Livonia council examines proposed shopping center
The council met in committee to discuss the proposed Haggerty Marketplace development.
Livonia council examines proposed shopping center The council met in committee to discuss the proposed Haggerty Marketplace development. Check out this story on HometownLife.com: http://www.hometownlife.com/story/news/local/livonia/2016/02/28/livonia-reviews-haggerty-marketplace-plans/80997094/
David Veselenak, hometownlife.com Published 12:05 a.m. ET Feb. 28, 2016
The site of the proposed new shopping center on Haggerty, currently under review by the city.(Photo: File photo)
More discussion on the planned shopping center on Haggerty continues as the Livonia City Council examines portions of a site plan for the new retail and dining district.
The council has discussed the proposed Haggerty Marketplace development, located at 19700 and 19750 Haggerty between Seven and Eight Mile, for several months as developers submit portions for review. Monday, members of the council met in committee to discuss the two restaurant pads proposed close to Haggerty, as well as the multi-tenant retail building for the site.
"Primarily, the small shop space is a designed commitment that we're ready to proceed with," said Frank Jonna, a developer with Jonna Realty Ventures, looking to construct the shopping center. "We have a lot of interest for that piece of the puzzle."
Councilwoman Maureen Miller Brosnan said her concerns stemmed from the fact that the council was being asked to not approve a site plan, but plans before a site plan for the restaurants were submitted for review. Those issues were part of the reason the project was sent to committee for further discussion.
"It's the notion that we're going to give the preliminary approval to the two restaurant site pads when normally our process is one where we understand a phase I and a phase II of a development," she said. "But we've got a site plan we can commit to, not a preliminary approval idea. It's the process that's creating holdup for me.
"I don't recall we've done it this way before."
Jonna said with some environmental issues at the site, it makes decisions regarding building changes a bit difficult to manage.
The two restaurants' identities have not yet been confirmed.
"For the restaurant pads, what we're asking for is a placeholder," he said. "What being able to identify these restaurant sites does for us, is it allows us to address restaurant users and say, 'this is how you'll go.'"
Planning director Mark Taormina said giving the preliminary approval would still require the petitioner to return for additional site plan approvals on other buildings on the site at a later date.
"The way I see this plan, with plan approval involving the retail and the restaurants, what I think is probably preliminary approval at this point is something that is very early ... is what happens to the other buildings on the property," he said. "I see three, maybe five subsequent petitions toward the final development of this property."
Restaurant could not be constructed until the waiver use approval was granted, Taormina said.
The proposed shopping center, as currently planned, would consist of the restaurants, small shops and an unnamed anchor tenant at the site of the formal technical center. In the application for a commercial rehabilitation exemption certificate submitted last fall, the project was expected to invest more than $23 million into the new shopping center, creating more than 120 new retail and restaurant jobs once filled.
Small shop space discussed
In addition to the restaurant pads, the council wanted to have a bit more info on the retail center with several small storefronts.
Council vice president Brandon Kritzman said he thought the design of the strip center could see some sort of additional detail to make it look a little less plain.
"This is really potentially our last chance to have any say on this building," Kritzman said. "Most retail environments want to have some differentiation of entry ways and something to be more of a visual marker for each individual store.
In the multi-tenant retail building, Jonna said there has been some interest from fast-casual restaurants looking for space.
He said he feels the design is an appropriate one, especially given the additional signage and landscaping that will adorn the shopping center once businesses are brought in.
"I kind of like the sleek look of it," he said. "I see a lot of ornate details that don't kind of fit the intent sometimes."
The council is expected to take the item up again at a regular meeting in March.
Councilman Brian Meakin offered an approving resolution for the currently-proposed plan, saying the property's been empty long enough and that he wanted to see it move forward.
"It's been five years we've been looking at this," he said. "We've got to get something on this property."
dveselenak@hometownlife.com | 734-678-6728 Twitter: @DavidVeselenak
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