[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6182364,"mediaKeyId","5106868-a3faea42c560916b2466ed40906e8aa3","parentId",5106868,"title","Council awards habitat‑improvement contract for Firefighters Park drain; city amends budget to match EPA grant supplement","audioSeconds",395,"startMs",9533000,"endMs",9928000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5106868-a3faea42c560916b2466ed40906e8aa3&start=9533&end=9928","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5106868-a3faea42c560916b2466ed40906e8aa3/thumbnail_9533000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6182364/Troy-City/Oakland-County/Michigan/Council-awards-habitatimprovement-contract-for-Firefighters-Park-drain-city-amends-budget-to-match-EPA-grant-supplement","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6182364-794bd8bc2c27aa9b5f36c134727a25e3/orig.mp4?Expires=1771152558&Signature=PxdFnPHNLBdqWYWOlPj1EIwwIIHORyY1~PEE3lNsXSZLCTtvTEPIFn-U~uIDugvF1fmgqWXFKOJZTK0-pzPm0xD2GVr1RCo8ckyDlRzdbXUhN62anYZ3t8y0T4CbAponl1uI9FWl6jIuLa2~WvI6U2R~wplzsaVyVIADq6zMWtEi3zYue5og3dk4j57JzLxX5mf82Dli~Mx40cR04bbGB0TxN-7RbHYct9OLKW5bSqATkzVlftgMNK940QhOlvVsyHso6I4mDMRDxJoc0Wv1IfXL7u39IJD2TI-W-S~QAW7SM0m1Qw79WMZXG~pR7kWFuX0YzXfgUYkHcBNKi01mgQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Troy City, MI","date","2025-06-10T02:51:36Z","article","Troy City Council on June 9 approved a low‑bid award and a budget amendment to proceed with habitat work and stormwater improvements at Firefighters Park, where the Sprague Drain runs through the park.

Public Works Director Kurt Bovency told council the project will reconfigure a detention area into a native wetland, restore stream banks, and remove invasive plant species. Staff emphasized that much of the woody debris previously left on site will be repurposed as in‑channel stabilization and habitat features. The work is designed both to improve ecological habitat and to increase stormwater storage capacity downstream of neighborhoods that have experienced flooding.

Funding: staff presented existing grant funds of about $640,000 that remained from earlier awards, and an approximately $750,000 supplemental Environmental Protection Agency grant the city won after mayoral and staff advocacy. To meet the low bid and complete the scope, staff requested a city capital contribution; the memo and resolution indicate a Troy contribution of roughly $250,000 to close the funding gap and allow the contract to proceed.

Why it matters: the work aims to improve aquatic habitat and address downstream drainage and flooding by increasing on‑site storage and stabilizing channels. Councilors noted the dual environmental and flood‑mitigation benefits.

Formal action: council approved the contractor award and authorized the budget amendment to combine the remaining grant funds, the EPA supplemental award and the city contribution so the project can proceed.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","City Council Meeting June 9, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Council approved awarding the Firefighters Park Sprague Drain habitat‑improvement contract to the low bidder and approved a budget amendment to pair remaining grant funds with a new EPA supplemental award and a city contribution.","taxTitle","Troy City, Oakland County, Michigan","taxId",4529,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6182369,"Council approves DDA bid waiver to finish Big Beaver/I‑75 embankments; $2.3M phase slated to start in August",515,9020000,9535000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5106868-a3faea42c560916b2466ed40906e8aa3&start=9020&end=9535","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5106868-a3faea42c560916b2466ed40906e8aa3/thumbnail_9020000.jpg","/articles/6182369/Troy-City/Oakland-County/Michigan/Council-approves-DDA-bid-waiver-to-finish-Big-BeaverI75-embankments-23M-phase-slated-to-start-in-August","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6182369-f9b35422cdf506f4593be7bbd24e4e36/orig.mp4?Expires=1771152558&Signature=h3m1aoSJh6N3yiNze2oV1To2QfpujnIOubD5~IGlOg4eq6M3v3dTV2H57amUponcOIQULB6YQxfoa80jnmhrBPfuoMIMw2RzKMbGfLXyQWC2wNueufiFRHPEjdgbGcZcixR4CsuEG09Wk~ELSgB9y6ayH10l7frlC898KQlwpz964~nU-37H4G-kGReyDScM6ez64iZy8GdtWAYnRLNSbsih-711nduTUFp7f-mKLaajBL2drPv4R-6d3C-CcBAN9LUvdCBKlavMaQAYk6z4rZY7sKEFTJcPQoBmC55~nAwNelqZz4PIIQ3GfziNrgUWwvjjvva9klfWBy4ZdP~aSg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Troy City Council on June 9 approved a bid waiver that allows the Downtown Development Authority to continue work with Warren Contractors to complete landscaping on the upper embankments at the I‑75/Big Beaver interchange.

Public Works Director Kurt Bovency told council that initial work on Big Beaver was completed and that the DDA is now able to fund the next phase — the upper embankments along I‑75 that were value‑engineered out of an earlier contract. Bovency said Warren Contractors has kept schedule and a modest change‑order profile during the earlier work; the DDA and staff recommended waiving the formal bid process so the contractor can start the upper embankment work in August.

Financials and schedule: Bovency presented a total project cost for the embankment phase of just over $2.3 million, funded by DDA tax‑capture funds allocated for fiscal 2026. He said crews would aim to finish heavy work by November 2025 (to avoid winter) and complete final plantings and restoration in spring 2026.

Why it matters: Big Beaver is a major arterial and the embankment landscaping shapes drivers’ first impressions of the city and supports the DDA’s corridor beautification goals. Councilors asked about staging and traffic disruptions; Bovency said the off‑ramp shoulders provide staging opportunities and the work should minimize disruptions to peak traffic.

Formal action: council approved the bid waiver and authorized staff to proceed with the DDA‑funded embankment phase.","The council approved a bid waiver so the Downtown Development Authority can continue with Warren Contractors to complete upper embankment landscaping between Big Beaver and I‑75; total DDA budget for the next phase is about $2.3 million and construction would start in August with final plantings in 2026.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6182373,"Troy council approves Somerset West PUD with 120‑foot buffer after weeks of resident concern",5749,2265000,8014000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5106868-a3faea42c560916b2466ed40906e8aa3&start=2265&end=8014","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5106868-a3faea42c560916b2466ed40906e8aa3/thumbnail_2265000.jpg","/articles/6182373/Troy-City/Oakland-County/Michigan/Troy-council-approves-Somerset-West-PUD-with-120foot-buffer-after-weeks-of-resident-concern","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6182373-eaba86107947c1e91a22d6f722006e61/orig.mp4?Expires=1771152558&Signature=llHh3SHQB~Kl0Gn0nahfKDscxRJNa0D6pqhAbrp2Cwb8f09DE~848ry8gi0GfUbPD2HwPbNAY0mLRHMcxH7aPPTD1epZzq0QFW0VBvT-2w2EHugiOPWFDgErXNMjKVF8L0EAca63s2GgFLUZ0ymPnVRpP0nZd4abLKLLO0zo21UZIuo1hROXj-IGwhIAeuQN92axQ7QE8UsqfnMzSR3-nOWvASF2D~JQDZt2sgrWnq62Ug~e1e626AFGI9eerknd4-1GszvugN-CboN4OvLWQt2j7cnx4A6zW9omb4e9AZj~uZcIdxQtUVFZP~nUFNTfIa-vDfux5Sxy8R8EEAKnTw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Troy City Council on June 9 approved a Planned Unit Development (PUD) concept and the Phase 1 preliminary plan for the 40‑acre Somerset West project — the redevelopment of the former Kmart headquarters site — but amended the plan to require a 120‑foot buffer between the new development and the single‑family neighborhood north of Cunningham Drive.

The project, presented by the applicant team and planning consultant Ben Carlisle, is to be anchored by a University of Michigan specialty medical facility of roughly 200,000–250,000 square feet. The concept plan submitted to the council sets maximum allowances across the full PUD of up to 500,000 square feet of office, 300,000 square feet of retail, a 250‑room hotel and 750 residential units. The University of Michigan parcel is described by the applicant as a roughly 17‑acre block within the site and would be developed first.

Ben Carlisle, the planning consultant working with the applicant, described the PUD process and told council the project team and planning commission had worked through land‑use, circulation, open‑space and public‑benefit elements. The Troy planning commission recommended approval, 9–0, at its May 13 meeting.

Developer remarks: the applicant’s representative, identified in the meeting transcript as Forbes (Forbes/Frankel team), described the University of Michigan facility as a “quarter‑million square‑foot” specialty care center and told council, “we will be in the ground, and we'll be bringing jobs, consumer spending, a great brand to this community.” The applicant said the medical facility work was moving quickly and that the team intended to prepare the rest of the site for phased development after the medical building was underway.

Buffer dispute and amendment: the northern portion of the site is controlled by a prior consent judgment that currently imposes a 140‑foot setback from the residential property line. The PUD concept brought forward by the applicant proposed a 100‑foot internal building setback; several residents and council members pressed for keeping or increasing the buffer. Resident Mary Ellen Barton asked council to “not amend the consent judgment and to uphold the 140 feet.” After discussion, the developer publicly signaled willingness to accept a larger buffer than 100 feet, and council amended its approval to require a 120‑foot buffer in the concept development plan.

Formal action: Council member Hodorick moved to approve E‑1, the Somerset West PUD concept plan and Phase 1 preliminary plan; Council member Chanda seconded. Council then voted to amend the CDP to require the 120‑foot buffer, and the amended plan carried on recorded votes with all present members voting yes.

Why it matters: the project would redevelop a long‑vacant 40‑acre property at the northwest corner of Big Beaver and Coolidge and is expected to introduce a high‑profile medical facility for Oakland County plus mixed‑use development along Big Beaver. The consent‑judgment status of some parcels means future changes will require agreement among multiple parties.

What’s next: the University of Michigan medical facility parcel is expected to proceed first; other parcels in the PUD will come back to the planning commission and council for preliminary and final development approvals as specific uses and building plans are developed.","The council approved a concept development plan to redevelop the former Kmart site as 'Somerset West,' anchored by a University of Michigan medical facility, and added a buffer requirement of 120 feet between new development and existing homes north of Cunningham.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6182375,"Troy council hears schematic design, $75 million estimate for new library; schedules June 30 meeting on bond",1431,744000,2175000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5106868-a3faea42c560916b2466ed40906e8aa3&start=744&end=2175","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5106868-a3faea42c560916b2466ed40906e8aa3/thumbnail_744000.jpg","/articles/6182375/Troy-City/Oakland-County/Michigan/Troy-council-hears-schematic-design-75-million-estimate-for-new-library-schedules-June-30-meeting-on-bond","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6182375-e30ca628bc098af1e59d44b0f4dfbd45/orig.mp4?Expires=1771152558&Signature=PD0bJf4KSTCmxAtGOaR6~Dbwn7fFtVAgCtxEPTitR~lBKZQize6LTp9~-83TA0HOvGQpmfJHcfikNaVIBqMjfQn-prS9zYaJSaDjczuVmM24rbLMVC1RNwX4oEGPV3Pf2OB5C~wNHh74SC1LBZQc0yW0rR3drvBKmJU6IqlP7C1LwD-lfvXd8U04N6BWTLvlo9BJR3-y8x2GDmPkNT2AjGawh57MjCxFrKMGXT~pczIpaX69cdh3qJomGtNJyLYYL2sj~Gm22LQxvIarlybVMxD4jlqMxAuQqIFgBp7PRzXmEfsf4hpCjYOHHS-Je2fJ4cqyukMwDm2wld1u6~D7JA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Troy City Council members on June 9 heard schematic designs and an opinion of probable cost for a new Troy Public Library, including a third‑party estimate of $75,000,088.72 for a roughly 90,000–100,000‑square‑foot, three‑story building.

The presentation, led by Peter Bullock, president of HBM Architects, laid out a three‑level plan that places active, community spaces on the first floor and quieter reading and study spaces on upper floors. Bullock said the design emphasizes natural light, transparent façades and mass‑timber construction, and that the project team used a third‑party independent estimator to produce the cost figure.

The estimate “today is, $75,000,088.72,” Bullock told the council. He and his firm also described options the design team has identified to add roughly 10,000 square feet if the city decides to expand the program; Bullock said that expansion would add about $8 million under current assumptions, and that some additional interior space might be gained by enclosing the planned roof terrace at lower cost.

Why it matters: council members and staff said the estimate will factor into a possible bond proposal for the November 2025 ballot. City management told council that ballot language is due in August and recommended a special meeting on June 30 to continue the bond discussion; council approved adding that meeting to the calendar.

Council members also asked that the presentation materials be posted online; Mayor Baker confirmed the city will make the schematics and cost estimate available so council and residents can review them ahead of the June 30 session.

What’s next: the city is targeting a November bond vote. Bullock gave a tentative schedule that anticipates remaining design work in late 2025 and early 2026 and, if bond approval and permitting proceed on the proposed timeline, a possible construction start in April 2027.","Architects presented schematic plans for a three‑story, mass‑timber Troy Public Library and an independent cost estimate of $75,000,088.72. Council set a special meeting for June 30 to discuss a November bond proposal.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Council awards habitat‑improvement contract for Firefighters Park drain; city amends budget to match EPA grant supplement

Council approves DDA bid waiver to finish Big Beaver/I‑75 embankments; $2.3M phase slated to start in August

Troy council approves Somerset West PUD with 120‑foot buffer after weeks of resident concern

Troy council hears schematic design, $75 million estimate for new library; schedules June 30 meeting on bond