're doing what the treasurer should be. We're now asking the board to vote on what the treasurer should have been doing all along – to wire the funds to the account. The treasurer does not believe the majority rules. It's
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appalling we're spending time to vote on something that should have been done administratively. This is for one small trust. We have a lot of money out there – we have a lot of assets out there.” “If two people from the township got together and authorized disbursements from the trust to those who aren't authorized to receive it, then it could be abused,” Devine said, without any examples of how or why trustees would abuse residents' or employees trust. “You have to accept that everyone else isn't wrong and you're the only one who is right. You are incorrect,” supervisor Leo Savoie countered. “It sounds like conspiracy theories to you, but it's democracy,” Kepes said. “Now we have 100 percent more participation in determining dispersion, and 100 percent more participation.” Trustees voted 6-0, with Dave Buckley absent, to authorize the treasurer to transfer the funds to the appropriate account by March 31, 2016.
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2014 - 2016 NEWER CONSTRUCTION - DesRosiers Designed - Bosco Built $3,350,000 Lower Long Lake with direct access to all sports Upper Long Lake, 5,358 sq ft plus 1,899 sq ft lower level, 5 beds, 5.2 baths, 1.3 acres, 171 ft of waterfront, 3 car garage. No expense was spared in this beautiful home in a breathtaking, private setting. Landscaping and bonus room being completed now. Geothermal heating. Coming to MLS 5/7/16. Bloomfield Hills schools.
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LAKEFRONT RANCH WITH WALKOUT $1,199,000 Forest Lake with your own small island! 4500 total finished sq ft ranch with walkout, on 1.07 acres, 4-5 bedrooms, 3.2 baths, hardwood floors throughout, 3 car garage, generator, newer roof, deck, doorwalls and windows. Many big-ticket upgrades already done. Generous room sizes throughout. Bloomfield Hills schools. Huge upside potential.
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The 1st Annual
June 27, 2016 25&+$5' /$.( &28175< &/8% Networking Lunch 18 Holes & Golf Cart Dinner & Cocktails Auction & Awards Hole-in-One Contests
For information or to reserve your spot visit tchserves.org or call 248.594.6403 $OO SURFHHGV ZLOO EHQHÀW FKLOGUHQ·V SURJUDPV DQG VHUYLFHV DW 7KH &RPPXQLW\ +RXVH DQG WKH %LUPLQJKDP %ORRPÀHOG &KDPEHU·V 1RQ 3URÀW 1HWZRUN
DRINKING WATER SUPPLY QUALITY CONCERNS • SECRET TRAIN CARGOS • COUNTRY CLUBS OF BIRMINGHAM/BLOOMFIELD • CAMPAIGN DONATIONS • JEWISH MIGRATION HISTORY • CULTIVATING NEXT GENERATION OF DONORS • THE STATE OF MEDICAL MARIJUANA • THE LITMUS TEST FOR MASS TRANSIT • RISING ASSESSMENTS
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IN LOCAL COMMUNITIES • NEW THOUGHTS ON ZERO TOLERANCE IN SCHOOLS • CONCIERGE DOCTORS • WHO'S MONITORING YOU? • PLAN B REALITY AT PHARMACIES • LOCAL FACE OF HUNGER • SEX TRAFFICKING OF MINORS • REGIONAL
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OAKLAND • ADHD DRUG ABUSE • REPORT ON SCHOOL SECURITY • FIGHT Join local businessCARD leaders, 400 of whom use Downtown FOR SENIOR HOUSING • BLOOMFIELD PARK PLANS • REAL ESTATE SALES REBOUND •
PSD AS DRIVING CITY FORCE •
on a regular basis, in our June issue. AND FEDERAL REGULATIONS SCHOOL LUNCHES Ad deadline Friday, May 13.
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POLICE TASER CONTROVERSY • TESTING THE NOISE LEVELS • CONTROLLING SCHOOL Contact Mark Grablowski.
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NEW LIFE FOR CITY ALLEYS • RAIL DISTRICT REVIVAL • CABLE TV WARS • PUBLIC/PRIVATE SCHOOL CRIME • WHO IS WATCHING THE CHILDREN? • CONCERNS OVER STYRENE • COMPLETE STREETS PROGRAM • STUDENT ATHLETE CONCUSSIONS • WHO OWNS DOWNTOWN BIRMINGHAM • HOMELESS IN OAKLAND COUNTY • MUNICIPAL, SCHOOL LEGAL FEES • FUTURE OF CITY GOLF COURSES • OPENING UP GOVERNMENT FILES • MUNICIPAL ETHICS GUIDELINES
Bloomfield Hills Stunning Contemporary
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inner of five Detroit Home Magazine awards, this extraordinary DesRosiers-designed custom contemporary sits on a 1.3 acre hilltop estate property. Architectural elements seamlessly flow from the inside out. Impressive bluestone two-story foyer ushers to an open floor plan with floor-toceiling glass offering panoramic views of incredible wooded site. Gourmet kitchen has two-way fireplace to dining room. Glass walkway to upper level with 4 ensuite bedrooms plus office/library. Spectacular master suite has unbelieveable coffered glass floor, gas fireplace, private terrace, gorgeous spa-like bath and expansive walk-in closet. Walkout lower level. Significant improvements made in 2014-15. Exterior waterfall feature and expansive terraces. 4-car garage plus generator. Over 6,600 square feet of living space. Truly an entertainerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s delight! $2,095,000
Meredith Colburn 248.762.5319 MColburn@HallandHunter.com
442 S. Old Woodward | Birmingham, MI
BUSINESS MATTERS Men’s store opens After 13 years in Royal Oak, men’s store Dolce Moda recently opened at 323 E. Maple in downtown Birmingham. “This town needs an all men’s contemporary European store,” said owner Jenny Ouliguian. “We have much more unique clothing than you can find in a mall. We try to have better quality European clothing, but you’re not going to have to break the bank.” She said that popular designers featured are Anthony Morato of Italy, Moods of Norway, and they are bringing back Ted Baker. Among their spring offerings are cool twists on polo shirts and other casual shirts, casual khaki-type pants with unique trims, sweaters, tuxedos with distinctive collars, sport coats, leather jackets, European shoes, leather messenger bags, accessories, noteworthy belts, sunglasses, bracelets, cufflinks, and ties. Ouliguian said they don’t just carry clothing for the “trimmer” European-style man, but also larger sizes, as well. “Some stuff is for the edgy guy, some is for the conservative guy,” she said. Previously, the store also featured women clothing and accessories, some of which can still be found on their website, dolcemoda.com.
Spring & summer delight Birmingham-area residents know spring has sprung when they see Carol Okragleski and her daughter, Kathy Reisdorf, getting ready to open their seasonal ice cream shop Dairy Mat, 35032 Woodward, in Birmingham, which is celebrating its 20-year anniversary. “My daughter and son and I started working it together. She was 14 and he was 16,” Okragleski said. “My son started working for Coca-Cola, and my daughter helped me run it. I made her a partner about 10 or 12 years ago. I love it. She pretty much runs the show.” Okragleski said taking over the Dairy Mat in 1997 was a matter of being in the right place at the right time, which happened to be February 28, 1997. “My dad was friends with the owners and they needed some help and asked me to run it. I didn’t want to run it for them, but I was happy to pay them and run it myself,” she said. While the menu has changed over the years, Okragleski said the longtime favorite orange-vanilla twist remains a hit with customers. However, there are another 26 downtownpublications.com
flavors to choose from on any given day. Likewise, some of Dairy Mat’s customers and employees also have stayed near the shop. “Some of the customers have been here for 20 years. One couple started dating, then proposed here, and they are kind of part of the family now,” Okragleski said. “And a lot of employees that started with us now are married and have kids. Those that worked for me in the past come up and visit. They call it the clubhouse.”
40th years of business Gregory J. Schwartz & Co., of Bloomfield Township, is celebrating its 40th anniversary year of providing investment planning, institutional services, advice on mergers and acquisitions, and insurance services to its clients. Located at 3707 W. Maple Road at the corner of Lahser, it’s a family business, and so much more. All five of Greg Schwartz Sr.’s sons, Greg Jr., Wally, Joe, Ed, and Peter Schwartz, are partners in the company, which has grown to include over a dozen others. Serving everyone from individuals to corporations to municipalities, the firm says their primary objective remains “to further ourselves as a premier provider in the highly competitive field of investment counseling. We take great pride in ourselves, the work we perform, and the services we deliver.” After 40 years in business, they note, “Our firm’s strength lies in its commitment to its clients. Our services are delivered with integrity and professionalism, creating client relationships that are based on trust.”
Shoe movement Foot Solutions, devoted to helping people find comfort and better health from their feet on up, has moved from 523 N. Old Woodward, nestled between Salvatore Scallopini’s and Luxe in Birmingham, to 30180 Southfield Road in Southfield. The Birmingham location closed in late March, due to parking issues on N. Old Woodward, according to neighboring businesses.
Design collaboration What do you get when you put four designers in the same building? In Birmingham, it’s called Forest Avenue Design, a collaboration of
four independent and unique interior designers who share resources and management, located at 735 Forest Avenue. Jon Clague, one of Forest Avenue Design’s managers, said the four designers are Duncan Fuller Interiors, featuring Ann Heath; Callahan Interiors, with Carly Callahan Bristol the designer; Kathy Larson the designer for Larson Interiors; and Elizabeth Barrett Designs. “They all work independently, but we share our resources, libraries and samples,” Clague said. The management team for the design group shares project management and provides accounting services for all four designers, Clague said.
Carry out Thai May Chang, owner of Spicy Bangkok Thai in Commerce Township, is excited to be expanding her establishment to Maple and Lahser in Bloomfield Township in the same shopping center as Plum Market. Spicy Bangkok is a carry out-only location, at 3615 W. Maple, in the former location of Ming Lee Chinese. “We have great curries, all of the Thai noodles, fried rice, everything,” Chang said. “Our Pad Thai is the number one thing people love.” Located next to Verizon Wireless, she said Spicy Bangkok, opened in late April, will be open daily for lunch and dinner.
Closings Seeger Studio Photography, a longtime Birmingham photography locale, which had been at 239 S. Old Woodward for the last few years after relocating from E. Maple, closed as of April 1st. According to their Facebook page, they will then become a remote studio, coming to individuals and corporations, as an “on site studio.” Their website, www.SeegerStudios.com remains the same, as does their phone number. Naturepedic Organic Mattress Gallery, which featured organic mattresses and bedding products designed to last a lifetime, produced by Amish workmen, has closed their Birmingham location, at 746 E. Maple Road.
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DOWNTOWN
P U B L I C A T I O N S 124 WeST MAPLe ROAd BIRMINghAM 48009
Business Matters for the Birmingham Bloomfield area are reported by Kevin Elliott. Send items for consideration to KevinElliott@downtownpublications.com. Items should be received three weeks prior to publication.
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32800 Outland, B i n g ham Fa r ms – $589,000 Max Broock Realtors 275 S. Old Woodward Ave. Birmingham, MI 48009 USA 248.909.7169 leriksen@maxbroock.com LindaEriksen.com
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Mindy Eisenberg he dream is for yoga therapy to be covered by insurance,” said Mindy Eisenberg, yoga instructor and author of ‘Adaptive Yoga Moves Any Body,’ a guide full of hundreds of poses with adaptations suitable for people with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) or other conditions that impede movement. As a child, Eisenberg witnessed her mother’s struggle with MS, and saw her capabilities change at the whim of the disease. “I was about six when it really started to develop. For better or for worse, I was around someone who had a disability, so I’m comfortable,” said Eisenberg who’s lived in Birmingham, Bloomfield and Franklin. Published at the end of 2015, ‘Adaptive Yoga Moves Any Body’ represents Eisenberg’s personal experience and her intensive work with Yoga Moves MS, a non-profit she founded that offers adaptive yoga classes for people with MS at various studios throughout southeastern Michigan. “(Our instructors) get beyond disability, and get more into the gift of what yoga has to offer. We focus on ability, not disability,” she said. Once her students began asking for instructional aides to take home, Eisenberg brainstormed how she could help them practice at home. “I had an idea for a flip chart that they could stand up next to their mat, but the packaging would be really expensive, and the book was big.” She considered a video, but realized that without a book to accompany it, that could create hurdles because “if someone has mobility or cognitive issues,” she said, “they will move slower, and the video just keeps going.” After five years of research, and learning from teachers around the country, a 400-page resource guide was printed. “We had to put
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together our own philosophy because there’s very little adaptive yoga being taught around the county.” One of the instructors she sought out was Matthew Sanford. “He’s like one of the gurus in adaptive yoga, and he teaches from a wheelchair, so I’m learning from someone with experience himself.” Composed of clear instructions and pictures of her students in the poses, ‘Adaptive Yoga for Any Body,’ is the only book of its kind. “There’s a section on coping with pain. I believe strongly in mindfulness, philosophy and practice, and that’s very strongly applied in the book.” Each pose in ‘Adaptive Moves Any Body’ shows various adjustments to suit the individual’s needs. Poses are shown standing, seated, or with the support of props such as chairs, blocks, blankets and bolsters. “My experience is working with people who have limitations. I specialize in people with MS, but the condition has a range of different symptoms, so one person can see just fine, and another is blind in one or both eyes. Another may have drop foot; another is really tight. There’s so many different symptoms, and we found that knowledge of the various symptoms takes you across a wide spectrum of people with illness, like arthritis, stroke, or Parkinson’s.” Having sold over 350 copies, the book has been mailed all over the world, including Belgium, Switzerland and Australia. “All the money from the book is feeding these (Yoga Moves MS) classes,” she said, which take place at participating studios in Bloomfield, Southfield, Rochester, Novi, Detroit, and St. Clair Shores. Story: Katie Deska
Photo: Laurie Tennent
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GROSSE POINTE SHORES | $3,250,000 | LAKE ST. CLAIR FRONTAGE Imagine owning your own private resort nestled in on the banks of Lake St Clair in the Village of Grosse Pointe Shores. This enchanting French inspired, Victor Saroki designed lakefront estate was custom built in 2003 with over 12,000 square feet of living space. From the grand views of Lake St. Clair to the strolling gardens, this home is the true definition of elegance.
ALEX CHAPMAN 313.475.0275 achapman@signaturesothebys.com 415 S. Old Woodward Avenue Birmingham, Michigan 48009
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JD Cortese Senior Vice President of Mortgage Lending o: 773.290.0367 guaranteedrate.com/jd 3940 North Ravenswood, Chicago, IL 60613 NMLS ID: 88862 MI - 88862 - FR-0018846 & SR-0018847 NMLS ID #2611 (Nationwide Mortgage Licensing System www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org) • MI - Lic #FR0018846 & SR0018847
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Roz Blanck he annual used book and media sale, Bookstock, is a treasure trove of over 100,000 books, magazines, records, CDs, DVDs, and more. Founded in 2002, by Bloomfield-area resident Roz Blanck, the sale has raised over $1.3 million for literacy education in the metro Detroit area, including Detroit schools. Bookstock supports the 'need to read' in both the literal and figurative sense. “The more you read, the more you learn, and the more you can analyze something,” said Blanck. “Look at the pleasure you get out of reading. It’s a wonderful escape. What if you couldn’t do it?” Held at Livonia’s Laurel Park Place mall on May 15 through the 22, the sale relies entirely on donated materials and thousands of hours by hundreds of volunteers from various communal non-profits. “It’s like planning for a party all year long,” said Blanck. Despite the rising prevalence of e-readers, “People are still coming to buy books,” she delightedly said. “We’re doing better and better every year. And when we sell $1 and $2 books, and we do better each year by a couple thousand (dollars), that means we sell a lot more books.” The pot of money raised at end of the eight-day sale will be divided by the various organizations that supply thousands of volunteer hours. “I’m fortunate I can volunteer. I love meeting people, and I get the satisfaction of getting to help, and that makes me feel good,” said Blanck, an attorney by trade. “I’m involved with a lot of different nonprofits,” including the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit, where she is currently president of their Women's Philanthropy division. Having spent her entire life in metro Detroit, Blanck said, “It’s good for putting things together, because I know people.” Plus, she values close family ties. “I think it’s important to have family around. When I
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was raising kids, they were raised totally different than if I was raising them there with no family.” Bookstock launched while one of Blanck’s three children was in kindergarten. “My grandmother was getting older, and I did other volunteer things, and I needed a big project to keep me busy,” she said. “For some reason, I saved the article in the Jewish News about the closing of the Brandeis (used) book sale,” formerly held at Tel-Twelve mall to raise money for the Massachusetts university. Connecting with her friend Jody Goodman, the two women approached Hillel Day School, where their daughters were attending, and received the green light to reach out to the school community for support. The project gained momentum. They successfully gathered enough books, and volunteers to collect, sort, and host the inaugural sale. Today, Bookstock brings together and involves groups from various religious and social backgrounds. “Some people want to throw away things that aren’t pristine, but we don’t throw anything out. We recycle. It’s a win-win situation,” said Blanck, noting that at the end of the sale, whatever remains is available for free to non-profits, jails, and schools. One of Blanck’s favorite books, ‘Wild Swans,’ by Jung Chang, was discovered at the sale. “It looked like it had been in the pool or something, but I’ve gotten hours and hours of pleasure from that book, and I paid a dollar for it.” Story: Katie Deska
Photo: Laurie Tennent
Experience…Extraordinary…Marketing Mike Cotter and Paula Law, Associate Real Estate Brokers representing Michigan families for over 45 years.
$2,400,000
4635 Gallagher Road Oakland Twp. Privacy surrounds this spectacular shingle-style home on almost 18 acres of natural beauty. Designed by Alexander Bogaerts, this incredible homes boasts a 2story great room with floor-to-ceiling stone fireplace and expansive windows with gorgeous views. Built with exceptional quality and attention to detail, it has highend finishes throughout including Limestone floors throughout most of the main floor and Hickory hardwood flooring in the formal dining room. A chef’s kitchen has 2 sub zero refrigerators, Wolf oven, a large granite island, Butler's pantry and spacious informal eating area. The first floor master suite has large organized walk-ins, a luxurious bath with limestone floors, and walks out to the terrace. Adjacent to the master suite is a pine paneled library with fireplace. Three additional upper bedrooms are all suites and there is a bonus space with ½ bath. The daylight lower level has 10’ ceilings. Just minutes to Paint Creek Trail and downtown Rochester. MLS #216030877
1484 Inwoods Circle Bloomfield Hills
$3,100,000
Lower Long Lake exquisite residence located in prestigious Kirk in the Hills on one of Oakland County’s most prestigious lakes and perfectly placed for fabulous views and complete privacy. The grand interior is highlighted by extraordinary workmanship and utilizes many precious stone, marble and wood materials. The floor plan features magnificent rooms on the main floor including a guest room with fireplace, TV room with wet bar, beautiful paneled library, 2-story foyer and spacious kitchen with a large breakfast nook and expansive island. On the second floor there are 5 bedroom suites including the luxurious master suite with fireplace. To accommodate outdoor gatherings around the pool, there are multiple maintenance-free decks and terraces overlooking the lake and manicured grounds. Features are too numerous to list. Panoramic Lower Long Lake views from all levels, including spectacular finished walkout lower level that boasts hard-wood floors, a family/movie room, fireplace, granite entertaining bar, private wine cellar with handpainted walls, second office space, 6th bedroom suite, cedar paneled storage closet, exercise room, steam shower and dry sauna. MLS #216014358
M. Michael Cotter, CRS Associate Broker
248.310.1974 • mcotter@maxbroock.com
Paula Kania Law, CRS, SFR Associate Broker
248.535.4700 • paulalaw@maxbroock.com 275 S. Old Woodward Ave. Birmingham, MI 48009
www.luxuryhomesofmichigan.com
THE COMMUNITY HOUSE
Looking to build or remodel?
SPRING into FALL at The Community House No matter how long the winter, spring is sure to follow ~ Proverb As we look out our treasured windows at The Community House - trees are budding, crocuses are blooming and birds are singing! A sure sign of new beginnings! Inside too, staff is busy putting on the final touches for an extraordinary array of TCH classes, community events and programs that kickoff in the spring and take place throughout the spring, summer and fall. Whether you join us for our annual Mother’s Day Brunch, enrich yourself in a class or attend one of our exciting and important community events – we look forward to seeing you around the “house.” Birmingham Bloomfield Charity Golf Classic Monday, June 27 • Orchard Lake Country Club The Community House has partnered with the Birmingham Bloomfield Chamber to host the inaugural Birmingham Bloomfield Charity Golf Classic on Monday, June 27, at the exclusive Orchard Lake Country Club. Sure to be the best day of your summer, the golf classic will include a networking lunch, steak dinner, cocktails, awards, contests and of course, friendly competition on the golf course- – all to support TCH’s children’s programs and services. Tickets and sponsorships are available now, so please call 248.594.6403 or visit www.tchserves.org for more information.
Bill Seklar
Farm to Table Saturday, September 10, 4 – 8 p.m. The Community House, Birmingham Join us for the Community House’s annual Farm to Table Block Party on Saturday, September 10, 2016 from 4 – 8 p.m. Held in the streets surrounding The Community House, Farm to Table will feature vendors of farm-fresh fare, locally-made and sourced products, samplings and tastings from local restaurants, breweries and wineries, live entertainment and family-friendly fun. Birmingham House Tour Thursday, September 22, 9:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. The Community House will host its 29th annual Birmingham House Tour, presented by Hall & Hunter, on Thursday, September 22. This year’s house tour will feature a selection of spectacular private residential homes in Birmingham and Bloomfield, showcasing a diversity of extraordinary architecture and interior design styles. Advance tickets are $40 per person. Advance reservations are recommended; tickets are limited and the event does sell out. An optional luncheon will be served at The Community House from 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. OUR TOWN Thursday, October 13, through Sunday, October 16 • The Community House, Birmingham The Community House will host the 31st annual OUR TOWN Art Show and Sale, presented by The DeRoy Testamentary Foundation, October 13 – 16, 2016. The juried, all media art show provides a forum for Michigan artists to show and sell their work. The event will showcase more than 350 pieces of artwork from nearly 200 local artists. A percentage of the proceeds from the art sales will support free children’s art workshops and children’s programs and services at The Community House.
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OUR TOWN kicks-off with the “Art in Vogue” Opening Night Party, on Thursday, October 13, 5:30-9 p.m. The Opening Night Party will be followed by a free to the public art show and sale on October 14 and 15 from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. and October 16 from 10 a.m. – noon. Student Art Town Monday, October 17 and Tuesday, October 18, 2016 • The Community House, Birmingham Student Art Town, presented by The Deroy Testamentary Foundation, is a celebration of youth art in southeast Michigan. More than 300 original works, created by youth ages 5-18 from area public, private and charter schools are selected by their teachers to be displayed at The Community House on October 17 and 18, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. William D. Seklar is President & CEO of The Community House in Birmingham. downtownpublications.com
• General Contractor Required
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PLACES TO EAT The Places To Eat for Downtown is a quick reference source to establishments offering a place for dining, either breakfast, lunch or dinner. The listings include nearly all dining establishments with seating in the Birmingham/Bloomfield area, and then some select restaurants outside the immediate area served by Downtown. The complete Places To Eat is available at downtownpublications.com and in an optimized format for your smart phone (downtownpublications.com/mobile), where you can actually map out locations and automatically dial a restaurant from our Places To Eat.
Birmingham/Bloomfield 220: American. Lunch & Dinner, MondaySaturday. Reservations. Liquor. 220 E. Merrill Street, Birmingham, 48009. 248.646.2220. 5th Tavern: American. Lunch & Dinner daily. No reservations. Liquor. 2262 S. Telegraph Road, Bloomfield Township, 48302. 248.481.9607. Andiamo: Italian. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 6676 Telegraph Road, Bloomfield Township, 48301. 248.865.9300. Arthur Avenue: Italian. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 260 N. Old Woodward Ave., Birmingham, 48009. 248.480.0768. Au Cochon: French. Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 260 N. Old Woodward, Birmingham 48009. 248.792.7795. Bagger Dave's Legendary Burger Tavern: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 6608 Telegraph Road, Bloomfield Township, 48301. 248.792.3579. Bangkok Thai Bistro: Thai. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. 42805 Woodward Ave., Bloomfield Township, 48304. 248.499.6867. Beau's: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 4108 W. Maple, Bloomfield Hills, 48301. 248.626.2630. Bella Piatti: Italian. Lunch & Dinner, Tuesday-Saturday. Reservations. Liquor. 167 Townsend Street, Birmingham, 48009. 248.494.7110. Beverly Hills Grill: American. Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner, daily. Liquor. No reservations. 31471 Southfield Road, Beverly Hills, 48025. 248.642.2355. Beyond Juice: Contemporary. Breakfast & Lunch daily; Dinner, Monday-Saturday. No reservations. 270 West Maple Avenue, Birmingham, 48009. 248.594.7078. Big Rock Chophouse: American. Lunch & Dinner, Monday-Saturday. Reservations. Liquor. 245 South Eton Street, Birmingham, 48009. 248.647.7774. Bill's: American. Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner, Daily. Reservations, lunch only. Liquor. 39556 Woodward Avenue, Bloomfield Hills, 48304. 248.646.9000. Birmingham Sushi Cafe: Japanese. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 377 Hamilton Row, Birmingham, 48009. 248.593.8880. Bistro Joe’s Kitchen: Global. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Sunday brunch. Liquor. Reservations. 34244 Woodward Ave., Birmingham, 48009. 248.594.0984. Bloomfield Deli: Deli. Breakfast & Lunch, Monday-Friday. No reservations. 71 W. Long Lake Road, Bloomfield Hills, 48304. 248.645.6879.
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Brooklyn Pizza: Pizza. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. 111 Henrietta Street, Birmingham, 48009. 248.258.6690. Café ML: New American. Dinner, daily. Liquor. Call ahead. 3607 W. Maple Road, Bloomfield Township. 248.642.4000. Cafe Via: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 310 East Maple Avenue, Birmingham, 48009. 248.644.8800. Cameron’s Steakhouse: American. Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 115 Willits Street, Birmingham, 48009. 248.723.1700. China Village: Chinese. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. 1655 Opdyke, Bloomfield Hills, 48304. 248.758.1221. Churchill's Bistro & Cigar Bar: Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 116 S. Old Woodward Avenue, Birmingham, 48009. 248.647.4555. Cityscape Deli: Deli. Lunch & Dinner, Monday-Saturday. No reservations. Beer. 877 W. Long Lake Road, Bloomfield Hills, 48302. 248.540.7220. Commonwealth: American. Breakfast & Lunch, daily. No reservations. 300 Hamilton Row, Birmingham, 48009. 248.792.9766. Cosi: American. Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Beer & wine. 101 N. Old Woodward Avenue, Birmingham, 48009. 248.203.9200. Dick O’Dow’s: Irish. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 160 West Maple Avenue, Birmingham, 48009. 248.642.1135. Eddie Merlot's: Steak & seafood. Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 37000 Woodward Avenue, Bloomfield Hills, 48304. 248.712.4095. Einstein Bros. Bagels: Deli. Breakfast & Lunch, daily. No reservations. 176 South Old Woodward Avenue, Birmingham, 48009. 248.594.9888. Also 4089 West Maple Road, Bloomfield Hills, 48301. 248.258.9939. Elie’s Mediterranean Cuisine: Mediterranean. Lunch & Dinner, MondaySaturday. No reservations. Liquor. 263 Pierce Street, Birmingham, 48009. 248.647.2420. Embers Deli & Restaurant: Deli. Breakfast & Lunch, daily. Dinner, Monday-Friday. No reservations. 3598 West Maple Road, Bloomfield Hills, 48301. 248.645.1033. Flemings Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar: American. Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 323 N. Old Woodward Avenue, Birmingham, 48009. 248.723.0134. Forest: European. Dinner, Monday-Saturday. Reservations. Liquor. 735 Forest Avenue, Birmingham 48009. 248.258.9400 Greek Island Coney Restaurant: Greek. Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. 221 Hamilton Row, Birmingham, 48009. 248.646.1222. Griffin Claw Brewing Company: American. Dinner, Tuesday-Friday, Lunch & Dinner, Saturday and Sunday. No Reservations. Liquor. 575 S. Eton Street, Birmingham. 248.712.4050.v Honey Tree Grille: Greek/American. Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, daily. No reservations. 3633 W. Maple Rd, Bloomfield, MI 48301. 248.203.9111. Hunter House Hamburgers: American. Breakfast, Monday-Saturday; Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. 35075 Woodward Avenue, Birmingham, 48009. 248.646.7121.
UPCOMING EVENTS Mother's Day Brunch at The Reserve Sunday, May 8, 2016 $50 excludes tax, tip and valet. Variety of chef's stations with unlimited champagne and mimosas. 11:00 a.m. | 11:30 a.m. | 1:00 p.m. | 1:30 p.m. Big Rock Chophouse will be open for dinner at 5 p.m.
Brosé Wine Tasting Thursday, May 12, 2016 | 6:30 p.m. $30 inclusive of tax and tip. Rosé from around the world.
Celani Family Vineyards Wine Dinner Monday, June 6, 2016 | 6:30 p.m. $150 inclusive of tax and tip. With special guest Tom Celani.
Executive Chef Gabby Milton • Ex ecutive Pastry Chef Eric Voigt 245 S. Eton St., Birmingham • 248 .647.7774 • bi grockchophouse.com
LIVE JAZZ WEEKENDS HAPPY HOUR 3-6 1/2 OFF BOTTLES OF WINE MON-WED
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PEABODY’S Dining & Spirits Est. 1975
34965 WOODWARD AVE BIRMINGHAM 248 644 5222 PEABODYSRESTAURANT.COM 139
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The Meeting House is a neighborhood restaurant focusing on seasonal cooking with fresh, locally sourced ingredients combined with warm, thoughtful service and genuine hospitality. Featuring craft cocktails, MI craft beer, and an approachable wine list.
34977 Woodward Ave, Birmingham
248.220.4237 Reservations Accepted
301 South Main Street Rochester 48307
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Sundays, 9 a.m. – 2 p.m through October 23rd Located on N. Old Woodward across from Booth Park BirminghamFarmersMarket.org
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Also 2125 S. Telegraph Road, Bloomfield Hills, 48302. 248.253.9877. Peabody’s: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 34965 Woodward Avenue, Birmingham, 48009. 248.644.5222. Phoenicia: Middle Eastern. Lunch, MondayFriday; Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 588 South Old Woodward Avenue, Birmingham, 48009. 248.644.3122. Pita Cafe: Middle Eastern. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. 239 North Old Woodward Avenue, Birmingham, 48009. 248.645.6999. Qdoba: Mexican. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. 795 East Maple Avenue, Birmingham, 48009. 248.988.8941. Also 42967 Woodward Avenue, Bloomfield Township, 48304. 248.874.1876 Roadside B & G: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 1727 S. Telegraph Road, Bloomfield Hills, 48302. 248.858.7270. Rojo Mexican Bistro: Mexican. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 250 Merrill Street, Birmingham, 48009. 248.792.6200. Salvatore Scallopini: Italian. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Beer & Wine. 505 North Old Woodward Avenue, Birmingham, 48009. 248.644.8977. Sanders: American. Lunch, daily. No reservations. 167 N. Old Woodward, Birmingham, 48009. 248.594.3215. Sidecar Slider Bar: Burgers. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 280 E. Merrill Street, Birmingham 48009. 248.220.4167. Social Kitchen & Bar: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations, parties of 5 or more. Liquor. 225 E. Maple Road, Birmingham, 48009. 248.594.4200. Stacked Deli: Deli. Breakfast & Lunch, Monday-Saturday. Delivery available. No reservations. 233 North Old Woodward, Birmingham, 48009. 248.593.5300. Steve’s Deli: Deli. Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. 6646 Telegraph Road, Bloomfield, 48301. 248.932.0800. Streetside Seafood: Seafood. Lunch, Monday-Friday; Dinner, daily. Reservations, Lunch only. Liquor. 273 Pierce Street, Birmingham, 48009. 248.645.9123. Sushi Hana: Japanese. Lunch, MondayFriday; Dinner, Monday-Saturday. Reservations. 42656 Woodward Avenue, Bloomfield Hills, 48304. 248.333.3887. Sweet Tree Family Restaurant: Middle Eastern/American. Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. 42757 Woodward Avenue, Bloomfield Township, 48302. 248.481.7767. Sy Thai Cafe: Thai. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. 315 Hamilton Row, Birmingham, 48009. 248.258.9830. Tallulah Wine Bar and Bistro: American. Dinner. Monday-Saturday. Sunday brunch. Reservations. Liquor. 55 S. Bates Street, Birmingham, 48009. 248.731.7066. The Corner Bar: American. Dinner. Wednesday-Saturday. Reservations. Liquor. 100 Townsend Street, Birmingham, 48009. 248.647.2958. The Bird & The Bread: Brasserie. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 210 S. Old Woodard, Birmingham, 48009. 248.203.6600. The Franklin Grill: American. Lunch & Dinner, Monday-Saturday. Reservations. Liquor. 32760 Franklin Rd, Franklin, 48025. 248.865.6600. The Gallery Restaurant: American. Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Beer & wine. 6683 Telegraph Road, Bloomfield Hills, 48301. 248.851.0313. The Moose Preserve Bar & Grill: American.
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Hyde Park Prime Steakhouse: American. Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 201 S. Old Woodward, Birmingham, 48009. 248.594.4369. IHOP: American. Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner, daily. No reservations. 2187 S. Telegraph Road, Bloomfield Hills, MI 48301. 248.333.7522. Ironwood Grill: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations, 6 or more. Liquor. 290 Hamilton Row, Birmingham, 48009. 248.385.0506. Kerby’s Koney Island: American. Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner, daily. No reservations. 2160 N. Woodward Avenue, Bloomfield Hills, 48304. 248.333.1166. La Marsa: Mediterranean. Lunch & Dinner daily. Reservations. 43259 Woodward Ave., Bloomfield Hills, 48302. 248.858.5800. La Strada Dolci e Caffe: Italian. Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner, Tuesday-Sunday. No reservations. Liquor. 243 E. Merrill Street, Birmingham, 48009. 248.480.0492. Leo’s Coney Island: American. Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. 154 S. Old Woodward Avenue, Birmingham, 48009. 248.593.9707. Also 6527 Telegraph Road, Bloomfield Hills, 48301. 248.646.8568. Little Daddy’s Parthenon: American. Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. 39500 Woodward Avenue, Bloomfield Hills, 48304. 248.647.3400. Luxe Bar & Grill: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily; Late Night, 9 p.m.-closing. No reservations. Liquor. 525 N. Old Woodward Ave., Birmingham, 48009. 248.792.6051. Mad Hatter Cafe: Tea Room. Brunch, Lunch & Dinner. No reservations. Liquor. 185 N. Old Woodward, Birmingham, 48009. 248.540.0000 Mandaloun Bistro: Lebanese. Lunch, Monday-Friday. Dinner, Daily. Reservations. Liquor. 30100 Telegraph Rd., Suite 130, Bingham Farms, 48025. 248.723.7960. Market North End: Mediterranean. Lunch & Dinner, Tuesday-Sunday. No reservations. Liquor. 474 N. Old Woodward Avenue, Birmingham, 48009. 248.712.4953. MEX Mexican Bistro & Tequila Bar: Mexican. Lunch, Monday-Friday, Dinner, daily. Liquor. 6675 Telegraph Road, Bloomfield Township, 48301. 248.723.0800. Mitchell’s Fish Market: Seafood. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 117 Willits Street, Birmingham, 48009. 248.646.3663. Mountain King: Chinese. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. 469 South Old Woodward Avenue, Birmingham, 48009. 248.644.2913. New Bangkok Thai Bistro: Thai. Breakfast, Monday-Thursday; Lunch, Monday-Friday; Dinner, daily. No reservations. 183 North Old Woodward Avenue, Birmingham, 48009. 248.644.2181. Nippon Sushi Bar: Japanese. Lunch & Dinner daily. No reservations. Liquor. 2079 S. Telegraph, Bloomfield Township, 48302. 248.481.9581. Nosh & Rye: Deli. Breakfast & Lunch, daily. No reservations. 39495 Woodward Avenue, Bloomfield Hills, 48304. 248.646.7923. Olga’s Kitchen: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. 2075 S. Telegraph Road, Bloomfield Hills, 48302. 248.451.0500. Original Pancake House: American. Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner, daily. No reservations. 33703 South Woodward Avenue, Birmingham, 48009. 248.642.5775. Panera Bread: American. Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. 100 North Old Woodward Avenue, Birmingham, 48009. 248.203.7966.
8/14 Corn Festival
10/23 End of Season Celebration
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FRONT/BACK Front/Back is a monthly column devoted to news stories, tidbits and gossip items about what's happening in both the front of the house and back of the house in the restaurants in the metro Detroit area.
Sasson expands dining empire Jeremy Sasson, the Birmingham owner and restaurateur behind Townhouse Birmingham and Townhouse Detroit, is continuing to spread his wings, developing a steakhouse in the Capitol Park Lofts building at 1145 Griswold Street and State in Detroit, two blocks north of Campus Martius. “It won’t be a steak, potatoes and white tablecloth kind of steakhouse,” Sasson said. “It’s like a prime house, with prime products across the culinary arena, featuring the finest products in produce, meats, and seafood.” The steakhouse, as yet unnamed, is in the midst of branding and marketing, as Sasson sends out requests for proposals (RFPs) for architects all over the country to design his vision. The steakhouse will be about 6,000 square feet on the first floor of the new 63-unit loft building, being redeveloped by Lansing-based developers Karp & Associates, with a lower level private dining space, and another 80feet of outdoor frontage. “We’ll have a lot of outdoor seating,” Sasson said, whose other restaurants highlight outdoor dining. “It’s definitely something I’m comfortable with.” He anticipates the interior will seat 180 to 200 diners, with another 80 seats outside, and 75 to 100 in the private dining area. “It will be designed to be a place you’d want to share with friends from out of state,” he said, with a high energy steakhouse upstairs, and a more intimate lower level. Incorporated into the project will be a dryaging room, where all meat products will be dry-aged and butchered. He also plans to spin off a small retail shop, “a cool butcher counter to play into the historic nature of the area, so people can come in and buy fine meat right from us.” As with his other projects, Sasson has “no intention of taking on partners,” and currently doesn’t have a time frame for opening his steakhouse concept. As for SHO, a bistro concept he presented to Birmingham city commissioners in April for a location next to Townhouse described as “casual, inviting, intimate, with global twists on Elomae sushi and Japanese Izakaye dining,” which was not moved forward, he said that while disappointed, he may move the concept to downtown Detroit...Sasson also announced he has hired Lenny Sparks as Director of Training and Recruitment from Las Vegas to work in recruitment of talent for Townhouse, and as he moves forward with the steakhouse. “He was with the One Group and House of Blues in Las Vegas and has spent 20 years in hospitality,” Sasson said, who noted he decided to split marketing and operations for his organization.
Townsend improvements After 16 years, The Townsend Hotel in Birmingham at 100 Townsend Street, has decided to close The Corner Bar, located at the corner of Pierce and Merrill streets, in order to repurpose the space for private dining and meeting space. “We wanted to have a space that has the intimacy and privacy to meet the needs of a lot of our guests and guests from the community,” said Jared Chorney, food and beverage director at the Townsend. He acknowledged it will be bittersweet, however. “A lot of memories have been made there,” he said of the bar, which opened after a 2000 renovation of the hotel, designed by noted Birmingham architect Victor Saroki. The Corner Bar will host a final Happy Hour Friday, May 13 from 5-9 p.m., with complimentary appetizers, and then start construction in early June. “We’ll probably re-open the room in early fall,” depending upon construction, Chorney said. Recently, chef Todd Sabo, formerly of the Ritz-Carlton Hotels, joined the Townsend staff as executive chef for the hotel and the Rugby Grille, replacing Drew Sayes, who moved on to Slows Bar-B-Q.
Summer farm fresh menu The Stand, 34977 Woodward Avenue in Birmingham, has launched an updated summer menu, highlighting fresh produce from Michigan farms. “We’ve been waiting for farmers to tell us what’s coming to market,” said John Kelly, who runs the restaurant with Chef Paul Grosz. The restaurant has unveiled a handful of new recipes, including eggplant rollatini and a grilled octopus dish. The lobster fried egg dish, a patron favorite since the restaurant opened in 2013, is now prepared with eggs from a farm in Yale, Mich. “It’s organic, non-GMO, they’re happy chickens, as (the farmers) call them. The flavor is phenomenal,” Kelley said. Now open for lunch as well, The Stand offers a number of flatbreads, soups and salads, great for a mid-day bite at a modest price.
Shipping Company coming The Detroit Shipping Company, the new name for the Detroit Shipyard, a pod of eateries, bars, retail spots and art, slated for an 18,000 square-foot property at 474 Peterboro in the Cass Corridor, is expected to open in late August or early fall, said James Therkalsen, founding partner. An outdoor venue constructed out of reimagined shipping containers, the venture is engineered by Three Squared and is
Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 2395 S. Woodward Avenue, Bloomfield Hills, 48302. 248.858.7688. The Rugby Grille: American. Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 100 Townsend Street, Birmingham, 48009. 248.642.5999. The Stand: Euro-American. Dinner, Monday-Saturday. Reservations. Liquor. 34977 Woodward, Birmingham, 48009. 248.220.4237. Toast: American. Breakfast & Lunch, daily; Dinner, Monday-Saturday. Reservations. Liquor. 203 Pierce Street, Birmingham, 48009. 248.258.6278. Touch of India: Indian. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. 297 E. Maple Road, Birmingham, 48009. 248.593.7881. Townhouse: American. Brunch, Saturday, Sunday. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 180 Pierce Street, Birmingham, 48009. 248.792.5241. Triple Nickel Restaurant and Bar: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Liquor. Reservations. 555 S. Old Woodward, Birmingham 48009. 248.480.4951. Village Coney Island: American. Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. 653 S. Adams. Birmingham, 48009. 248.593.7964. Whistle Stop Diner: American. Breakfast & Lunch, daily; No reservations. 501 S. Eton Street, Birmingham, 48009. 248.566.3566.
Royal Oak/Ferndale Ale Mary's: American. Weekend Brunch. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 316 South Main St., Royal Oak, 48067. 248.268.1917 Anita’s Kitchen: Middle Eastern. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Beer & Wine. 22651 Woodward Ave., Ferndale, 48220. 248.548.0680. Andiamo Restaurants: Italian. Lunch, Monday-Friday. Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 129 S. Main St., Royal Oak, 48067. 248.582.0999. Assaggi Bistro: Italian. Lunch, TuesdayFriday. Dinner, Tuesday-Sunday. Reservations. Liquor. 330 W. Nine Mile Rd., Ferndale, 48220. 248.584.3499. Bigalora: Italian. Weekend Brunch. Lunch, Monday-Friday. Dinner, daily. No Reservations. Liquor. 711 S. Main Street, Royal Oak, 48067. Bistro 82: French. Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 401 S. Lafayette Ave., Royal Oak, 48067. 248.542.0082. The Blue Nile: Ethiopian. Dinner, TuesdaySunday. Reservations. Liquor. 545 W. Nine Mile Rd., Ferndale, 48220. 248.547.6699. Bspot Burgers: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 310 S. Main St., Royal Oak, 48067. 248.268.1621. Cafe Muse: French. Breakfast & Lunch, daily. Dinner, Tuesday-Saturday. Reservations. Liquor. 418 S. Washington Ave., Royal Oak, 48067. 248.544.4749. Cork Wine Pub: American. Sunday Brunch. Dinner, Monday-Saturday. Reservations. Liquor. 23810 Woodward Ave., Pleasant Ridge, 48069. 248.544.2675. D’Amato’s: Italian. Sunday Brunch. Dinner, Tuesday-Saturday. Reservations. Liquor. 222 Sherman Dr., Royal Oak, 48067. 248.584.7400. Due Venti: Italian. Sunday Brunch. Dinner, Tuesday-Saturday. Reservations. Liquor. 220 S. Main St., Clawson, 48017. 248.288.0220. The Fly Trap: Diner. Breakfast & Lunch, daily. Dinner, Monday-Friday. No reservations. 22950 Woodward Ave., 48220. 248.399.5150. GreenSpace Cafe: Vegan. Dinner, Tuesday-Saturday. No reservations. Liquor. 215. W. Nine Mile Rd., Ferndale,
48220. 248.206.7510. Howe’s Bayou: Cajun. Lunch, MondaySaturday. Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 22949 Woodward Ave., Ferndale, 48220. 248.691.7145. Inn Season Cafe: Vegetarian. Sunday Brunch. Lunch & Dinner, TuesdaySaturday. No reservations. 500 E. Fourth St., Royal Oak, 48067. 248.547.7916. Inyo Restaurant Lounge: Asian Fusion. Weekend Brunch. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 22871 Woodward Ave., Ferndale, 48220. 248.543.9500. KouZina: Greek. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. 121 N. Main St., Royal Oak, 48067. 248.629.6500. Lily’s Seafood: Seafood. Weekend Brunch. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 410 S. Washington Ave., Royal Oak, 48067. 248.591.5459. Local Kitchen and Bar: American. Weekend Brunch. Lunch, Monday-Friday. Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 344 W. Nine Mile Rd., Ferndale, 48220. 248.291.5650. Lockhart’s BBQ: Barbeque. Sunday Brunch. Lunch & Dinner, MondaySaturday. No reservations. Liquor. 202 E. Third St., Royal Oak, 48067. 248.584.4227. Oak City Grille: American. Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 212 W. 6th St, Royal Oak, 48067. 248.556.0947. One-Eyed Betty: American. Weekend Breakfast. Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 175 W. Troy St., Ferndale, 48220. 248.808.6633. Pronto!: American. Weekend Brunch. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 608 S. Washington Ave., Royal Oak, 48067. 248.544.7900. Public House: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 241 W. Nine Mile Rd., Ferndale, 48220. 248.850.7420. Redcoat Tavern: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 31542 Woodward Ave., Royal Oak, 48073. 248.549.0300. Ronin: Japanese. Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 326 W. 4th St., Royal Oak, 48067. 248.546.0888. Royal Oak Brewery: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 215 E. 4th St., Royal Oak, 48067. 248.544.1141. Strada: Italian. Dinner, Wednesday Sunday. Liquor. No reservations. 376 N. Main Street. Royal Oak, 48067. 248.607.3127. Toast, A Breakfast and Lunch Joint: American. Breakfast & Lunch, daily. No reservations. 23144 Woodward Ave., Ferndale, 48220. 248.398.0444. Tom’s Oyster Bar: Seafood. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 318 S. Main St., Royal Oak, 48067. 248.541.1186. Town Tavern: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 116 W. Fourth St., Royal Oak, 48067. 248.544.7300/ Trattoria Da Luigi: Italian. Dinner, TuesdaySunday. Reservations. Liquor. 415 S, Washington Ave., Royal Oak, 48067. 248.542.4444. Twisted Tavern: American. Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 22901 Woodward Ave., Ferndale, 48220. 248.545,6750. Vinsetta Garage: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 27799 Woodward Ave., Berkley, 48072. 248.548.7711.
Troy/Rochester Bspot Burgers: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 176 N. Adams Rd, Rochester Hills, 48309. 248.218.6001. Capital Grille: Steak & Seafood. Lunch, Monday-Saturday. Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 2800 West Big Beaver Rd., Somerset Collection, Troy, 48084. 248.649.5300. Cafe Sushi: Pan-Asian. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 1933 W. Maple Rd, Troy, 48084. 248.280.1831. Ganbei Chinese Restaurant and Bar:
Chinese. Lunch, Monday-Saturday. Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 227 S. Main St, Rochester, 48307. 248.266.6687. O’Connor’s Irish Public House: Irish. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 324 S. Main St., Rochester, 48307. 248.608.2537. Kona Grille: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 30 E. Big Beaver Rd., Troy, 48083. 248.619.9060. Kruse & Muer on Main: American. Sunday Brunch. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 327 S. Main St., Rochester, 48307. 248.652.9400. Lakes: Seafood. Lunch, Monday-Friday. Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 5500 Crooks Rd., Troy, 48098. 248.646.7900. McCormick & Schmick’s: Steak & Seafood. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. Somerset Collection, 2850 Coolidge Hwy, Troy, 48084. 248.637.6400. The Meeting House: American. Weekend Brunch. Dinner, Tuesday-Sunday. No reservations. Liquor. 301 S. Main St, Rochester, 48307. 248.759.4825. Miguel’s Cantina: Mexican. Lunch, Monday-Friday. Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 870 S. Rochester Rd, Rochester Hills, 48307. 248.453.5371. Mon Jin Lau: Asian. Lunch, Monday-Friday. Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 1515 E. Maple Rd, Troy, 48083. 248.689.2332. Morton’s, The Steakhouse: Steak & Seafood. Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 888 W. Big Beaver Rd, Troy, 48084. 248.404.9845. NM Café: American. Lunch, MondaySaturday. Reservations. Liquor. 2705 W. Big Beaver Rd, Troy, 48084. 248.816.3424. Oceania Inn: Chinese. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. The Village of Rochester Hills, 3176 Walton Blvd, Rochester Hills, 48309. 248.375.9200. Ocean Prime: Steak & Seafood. Lunch, Monday-Friday. Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 2915 Coolidge Hwy., Troy, 48084. 248.458.0500. Orchid Café: Thai. Lunch, Monday-Friday. Dinner, daily. Reservations. 3303 Rochester Rd., Troy, 48085. 248.524.1944. P.F. Chang’s China Bistro: Chinese. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. Somerset Collection, 2801 W. Big Beaver Rd., Troy, 48084. 248.816.8000. Rochester Chop House: Steak & Seafood. Lunch, Monday-Friday. Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 306 S. Main St., Rochester, 48307. 248.651.2266. Ruth’s Chris Steak House: Steak & Seafood. Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 755 W. Big Beaver Rd., Troy, 48084. 248.269.8424. Silver Spoon: Italian. Dinner, MondaySaturday. Reservations. Liquor. 6830 N. Rochester Rd., Rochester, 48306. 248.652.4500. Steelhouse Tavern: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 1129 E. Long Lake Rd., Troy, 48085. 248.817.2980. Tre Monti Ristorante: Italian. Lunch, Thursdays. Dinner, Tuesday-Sunday. Reservations. Liquor. 1695 E. Big Beaver Road, Troy, 48083. 248.680.1100.
West Bloomfield/Southfield Bacco: Italian. Lunch, Monday-Friday. Dinner, Monday-Saturday. Reservations. Liquor. 29410 Northwestern Highway, Southfield, 48034. 248.356.6600. Beans and Cornbread: Southern. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 29508 Northwestern Highway, Southfield, 48034. 248.208.1680. Bigalora: Italian. Weekend Brunch. Lunch, Monday-Friday. Dinner, daily. No Reservations. Liquor. 29110 Franklin Road, Southfield, 48034. Maria’s Restaurant: Italian. Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 2080 Walnut Lake Road, West Bloomfield, 48323. 248.851.2500. The Bombay Grille: Indian. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. 29200 Orchard Lake Rd, Farmington Hills, 48334. 248.626.2982. The Fiddler: Russian. Sunday Brunch. Dinner, Thursday-Sunday. Reservations. Liquor. 6676 Orchard Lake Rd, West Bloomfield Township, 48322. 248.851.8782. The Lark: American. Dinner, TuesdaySaturday. Reservations. Liquor. 6430
Farmington Rd, West Bloomfield Township, 48322. 248.661.4466. Mene Sushi: Japanese. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Beer & Wine. 6239 Orchard Lake Rd, West Bloomfield Township, 48322. 248.538.7081. Meriwether’s: Seafood. Lunch, MondaySaturday. Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 25485 Telegraph Rd, Southfield, 48034. 248.358.1310. Pickles & Rye: Deli. Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner, daily. No reservations. 6724 Orchard Lake Rd, West Bloomfield Township, 48322. 248.737.3890. Prime29 Steakhouse: Steak & Seafood. Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 6545 Orchard Lake Rd., West Bloomfield, 48322. 248.737.7463. Redcoat Tavern: American. Lunch & Dinner, Monday-Saturday. No reservations. Liquor. 6745 Orchard Lake Rd., West Bloomfield Township, 48322. 248.865.0500. Shangri-La: Chinese. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. Orchard Mall Shopping Center, 6407 Orchard Lake Rd, West Bloomfield Township, 48322. 248.626.8585. Sposita’s Ristorante: Italian. Friday Lunch. Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 33210 W. Fourteen Mile Rd., West Bloomfield Township, 48322. 248. 538.8954. Stage Deli: Deli. Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 6873 Orchard Lake Rd., West Bloomfield Township, 48322. 248.855.6622. Sweet Lorraine’s Café & Bar: American. Weekend Breakfast. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 29101 Greenfield Rd., Southfield, 48076. 248.559.5985. Yotsuba: Japanese. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 7365 Orchard Lake Rd, West Bloomfield, 48322. 248.737.8282.
West Oakland Gravity Bar & Grill: Mediterranean. Monday – Friday, Lunch & Dinner, Saturday, Dinner. Reservations. Liquor. 340 N. Main Street, Milford, 48381. 248.684.4223. It's A Matter of Taste: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 2323 Union Lake Road, Commerce, 48390. 248.360.4150. The Root Restaurant & Bar: American. Lunch & Dinner, Monday - Saturday. Reservations. Liquor. 340 Town Center Blvd., White Lake, 48390. 248.698.2400. Volare Ristorante: Italian. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 48992 Pontiac Trail, Wixom, 48393. 248.960.7771.
North Oakland Clarkston Union: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 54 S. Main St., Clarkston, 48346. 248.620.6100. Holly Hotel: American. Afternoon Tea, Monday – Saturday, Brunch, Sunday, Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 110 Battle Alley, Holly, 48442. 248.634.5208. Kruse's Deer Lake Inn: Seafood. Lunch & dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 7504 Dixie Highway, Clarkston, 48346. 248.795.2077. Via Bologna: Italian. Dinner daily. No reservations. Liquor. 7071 Dixie Highway, Clarkston. 48346. 248.620.8500. Union Woodshop: BBQ. Dinner, Monday – Friday, Lunch & Dinner, Saturday – Sunday. No reservations. Liquor. 18 S. Main St., Clarkston, 48346. 248.625.5660
Detroit Angelina Italian Bistro: Italian. Dinner, Tuesday-Sunday. Reservations. Liquor. 1565 Broadway St., Detroit, 48226. 313.962.1355. Antietam: French. Sunday Brunch. Dinner, Monday-Saturday. Reservations. Liquor. 1428 Gratiot Ave., Detroit, 48207. 313.782.4378. Bucharest Grill: Middle Eastern. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor.
designed to be open year-round. Therkalsen, and partners, Jon Hartzell, owner of Facilities Management Group, and Timothy Tharp, who owns Detroit’s Grand Trunk Pub and Checker Bar, are in talks with chefs who seek a container to call their own. The communal business approach will involve a menagerie of eateries, artists, and retailers. “We’re trying to get something worked out with FoodLab Detroit,” a non-profit that helps entrepreneurs get on their feet. “For us to reserve one of the restaurant containers for FoodLab – for people who don’t have the financial backing to have their own place – that was the original goal,” said Therklasen, of wanting to provide a venue for makers, to make it. “We felt like (the name) Detroit Shipping Company represented that spirit, that everyone is trying to ‘ship’ their product.” The name change was prompted by a cease and desist letter from Maine’s Shipyard Brewing Co.
New downtown concept After five years, Detroit’s Fountain Bistro closed earlier this year, leaving a vacancy in Campus Martius Park. An unnamed, joint restaurant venture is expected to open late summer, under the ownership of 800 Parc, LLC. Zaid Elia, of The Elia Group, co-owner of Birmingham’s 220, and Matthew Shiffman, of Centerpoint Ventures real estate firm, who are working together to create a new concept. “(Campus Martius Park) is a non-profit run by the Downtown Detroit Partnership, and we have the rights to operate the former Fountain Bistro, former Beach Bar (renamed The Fountain Detroit), and food and concessions within the park, maybe ice cream or gelato,” said a spokesperson for 800 Parc. “The Fountain Detroit is opening in mid-May, we’re really excited about it. We’re looking to do a revamped menu and provide a new experience for everyone who works, lives and plays downtown.” To accompany the ice skating rink next winter, the group plans to operate a rink-side bar and the Artic Zone, a warming area for cocoa and snacks.
New West Village chef Craft Work, 8047 Agnes Street in Detroit, has welcomed a new chef, Arizonanative Aaron Solley, who is friends with the restaurant’s former chef, Matt Dalton. Solley had been living in Portland, Oregon, until recently when he returned to Detroit, intending to collaborate with Dalton on unaffiliated culinary projects. When Dalton abruptly shifted course, and stepped down in March, Solley took the helm of the West Village restaurant. “I’ve been here for two weeks,” said Solley, in midApril, “and I keep seeing the same faces, there’s a very loyal following. I’ve been introduced to many customers, and I heard multiple people say, ‘This is like my Cheers; everyone knows me here.’” Solley plans to gradually simplify the menu’s ingredients, while adding his own refined twist to the two-and-a-half-year-old restaurant. “I’m peeling back some of the complexities in the previous menu, dropping some things that are out of season, and slowly moving forward with adding my own dishes.” This is not Solley’s inaugural venture with the Detroit food scene – he was formerly with Morels, Tribute and Papa Joe’s Market.
Broderick Grille opens The Broderick Grille has opened in downtown Detroit at 1570 Woodward Avenue, with chef David Parker executing the menu. Formerly of Punchbowl Social, Roast, and other Michigan and out-of-state restaurants, Parker said Broderick is an “ode to everything I’ve learned, all the different styles.” Popular dishes include the burgers, hanger steak, and the salmon dish with butternut squash, purple Peruvian fingerling potatoes and green beans. “It’s like a melting pot menu. I wanted to make sure we could touch the blue collar worker, and compete with restaurants here.” One goal is to provide a fine-dining caliber meal in a more affordable fashion. “We’re going to switch to our summer menu, more bright and seasonal. The big flavors that come with summer.” Michael Higgins, owner of the restaurant and Broderick Tower, also plans to open a taproom and wine bar downstairs from the Grille, in addition to a new restaurant in the Elliot Building. “We have not made a decision on that yet, but in the next year, you’ll see stuff starting to pop up,” said Parker.
Pop Up Intel Yemans Street, 2995 Yemans Street in Hamtramck: Eric Sanderson, formerly of Top of the Pontch, Coach Insignia, The Root. May 20. yemansstreet.com The Menagerie, 31 N. Saginaw Street in Pontiac: Mother’s Day Brunch Buffet with Kyle Williams, weekly brunch chef at The Menagerie, May 8. Marcus Ware, chef-owner of MelahJayz, May 20. menageriekitchen.com
Front/Back is reported each month by Katie Deska. KatieDeska@DowntownPublications.com. We welcome news items or tips, on or off the record, about what's happening in the front or back of the house at metro area restaurants.
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2040 Park Ave., Detroit, 48226. 313.965.3111. Cliff Bell’s: American. Sunday Brunch. Dinner, Tuesday-Sunday. Reservations. Liquor. 2030 Park Ave., Detroit, 48226. 313.961.2543. Coach Insignia: Steak & Seafood. Dinner, Monday-Saturday. Reservations. Liquor. 100 Renaissance Center, Detroit, 48243. 313.567.2622. Craft Work: American. Sunday Brunch. Dinner, Monday-Saturday. Reservations. Liquor. 8047 Agnes St., Detroit, 48214. 313.469.0976. Cuisine: French. Dinner, Tuesday-Saturday. Reservations. Liquor. 670 Lothrop Rd., Detroit, 48202. 313.872.5110. The Detroit Seafood Market: Seafood. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 1435 Randolph St., Detroit, 48226. 313.962.4180. El Barzon: Mexican. Lunch, Tuesday-Friday. Dinner, Tuesday-Sunday. Reservations. Liquor. 3710 Junction St., Detroit, 48210. 313.894.2070. Fishbone’s Rhythm Kitchen Café: Cajun. Breakfast, daily. Sunday Brunch. Lunch, Monday-Saturday. Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 400 Monroe Street, Detroit, 48226. 313.965.4600. Giovanni’s Ristorante: Italian. Lunch & Dinner, Tuesday-Saturday. Reservations. Liquor. 330 S. Oakwood Blvd., Detroit, 48217. 313.841.0122. Green Dot Stables: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 2200 W. Lafayette, Detroit, 48216. 313.962.5588. Jefferson House: American. Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 2 Washington Blvd., Detroit, 48226. 313.782.4318. Joe Muer Seafood: Seafood. Lunch, Monday- Friday, Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 400 Renaissance Center, Detroit, 48243. 313.567.6837. Johnny Noodle King: Japanese. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 2601 W. Fort St., Detroit, 48216. 313.309.7946. Maccabees at Midtown: American. Sunday Brunch. Lunch & Dinner, Tuesday-Saturday. Reservations. Liquor. 5057 Woodward Ave., Detroit, 48202. 313.831.9311. Mario’s: Italian. Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 4222 2nd Ave., Detroit, 48201. 313.832.1616. Midtown Shangri-la: Chinese. Lunch & Dinner, Monday-Saturday. Reservations. Liquor. 4710 Cass Ave., Detroit, 48201. 313.974.7669. Motor City Brewing Works: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Beer & Wine. 470 W. Canfield St., Detroit, 48201. 313.832.2700. 1917 American Bistro: American. Sunday Brunch. Lunch & Dinner, MondaySaturday. Reservations. Liquor. 19416 Livernois Ave., Detroit, 48221. 313.863.1917. Prism: Steak & Seafood. Dinner, TuesdaySaturday. Reservations. Liquor. 555 E. Lafayette St, Detroit, 48226. 313.309.2499. Red Smoke Barbeque: Barbeque. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. Trappers Alley Shopping Center, 573 Monroe Ave., Detroit, 48226. 313.962.2100. Roma Café: Italian. Lunch & Dinner, Monday-Saturday. Reservations. Liquor. 3401 Riopelle St., Detroit, 48207. 313.831.5940. Russell Street Deli: Deli. Breakfast & Lunch, Monday-Saturday. No reservations. 2465 Russell St, Detroit, 48207. 313.567.2900. Santorini Estiatorio: Greek. Lunch &
DOWNTOWN
Dinner, Tuesday-Sunday. Reservations. Liquor. 501 Monroe Ave, Detroit, 48226. 313.962.9366. Selden Standard: American. Weekend Brunch. Lunch, Monday-Friday. Dinner, daily. Liquor. Reservations. 3921 Second Ave., Detroit, 48201. 313.438.5055. Sinbad’s: Seafood. Sunday Brunch. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 100 St Clair St., Detroit, 48214. 313.822.8000. Slows Bar BQ: Barbeque. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 2138 Michigan Ave, Detroit, 48216. 313.962.9828. Small Plates Detroit: American. Lunch & Dinner, Monday-Saturday. Reservations. Liquor. 1521 Broadway St., Detroit, 48226. 313.963.0702. St. CeCe’s Pub: American. Sunday Brunch. Lunch & Dinner, MondaySaturday. No reservations. Liquor. 1426 Bagley Ave., Detroit, 48216. 313.962.2121. Tap at MGM Grand: American. Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 1777 Third Street, Detroit, 48226. 313.465.1234. Taqueria Nuestra Familia: Mexican. Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 7620 Vernor Hwy., Detroit, 48209. 313.842.5668. The Block: American. Sunday Brunch. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 3919 Woodward Ave, Detroit, 48201. 313.832.0892. Tom’s Oyster Bar: Seafood. Lunch, Monday-Friday. Dinner, MondaySaturday. Reservations. Liquor. 519 East Jefferson Ave., Detroit, 48226. 313.964.4010. Top of the Pontch: American. Dinner, Tuesday-Saturday. Reservation. Liquor. 2 Washington Blvd, Detroit, 48226. 313.782.4313. Traffic Jam & Snug: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 511 W. Canfield, Detroit, 48201. 313.831.9470. 24grille: American. Sunday Brunch. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. The Westin Book Cadillac Detroit, 1114 Washington Blvd, Detroit, 48226. 313.964.3821. Union Street: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 4145 Woodward Ave, Detroit, 48201. 313.831.3965. Vince’s: Italian. Lunch, Tuesday-Friday. Dinner, Tuesday-Sunday. Reservations. Liquor. 1341 Springwells St., Detroit, 48209. 313.842.4857. Vivio’s Food & Spirits: American. Saturday Breakfast. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 2460 Market St., Detroit, 48207. 313.393.1711. The Whitney: American. Breakfast, Lunch, & High Tea, Monday-Friday. Sunday Brunch. Dinner, daily. Liquor. Reservations. 4421 Woodward Ave, Detroit, 48201. 313.832.5700. Wolfgang Puck Pizzeria and Cucina: Italian. Dinner, Wednesday-Sunday. Reservations. Liquor. 1777 Third St, Detroit, 48226. 313.465.1646. Wolfgang Puck Steak: Steak & Seafood. Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 1777 Third St, Detroit, 48226. 313.465.1411. Wright & Co.: American. Dinner, MondaySaturday. No reservations. Liquor. 1500 Woodward Ave Second Floor, Detroit, 48226. 313.962.7711.
05.16
AT THE TABLE Ale Mary's has market on beer but food's another matter By J. March
n 1985, Larry Bell of Bell's Brewery in Kalamazoo sold his first beer. Since then, craft beer in Michigan has expanded at a rate faster then the amount of dishes using kale in metro Detroit restaurants. Ritts Hospitality capitalized on this boom and opened Ale Mary’s in 2014. With 28 on tap, 64 in bottles and three in cans, beer is the highlight here, but the suds-friendly menu has earned quite a bit of acclaim on its own. A handful of visits in the fall of its opening not only had me hooked, but made me certain that my French Canadian roots and Michigan address easily made me one of the coolest people alive. How’s that ey? Two-Hearted and Poutine. Both served at Ale Mary’s, then and now. Though the Two-Hearted was the same this time, the Poutine was not. Though I cannot put my finger on exactly what it is, the french fries are different than before. The portion of duck confit was exceptional, but the quality was not. The gravy that once tasted like a labor of love now tasted like it had simply become labor. Bland on one visit and overly-salty on the next, it lost its shine over the years. The sweet and spicy fried pickle chips were cornmeal crusted and exactly the kind of food that begs for beer. Asian-style wings fried with sesame seeds and a sweet chili sauce were crispy and more proof that those in charge put more than a little thought into the harmony of food and drink. Other suds-buddy dishes like Scotch Egg, Charcuterie and Cheese Curds are available. Though I cannot speak to their preparation, I can say that the Beer Glazed Pork Belly was a thoughtless cut that consisted of a solid inch-anda-half of fat atop less then a quarter inch of pork. Don’t get me wrong, I'm all about the jelly belly but the ratio, for me, was off. The skin was deliciously crisp, but the small amount of meat was tough even under all of the fat that had zero chance of melting in your mouth due to its size. The Beer Cheese Burger has had some serious recognition since its debut. Men's Journal has featured it since the start, and many more have written about it, raved about it, and ravished it over a pint or three. Where once there was ravish and rave, there is now the kind of bitter disappointment that comes with finding out they’ve replaced your coffee with Sanka. Hands that once appreciated the joy that came from this perfectly crafted burger seem to have been replaced by those who lost that either due to repetition or zero investment. I ordered it rare – it came out almost medium well and cold. Egregious fouls in my book that could not be undone by even the coldest of local beer. Hoping to perhaps discover gold in some other form, I ordered the Cuban. Served on what appeared to be a store bought hoagie bun, the Cuban was totally disappointing. The fish and chips entrée was run of the mill and slightly burnt. The Free Range Chicken Pot Pie
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Assorted charcuterie. Downtown photo: Laurie Tennent
was delicious, however, I’m not entirely sure of what the correct preparation is since ours came out on a sheet tray in the form of chicken, vegetables and mirepoix with zero puff pastry. What was perfectly prepared was the Spring Campanele with spinach, broccolini, spicy marinara and sausage. Another perfect partner for beer even if that pale ale or pilsner is marked up more then should be allowed legally. My recent experience left me a little befuddled. Ale Mary's has gotten some pretty high praise as of late, yet my experience didn’t mirror most of it. I reached out to some friends in the area who have patronized it regularly since its opening and they all had the same thing to say. Ale Mary's is a great space with great beer and food that, too, was once great. To be fair, there is a brand new Executive Chef. Zach Borowski, formerly of Green Dot Stables and Town Tavern, was hired in March to take over the kitchen in both Ale Mary’s and Tom’s Oyster Bar.
Norm Fenton (who was there for less then six months) was the prior man in charge and though Borowski has stated that he does want to eventually do his own thing, he is smart enough to sit back and first observe. Though I can only guess how hard it may be to baby a project started by someone else, it's much needed in order to stay an audience for your own delivery. In the meantime, patio weather is on its way and we Michiganders like our beer, so here’s hoping that Ale Mary's gets it in the end zone before time runs out. Ale Mary's Beer Hall, 316 Main Street, downtown Royal Oak 48067. Hours are 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. daily. Limited seating, including communal tables. 248.268.1939 alemarysbeer.com. Handicap accessible and street parking available. J. March has 25 years experience in the restaurant industry in southeast Michigan, including certification as a sommelier.
SOCIAL LIGHTS/SALLY GERAK Here is the update on the recent social scene. Many more photos from each event appear online each week at downtownpublications.com where readers can sign up for an e-mail notice when the latest social scene column is posted. Past columns and photos are also archived at the website for Downtown.
Child Safe Sunday Salon
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1. Nick Janutol (left) of Grosse Pointe, Ethan Davidson of Birmingham. 2. Ashley Crain (left) of Bloomfield, Gretchen Davidson of Birmingham. 3. Christine Colman (left) of Birmingham, Amanda Fisher and Ben Hubert of W. Bloomfield. 4. Elizabeth Brazilian (left), Samy Eid and Lila Cherri of Birmingham. 5. Annie VanGelderen (left) of Commerce, Betsy Reich of Birmingham, Amy Wasserman of Bloomfield. 6. Daniela Pianigini of Sterling Hgts., William Davidson of Birmingham. 7. Dave & Donna Zimmer of Bloomfield. 8. Betty Bright (left) and Lorraine Schultz of Bloomfield, Lil Dulinger of Northville. 9. Yasno McDonald (left) of Birmingham, Tim Smith of Ferndale, Ashley Hudson of Bloomfield. 10. Forest’s John Wynn of Ferndale, Elizabeth Brazilian of Birmingham.
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FAR’s Sing Out For Kids
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FAR’s Sing Out For Kids The annual karaoke night benefiting FAR attracted a sold out crowd of 150 to private rooms at Emagine Royal Oak. A yummy buffet catered by the inhouse Ironwood Grill and a silent auction ($6,440) occupied folks before the singing got underway with Fox-2’s Roop Raj as a stellar emcee. FAR clients Sarah and Alex kicked off the entertainment and got a standing ovation for their version of Kid Rock’s “Care.” Steve Acho, Jenny Molina, Blain Fowler, Mary Callaghan Lynch and Greg Stryker then took turns, earning rousing appreciation for a wide range of music. A live auction of four offerings including Dom and Cindy Schiano’s donation of a dinner party at their home ($2,000) brought $5,100. Following intermission, a jam session with Stryker and Acho had the crowd on its feet. The lively evening which Karla Sherry and Dale Hollingsworth chaired raised more than $40,000 for FAR’s arts and recreational therapies which they have been providing people with special needs for more than 60 years. ORT’s WINGO Jill Dones, Julie Marx and Renee Nadiv chaired WINGO for the Michigan region of ORT, the largest non-governmental education and training organization in the world. It attracted 293 to Congregation Beth Ahm for a casual evening of noshing, sipping, a raffle, a silent auction and 10 rounds of bingo. ORT Michigan President Robbie Sherman also led an appeal to support disadvantaged students at YOU-niversity Centers of Excellence in Israel. Pledges will finance 13 scholarships. Upon leaving, guests received a gift bag, sponsored by 1-800-Hansons, filled with goodies and special offers from sponsors. Southfield Pediatrics also said, “Hope you had a sweet time at WINGO,” by supplying a bulk candy station. The event grossed $46,000. ORT’s next fundraiser Ort & The City is 7 p.m., Thursday, May 19, at Eastern Market Shed 5. It will feature a strolling dinner from popular food carts and auctions of art created by College for Creative Studies students inspired by Somerset Collect merchandise.
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1. Karla Sherry (left) of Bloomfield and Dale Hollingsworth of White Lake. 2. Ken & Judy Zorn of Rochester Hills. 3. Michael Brennan (left) of Birmingham, Cathy and Clay Weissenborn of Bloomfield. 4. Lynn Lindsay Lapaugh & Lew Lapaugh of Rochester Hills with Marlo & Jim Moeller of Troy. 5. Mary Callaghan Lynch (left) of Bloomfield, Janet Pound of W. Bloomfield. 6. Barb Darga (left) of Birmingham, Ginny Brown of Belding. 7. Annabel Cohen (center) of Bloomfield, Tony & Cheryl Nestro of Northville.
Child Safe Sunday Salon On one of those unseasonably mild Sundays this area enjoyed last month, Gretchen and Ethan Davidson hosted a delightfully laid back Sally Gerak Sunday afternoon gathering for board members and friends of Child Safe Michigan, the adoption specialists. About 50 guests relished the couple’s warm hospitality in their designed-for-entertaining, artfilled Birmingham manse. “Gretchen gets most of the credit for choosing the art,” Ethan confided. In addition to conversation and Forest’s culinary buffet, the afternoon featured remarks by founder Elizabeth Brazilian and Dave Zimmer, who was ending his service as Judson Center interim president. Child Safe affiliated with Judson Center in January 2015, to strengthen both family service agencies. Christine and David Colman and Amanda Fisher and Ben Hubert also pitched Child Safe’s Legends of Detroit benefit gala they are cochairing with Susu Sosnick June 10 at The Townsend.
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Art of Fashion & Research Neiman Marcus hosted a chic benefit for the nonprofit Van Andel Institute, a non-profit medical research organization in Grand Rapids. The event attracted about 60 guests ($150 ticket) for a champagne reception, lunch, a fashion show and shopping. Before the show, NM’s Renee Janovsky gave an example of how “…research at the Van Andel Institute) is making miracles happen.” Carol Van Andel, executive director of the David and Carol Van Andel Foundation, also spoke briefly about the work of the research institute and its education partner. “Our renegade nature is producing results,” she concluded. NM’s Ken Dewey then evoked some chuckles when he shared some fashion staffers’ acronyms like OWG (owns many Givenchys) and LMAO (love my Alice and Olivia). All guests got a copy of NM’s The Book, which was hot off the press, and an NM shopping card. DOWNTOWN
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Brother Rice Irish Nite The granddaddy of local school auctions is Brother Rice High School’s Irish Nite. The homeland of the school’s namesake – educator/missionary Blessed Edmund Ignatius Rice – influenced the event name and March date. Both have remained unchanged for 39 years. This year, 475 school boosters attended the casual event. As many of the parents of current students are themselves BRHS alums, camaraderie accented conversation during the cocktail hour and silent auction. It contained roughly 350 items and generated $100,000 in bids. Guests relished the strolling dinner catered by Holiday Market’s Smokehouse BBQ before settling at tables for the live auction of 19 items. The Dan Allors’ donation of air travel to the buyer’s destination of choice was the hot item in the live auction, raising $9,000 of the live auction total of nearly $50,000. Following that bidding, people pledged another $13,600 for the renovated academic resource center furniture. Thanks also to generous sponsors Irish Nite XXXIX raised $280,000. SIP at The Community House Nearly 200 people ($150 - $350 tickets) convened in the Wallace Ballroom at The Community House for the inaugural SIP soiree. While Ben Sharkey crooned, they savored the small plate offerings of eight chefs paired with hand-crafted cocktails. Also notable were the biographical notes and signature cocktail recipes in the handsome booklet. A brief program that spotlighted the generous event donors preceded a live auction conducted by Dan Stall. It brought in an estimated $28,5000, including the $4,750 a wine lover paid for six days in California wine country. The auction was followed by Dedicated Giving which raised nearly $5,000 to help expand the TCH highly rated Early Childhood Center. Many in the crowd concluded the evening with luxury spirits by Remy Cointreau and late night bites at the After Hours night cap party upstairs. Erin Go BRA(gh) On very short notice, 100 of Kathy Broock Ballard’s girlfriends gathered at the Village Club for a charity event to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. Most of the guests wore something green, but Broock provided piles of fun, emerald green accessories (think hats, beads, glasses, jewelry, etc.) for guests whose wardrobes are color challenged. To play off the Gaelic expression meaning “Ireland forever,” guests were asked to bring unused undergarments. As the personable realtor explained, these would be given to two social service agencies – Alternatives for Girls, which rewards successful clients with “shopping” opportunities in an agency store, and Grace Centers of Hope, which has a women’s program. This was the third time that Broock has hosted the uplifting party and, judging from the mounting inventory of gifts, the women of both organizations will be getting a nice boost. BBSO Spring into the Season A hardy band of 50 “music where you live” advocates convened on St. Patrick’s Day at the Bo Concept store to cocktail and socialize. They also perused a silent auction display of generously donated goodies and bid an estimated $3,750 for six items in a mini live auction conducted by Charles Wickins. But the big news of the evening was Rich Tropea’s announcement that, after 25 years as Birmingham Bloomfield Symphony Orchestra board chair, he is passing the gavel to Rochester’s Bill Close. Tropea also praised the orchestra’s new Music downtownpublications.com
ORT’s WINGO
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1. Robbie Sherman (left) of Bloomfield, Renee Navid of Huntington Woods. 2. Julie Marx (left) of Bloomfield and Julie Dones of Waterford with Emma Zerkel of W. Bloomfield. 3. Lena Epstein (left) of Bloomfield, Lilly Epstein Stotland and Susan Weisberg of Birmingham.
Art of Fashion & Research
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1. Renee Janovsky (left) of Grosse Pointe, Carol Van Andel of Grand Rapids. 2. Janet Ankers (left) of Beverly Hills, Gabrielle Poshaldo of Ferndale. 3. Peg Tallett (left) of Pleasant Ridge, Caroline Cassin of Grosse Pointe.
Brother Rice Irish Nite
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1. Molly (left) & Mike Beauregard of Bloomfield, their daughter Maddy. 2. Victoria and Rick Constantini of Bloomfield, Nick & Theresa Mamatas of Birmingham. 3. Alan (left) & Angela Korn of Rochester Hills, Michelle & Kevin Vogles of Bloomfield. 4. Kathy (left) & Ross Reason and Julie Christian Comer of Bloomfield, Roseann Donaldson of Franklin. 5. Bob Reason (left) of Bloomfield, David Smith of Birmingham. 6. James McNulty (left) and Jeff Merchant of Birmingham, Keith Sims of Farmington, Jake Pilat of Rochester Hills. 7. Ryan Washelski (left) and Evan Oesterle of Bloomfield, Jack Winkler and Andrew Rosa of Birmingham.
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SOCIAL LIGHTS/SALLY GERAK SIP at The Community House
Director/Conductor John Thomas Dodson who spoke about his job. “My life is my giving,” he said. On Friday, May 20, the orchestra will perform at Christ Church Cranbrook. Go to bbso.org for the concert program and tickets.
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1. Eric (left) & Michelle Schwab with Amy & Jeff Messano of Bloomfield. 2. Christina & Sean Metrose of Bloomfield, Brian Bates & Monique Molnar of Metamora. 3. Rob Farr (center) of Beverly Hills with Dave & Kathleen Devereaux of Birmingham. 4. Dan Quick and daughter Hannah Quick of Bloomfield. 5. Jennifer Ortwein and Steven Lewis of Bloomfield. 6. Laurie Farr (left) of Beverly Hills, Tom Kuslits and Betsy Reich of Birmingham. 7. Liz Sellers of Birmingham, Sean McGaughey of Beverly Hills. 8. Ronald (left) & Linda Hatfield of Farmington Hills, Bob Kupfer & Dave Weir of Bloomfield. 9. Gwen Schultz-Ofiara (left) of W. Bloomfield, Dom & Erin DiMarco of Bloomfield. 10. Andrea Kaczmarek (left) of Birmingham, Timothy & Tina Flint of Grand Blanc.
Erin Go BRA(gh)
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1. Karen Griffin (left) of Birmingham, Kathy Broock Ballard of Orchard Lake, Lisa Gorcyca of Troy. 2. Cheryl Hall-Lindsay (left) and Ann North of W. Bloomfield, Patti Prowse and Patty Ghesquire of Bloomfield. 3. Dana Brophy (left) of Birmingham, Linda Aikens of W. Bloomfield, Jamison Faliski of Bloomfield. 4. Pam Brown (left) of Birmingham, Michelle Weiss and Jan George of W. Bloomfield, Jan Orsen of Bloomfield. 5. Vicki Mueller (left), Sarah Post and Jill Ray of Bloomfield. 6. Brooke (left) and Kathy Broock Ballard of Orchard Lake, Joy Broock of W. Bloomfield. 7. Lisa Gorcyca (left) of Troy, Karen Griffin of Birmingham.
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Beyond Basics’ Come Together for Children Smiling student authors sat at tables with their books in the VIP reception at the Detroit Golf Club the evening Beyond Basics staged its annual fundraiser. It attracted 250 ($150 & up tickets), including the 50 benefactors who were buying autographed copies of the kids’ books before moving on to the larger reception and silent auction. There, special guest, author Mitch Albom, in brief, sincere remarks, said that Beyond Basics was close to his heart. “(Literacy) is the essence of what makes us human,” he noted. The dinner program that followed had highlights: a memorial moment for BB co-founder Joanne Wagerson, who lost her heroic battle with ALS in December; a live auction conducted by Charles Wickins in which people bid $41,200 for 11 donated items; award presentations to Jack and Annette Aronson, Mohammad and Farhat Qazo, Karen Schickle, five student authors and one essay writer; and the screening of a new film about Beyond Basics by Keith Famie, produced by Jack Aronson. In it new Central High School principal David Oclander explains how what he saw during his military service in the Middle East caused him to change careers upon his return and choose to work with vulnerable school populations. The evening netted more than $150,000 to support the literacy programs Beyond Basics conducts in eight public schools. It changes the destiny of literacy-challenged students with one hour per day for six to eight weeks of personal tutoring, bringing them up to grade level. Evening of Art + Science Conversation The late A. Alfred Taubman, who was passionate about art and medical research, is surely smiling about what is going on in his name. Physicianresearchers from the Taubman Institute at the University of Michigan have partnered with 19 contemporary artists to inspire original work. It will be sold at auction to fund the Emerging Scholars Program at the institute. One of those pairs – Cranbrook painting department artist-in-residence Beverly Fishman and institute director/physician/researcher Dr. Eva Feldman – participated in a splendid discussion about the progress of their collaboration. The evening attracted 100 fans of both to the Cranbrook Art Museum, where museum director Andrew Blauvel moderated the conversation. It revealed that the two women have become good friends, that artists and scientists think and process things similarly, and unbeknownst to either, Fishman has family members affected by ALS and Parkinson’s, Feldman’s specialties. West Point Founders Day Celebration Because West Point grad Walter Oehrlein knew that my grandson (Jake Gerak, son of Jeremy and Lisa Gerak of San Antonio, TX) had recently been accepted to West Point Military Academy, he invited me to the non-profit West Point Society of Michigan’s Founders Day Dinner. The annual event, which is duplicated in each state, attracted 150 to Forest Lake Country Club. In addition to Point grads and their spouses, the guest 05.16
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SOCIAL LIGHTS/SALLY GERAK list included members of the WP Parents Club, two current cadets who were home on spring break, 17 of the 27 Michigan high school seniors who have accepted appointments, and some of their proud parents. The cadet candidates arrived early for informal conversation about life at the academy before the official cocktail hour, which was named Benny Havens after a very old West Point tradition. Society president Tom Lynch presided over the dinner program. Like the academy itself, which was founded by president Thomas Jefferson in 1801, the evening was rife with tradition. There were six toasts (to the president, the army, the academy, the corps, the ladies and fallen comrades); the Distinguished Member of the Year Award presentation to Doug McDowell for his dedicated work with urban youth; a video depicting new construction on campus as well as cadets doing the grueling obstacle course; remarks by the oldest and youngest grad in attendance (the latter, class of 2012, lamented “I’ve never seen Army beat Navy in football”); recitation of the Cadet Prayer and singing of the Alma Mater. The academy’s motto - Duty, Honor, Country – was referenced with pride throughout the entire evening.
BBSO Spring into the Season
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2 1. Steve Syzdek (left) of Bloomfield, Bill Close of Rochester. 2. Rich (left) & Colleen Tropea of Bloomfield, Jane Syzdek of Bloomfield, John Thomas Dodson of Ann Arbor. 3. Mary Happel (left) of Bloomfield, Marcia Stoll of Commerce. 4. Sharon Burman (center) of Troy, David Stanislaw (left) and Charles Wickins of Birmingham. 5. Art Saarelaa and Rita Close of Rochester. 6. Volunteer wine pourers Cecilia & Dave Brown of Birmingham. 7. Steve Syzdek of Bloomfield, Mike Gabos of Birmingham.
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Beyond Basics’ Come Together for Children
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1. Donna & Ric Devore of Birmingham. 2.Jack (left) & Annette Aronson of Bloomfield. 3. Mohammad (left) & Fahat Gazi of W. Bloomfield, Pam Good of Birmingham, Mitch Albom of Franklin. 4. Chris & Roxanne Perry of Bloomfield. 5. Steve (left) & Renee Read of Bloomfield, Kevin & Karen Schickel of W. Bloomfield, Kevin Schickel of Highland. 6. Ira Jaffe (left) of Farmington Hills, Liz Luckenbach & Chris McLogan of Birmingham, Caprice & Bill McGrail of Pleasant Ridge. 7. Gerry Padilla (left) & Linda Orlans of Birmingham and Ben Erulkar of Grosse Pointe.
West Point Founders Day Celebration
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1. Michigan Society president Tom (left) Lynch WP 1982 and his son Liam Lynch WP 2018 of Bloomfield, WP Dep. Commandment Col. John Drago of West Point, NY. 2. Cadet candidates Riley Page (left) of Birmingham and Gavin McAuliffe of Canton. 3. Dave, WP 1989, & Shannon Sokol of Rochester. 4. Michigan Society VP Jim Suhay WP 1966 (left) of Birmingham, parents club members Dr. Dan & Dr. Troy Taylor of Northville. 5. Carol Sehn Laramie and Fran Sehn of Bloomfield. 6. Michigan Society board members Kim Sokol, WP 1989, of Rochester Hills, Michigan Society board member Temple Cumiskey, WP 1970, & Joanne Estes of Waterford. 7. Kate Lynch (left) of Bloomfield, Field Force member Ray Williams of Farmington Hills.
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Michigan Women’s Foundation Celebration Here’s betting some of the 800 guests gathered at the Motor City Casino Sound Board and Ballroom for the Michigan Women’s Foundation 30th anniversary celebration learned a thing or two about the organization. For example, event co-chair Tricia Keith mentioned, “Our roots include Title IX (advocacy).” CEO Caroline Cassin also boasted that MWF has invested $1 million in micro loans to women-owned businesses. “Smart investments,” she declared, “ because women pay them back.” Another speaker, who had been hungry and homeless, is now the CEO of Eden Urban Farms and is growing lettuce hydroponically in Detroit, thanks to an MWF loan. And when a victim of a 20-years-ago rape told her story, she noted that the rape kit finally got tested in 2014, thanks to MWF’s Enough SAID giving initiative. “My rapist is now serving jail time…I am so grateful,” she concluded to rousing applause. Cochair Cynthia Ford followed the rape victim at the podium and encouraged guests to text donations right from their seats. This raised $34,000 in the 05.16
wink of an eye. When added to the silent auction take ($30,000), tickets ($125 each) and sponsorships, the Lights, Courage, Action! theme evening raised $715,600 for programs that help achieve equality and empowerment for Michigan women and girls. Village Club Foundation Memorial Tea At the Village Club Foundation’s High Tea in honor of her mother, Amy Hackett Palmer led the toast to “…Jeanne Hackett, a delightful lady and good friend,” as 80 guests enthusiastically joined in. Many of them were wearing necklaces they cherish because they are handsome and because they were made by Jeanne during her 20–plus years as a successful jewelry artist. And those were the last decades of the nonagenarian’s remarkable life. Tea chair Clara Davis enthralled all with a presentation of the honoree’s wideranging interests and talents. Included were her service to Beaumont Hospital, Christ Church Cranbrook and generosity to the Village Club, its foundation, and The Community House, where a room is named in honor of the Hackett beneficence. The bountiful tea table was centered with Nancy Spence’s floral arrangement.Sharon Adams, Camille Breen, Edie Anderson, Mary Lou Mabee, Betty Sanders, Cathie Pollock and Patti McGillivray took turns pouring. And the private conversations over teacups were dotted with Jeanne Hackett’s marvelous quotes, testimony to a plucky and beloved woman. Women’s Power Happy Hour for Gleaners Three years ago, when powerful women were planning the 20th Gleaner’s Community Food Banks’ fundraising breakfast, they added a Happy Hour event to the calendar. The third version of the Power Women’s Happy Hour brought more than 350 ($150 & $100 tickets) to the MGM Grand on April 7. All we interviewed agreed that the venue, the lobby/reception space outside the ballroom, was the best yet. It provided well for the yummy buffet and silent auction display of 65 items ($10,895) as well as places to sit, stand and stroll while networking. Gleaners board chair Katy Locker and the three event chairs (Dee Dee McKinney Odom, Paige Lustig and Linzie Vengas) each thanked the downtownpublications.com
Evening of Art + Science Conversation
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1. Bev Fishman of Bloomfield, Dr. Eva Feldman of Ann Arbor. 2. Marty Fischoff (left) of Ann Arbor, Alison & David Taubman of Beverly Hills. 3. Eric (left) & Peggy Osterbeck of Washington Twp., Sara & Andy Brenz of Troy. 4. Kathy Goldberg (left) and Maxine Frankel of Bloomfield. 5. Marc Schwartz (left) and Bill Taubman of Birmingham. 6. Susan Foley (left) of Birmingham, Eric Barritt of Northville, Maria Mueller and Jason Keech of Ann Arbor.
Michigan Women’s Foundation Celebration
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1. Maggie Allesee, Carolyn Cassin of Grosse Pointe. 2. Tricia Keith (left) of Royal Oak, Ellyn Davidson of Huntington Woods, event co-chair DTE Faye Nelson of Grosse Pointe. 3. Brenda Lawrence (left) of Southfield, Sandy Pierce of Northville, Andra Rush of Howell and Beth Chappell of Bloomfield, Pamela Moore of Detroit. 4. Debbie Dingell (left) of Dearborn and Sarah Earley of Bloomfield. 5. Janis Rogers (left) of Bloomfield, Tammy Golden of Troy. 6. Kristie Hassouna (left) of Royal Oak, Christina Lovio-George of Bloomfield, Kathleen McCann of Plymouth. 7. Nancy Salvia (left) of Rochester, Lamija Grebonic of Troy and Nada Rote of Grosse Isle. 8. Cynthia Ford of Grosse Pointe. 9. Ann Parnes (left) of Clinton Twp., Mary Parkhill of Bloomfield. 10. Cathy Laird (left) of Brooklyn, Karen Gates of Bloomfield.
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SOCIAL LIGHTS/SALLY GERAK guests, sponsors ($15,659) and auction donors. The event raised enough money ($36,744) to fund 110,232 meals.
Village Club Foundation Memorial Tea
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1. Patty McGillivray (left) and Amy Hackett Palmer & Dave Palmer of Bloomfield. 2. David (left) & MaryAnne Rosenberger, Clara Davis and Linda Lang of Bloomfield. 3. Carol Litka (center) of Troy, Pat Hardy (left) and Betty Bright of Bloomfield. 4. Anita Damiani (left) and Ann Fecko of Bloomfield, Sandra Pott of Rochester Hills. 5. Nancy Spence (left) of Birmingham, Sarah Post and Bobbi Polk of Bloomfield. 6. Joan Keller (left), Lyn Bell and Sally Flynn of Bloomfield.
Women’s Power Happy Hour for Gleaners
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1. Dee Dee McKinney Odom (left) of Detroit, Linzie Vengeas of Grosse Pointe and Paige Lustig of Birmingham. 2. Gail Barnhart (left), Chris Lustig, Holly Beth Moncher and Karen Clancy of Bloomfield. 3. Patty Janeway (left) of Bingham Farms, Peg Tallett of Pleasant Ridge, Sarah Earley of Bloomfield. 4. Kathleen Lomako (left) of Livonia, Susan Kirchbaum of Bingham Farms, Trish Hubbell of Detroit, Erica Peresman of Birmingham. 5. Katy Locker (left) of Detroit, Suzette Hohendorf of Birmingham.
Laurie Tennent Botanicals charity opening
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Polish Dinner benefiting Camp Ozanam Following mass at Our Lady of Orchard Lake celebrated by Bishop Francis Reiss, supporters of St. Vincent De Paul’s Camp Ozanam for inner city kids relished a classic Polish dinner. It concluded with a traditional Polish dessert which has been renamed papal cream cake because the late Pope John Paul II loved it. Guests knew they were convened to spotlight the upcoming 25th Anniversary Red Martin & Msgr. Gerald Martin Golf Classic planned for Monday, June 20, at Pine Lake Country Club. Girl Scouts Cookie Gala More than 300 people attended the Girl Scouts of Southeastern Michigan’s signature fundraiser at the DTE Energy Headquarters. They savored cuisine created using Girl Scout cookies and raised more than $76,000 for Girl Scouting in southeastern Michigan.
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1. Laurie Tennent (center) of Bloomfield, Robert Kidd Gallery Owners Gerard Marti (left) and Jennifer Vinklarek of Birmingham. 2. Marcy HellerFisher (left) and Phoebe Goldstein of Bloomfield. 3. Lisa & Gerry Brody of Bloomfield. 4. Sid Goldstein of Bloomfield with Icelandic Poppies.
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Laurie Tennent Botanicals charity opening Photographer Laurie Tennent greeted about 200 well wishers at the Robert Kidd Gallery opening reception for her exhibition Botanicals: Intimate Portraits. The large scale photographs printed on aluminum are dramatic and designed for outdoor display. Many guests, including this reporter, had known the Birmingham native since she was a student at the College for Creative Studies. She designated the Kelly Fund at CCS, which she established and named for her beautiful, late mother, to receive donations for a print of her work Tulips. The exhibition remains at the gallery through May 6, but Tennent is off to Illinois where her work will also be featured at The Chicago Botanic Garden in Glencoe from April 15 September 2, beginning with the Antiques, Garden and Design Show which took place Friday, April 15 to Sunday, April 17.
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Send ideas for this column to Sally Gerak, 28 Barbour Lane, Bloomfield Hills, 48304; email samgerak@aol.com or call 248.646.6390. 05.16
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ENDNOTE
Protecting the most vulnerable at school arents and some legislators up in arms about the Michigan Board of Education's proposed policy recommendations for how local districts should address concerns about transgender issues in their schools appear to be missing the point. The recommendations, presented in a document – titled Safe and Supportive Learning Environments for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Questioning Students – provides, among other issues, guidance on how to address requests by transgender students to use restroom and locker room facilities and how to be addressed by names in accordance with their gender identity, rather than that of their biological sex at birth. Additionally, the guidelines suggest allowing such requests to be made without parental consent or knowledge in some cases. Opponents have latched onto recommendations by the state board that are intended to protect students from family rejection or flat-out retribution and harm. However, claims that such student protections cut parents out of the loop are ignoring other recommendations that encourage district to work with parents. Specifically, the guidelines state that "parental acceptance and family support are key determinants of LGBTQ student health," and is strongly encouraged. Although it's true the recommendations note the responsibility for determining a student's gender identity rests with the student alone, meaning a LGBT student has the right to make
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such requests without parental permission, such measures may be appropriate and necessary for students who face a very real response of rejection or harm from a non-supportive family. Nor does the board suggest such measures for elementary school students, as some may apparently believe. The truth of the matter is, whether opponents choose to accept it or not, that the vast majority of parents of LGBT students are usually out of the loop far before they are aware their child has come out as LBGT. And most have been for years while their children are working to sort out their sexuality and/or gender on their own. In fact, it's typical for a LGBT student to come out to their close friends or a trusted person at school well before they tell their parents. Therefore, it makes sense psychologically for schools to provide a safe harbor to those who may face rejection, or in worse cases, homelessness, neglect or abuse As far as concerns about privacy, we believe that a compromise can be reached on a caseby-case basis, as is recommended in the guidelines. Many schools already provide unisex restrooms for students and/or staff, which students may already use. Further accommodations should be made for any student that feels uncomfortable in a group locker room facility – not just LGBT students. Further, state and national statistics on the harassment and violence against LGBT students fly in the face of irrational fears that straight students would be harmed at the
hands of transgender kids. They simply aren't the antagonists. Lastly, those opposed to the guidelines should be reminded that they are simply recommendations, many of which local districts have already started implementing on their own prior to any state board involvement. Statewide guidance documents — which are already in place in California, Connecticut, Colorado, Massachusetts, New York and Texas — not only take into consideration the well-being of students, but are drafted to be in accordance with federal regulations while transgender issues are sorted out in the courts. The guidelines serve to assist local school districts in balancing the rights of students who are at risk. On a side note, we must voice our disappointment with the number of Oakland County legislators who failed to respond to repeated requests for comment on this issue, particularly that of Sen. Marty Knollenberg (RBirmingham, Bloomfield, Bloomfield Hills, Rochester, Rochester Hills). While we understand LGBT issues are a hot-button for legislators that illicit some artful dodges from some who did respond, we believe the senator has an obligation to the communities he represents to acknowledge their concerns and be transparent when it comes to his views on issues. It's important to remember the press represents the voice of the people. It would be wise for all legislators, but especially Sen. Knollenberg, who has a track record of dodging the press, to remember that.
Striking a balance on dining and retail he Birmingham bistro ordinance, created and implemented in 2007 as an economic catalyst to the city, has been, by all accounts, a huge success, helping to invigorate both the central business district and the N. Old Woodward part of town. But be careful what you wish for – bistros, those charming little restaurants with outdoor patios – have become a victim of their own success. Which is why we are applauding Birmingham city commissioners for not moving forward any of the five recent applicants for bistro licenses, recognizing the value of retail space and the important balance of the two. It may be hard to imagine today, but in the mid2000s, downtown Birmingham was experiencing a downturn, with higher vacancy rates and less walkability on the city's streets than city leaders and merchants desired. Birmingham Planning Director Jana Ecker worked with city leaders to develop the bistro liquor license ordinance, a special land use permit, which is a zoning ordinance tied to a specific property and owner. A chief goal was, and still is, to enliven the streets of the city to the benefit of both dining and retail
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establishments. The goal is a mix of the two, without a preponderance of bistros, which many feel has happened in the downtown business area. While a desire remains for bistros in the Rail and Triangle districts, lack of existing buildings and parking have discouraged many applicants. The bistro ordinance permits the city commission to approve up to two bistro liquor licenses to new businesses in the Central Business District (the downtown area), the Triangle area, or the Rail District, and two licenses to existing businesses each year. In order to receive approval, a bistro must conform to very specific criteria, with no more than 65 seats in the establishment, including no more than 10 seats at a bar. They must have a full service kitchen, and they can offer low-key, but approved, entertainment. There must be outdoor seating, either on the sidewalk or on a raised platform in a parking spot, which is purchased through the city. The bistro must also have windows lining the street, which should be opened up to welcome the city into the restaurant. Currently, bistros include Toast, Townhouse, Elie's, Tallulah's, Bella Piatti, Social Kitchen, Birmingham Sushi, Cafe
Via, Luxe, Salvatore Scallopini's, Market North End, La Dolce Caffe, Forest, Bistro Joe's and Mad Hatter. On April 11, city commissioners wisely recognized that the newly vacant Cosi space would be more valuable to the city as a whole as a retail space, and they passed on one application because it could prove dicey to have four bistros in the hands of one owner. While three new commissioners did back moving a business out of a Pierce Street space in order to put a bistro in, wiser heads prevailed. While some may feel it's up to a free market economy to dictate what goes where, letting the natural economic forces dictate what will succeed, downtown Birmingham should be more than an independent network of rogue landlords – it must be a community working together toward the same goal of improving the city for the benefit of residents, merchants, restaurateurs, visitors, and those working here on a daily basis. The bistro ordinance continues to be a fantastic economic catalyst tool. It must be utilized wisely.
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