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OTHER VOICESJoe NeussendorferJoe Neussendorfer is an affiliate member ofthe American Society of Civil Engineers, amember of the Engineering Society ofDetroit and a member of the American BarAssociation’s forum on construction law.
IT’S NOT HOW WELL THEY WORK FOR US.IT’S HOW WELL THEY WORK FOR YOU.
The Huntington National Bank is an Equal Housing Lender and Member FDIC. and Huntington are federally registered service marks of Huntington Bancshares Incorporated. Huntington. Welcome. is a service mark of Huntington Bancshares Incorporated. 2015 Huntington Bancshares Incorporated.
Eric W. DietzSVP, Regional ManagerPrivate Client Group
o e ell
eri ie n ing on o
Brian MarshallSVP, o er ial Region ManagerMiddle Markets
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rian ar all n ing on o
Terrance B. PryorSVP, Regional ManagerCommercial Real Estate
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Shari Krasinski, CTP, CPCPSVP, Sale ManagerTreasury Management
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Brad NormanSVP, Mi igan Regional Sale ManagerAuto Finance & Dealer Services
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Scott WolffisSVP, rea Manager o Mi iganBusiness Banking
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9CRAIN’S DETROIT BUSINESS // May 4, 2015
nated through state agencies thathave experts on various subjects.
When I asked if there are any leg-islative structures or state statutesin place regarding P3s, he said: “Ourcurrent efforts have not requiredany sort of legislative action. Wemay reach a point where we willneed to work with our partners inthe Legislature to expand opportu-nities for the state’s residents tobenefit from P3 initiatives.”
MDOT Director Kirk Steudle toldme: “We actually have quite a bit of P3work going on currently. We also havesome older projects that are close to aP3. We have a partnership with Meijer
for carpool lots; we did two design,build, finance projects, which helpedus really move into other innovativecontracting options. …
“One is currently on the street for a15-year contract for freeway lightingin Southeast Michigan, all 14,000lights for design, build, finance, main-tain and operate. There also is the De-troit Intermodal Freight Terminal,where we have over half the fundsprovided by the railroads and the restby the state.”
Clear on concept
The Council of the Great LakesRegion has an exciting P3 initiative
underway. It recently announcedit will perform an in-depth studyof policies and laws governing P3sin other regions of the UnitedStates and Canada to identify bestpractices for the private sector todesign, build, finance, operate andmaintain public infrastructure.
CEO Mark Fisher said that thehope is “to create a blueprint for theregion” to follow.
I believe the public and theLegislature should get involvedwith this concept. Perhaps there isa forward-thinking state senator orrepresentative who would like toget the ball rolling with legislation
that would create a P3 authority tolook at alternatives to financingnot just transportation infrastruc-ture but all state capital projects.
In addition, Snyder should con-sider sponsoring a statewide P3conference with Business Leadersfor Michigan and other private-sec-tor stakeholders to discuss waysthat the private sector can assistMichigan and its limited resourcesin addressing future funding needs.
As the insightful Crain’s DetroitBusiness editorial on Feb. 23 stated:“The good news: The spotlight onthe P3 model may lead to its use inother projects.” �
The National Governors Associa-tion Center for Best Practices, in
partnership with the National Con-ference of State Legislatures and theCenter for Excellence in Project Fi-nance at the American Associationof State Highways and Transporta-tion, recently held a workshop to as-sist state teams exploring how pub-lic-private partnerships, often calledP3s, might be used to improve trans-portation infrastructure at a timewhen taxes alone will not provide allof the money needed for such adaunting task ahead.
What is a P3? A definition is a singleprivate-sector or a group of private-sector partners who provide upfrontfinancing for a capital project, and de-signs and builds the project based oncriteria from a public entity, such as astate highway department, then op-erates and maintains the project for aspecified time in exchange for a com-bination of user fees or other govern-ment transfer payments.
There have been many discus-sions and some movement regard-ing the use of P3s in Michigan, pri-marily in the governor’s office andthe Michigan Department of Trans-portation. But so far the averageMichigan citizen does not havebackground information about theconcept. This needs to change.
There have to be discussions byall legislative and taxpayer stake-holders so there is an understandingthat P3s offer a great alternative tojust raising taxes. There are notenough tax dollars to go around. Notjust transportation infrastructure,but all state capital projects, willhave to be a combination of tax dol-lars and private resources. Everyonehas to contribute to the effort.
Moving forward
At least two states, Arizona andPennsylvania, are moving forwardwith major initiatives.
The Arizona Department ofTransportation has established anOffice of P3 Initiatives, using bestpractices and lessons from otherstates as the basis of building astrong P3 program. The Pennsylva-nia Department of Public Trans-portation has established an Officeof Public-Private Partnerships.
In Michigan, Gov. Rick Snyderhas appointed Joseph Pavona as aspecial adviser for P3s.
In an email to me, Pavona wrote,“Michigan has a statewide P3 visionthat fosters economic developmentby addressing our state’s infrastruc-ture deficit and leveraging publicand private assets.”
He went on to write that P3 ef-forts are coordinated through theexecutive office and, in turn, coordi-
Public-private partnerships a needed path to project funding
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it was then to do one-of-a-kindcommunities.”
Johnson has accomplishedthat, not only in the Caribbean,but also in Southeast Michiganand across the rest of the state.
There is the $400 million TurtleLake development in BloomfieldTownship featuring 112 estatehome sites on 256 acres offSquare Lake Road west of Tele-graph Road.
Victor International’s Heroncommunities — Heron Bay, HeronPoint and Heron Woods — inBloomfield Township sit on about150 acres and have about 100homes. Heron Bay was the first res-idential community where individ-ual lots — not homes — sold formore than $1 million.
The $50 million Copperwoodcommunity in South Lyon Town-ship has 110 units sitting on about100 acres, while the $100 millionParks at Stonewood communityin Clarkston has 217 homes out of300 units in the master plan sittingon about 100 acres.
And what the company bills aswhat was then the largest landreclamation project in Americanhistory was its $1 billion develop-ment of the Village at Bay Harboron the Lake Michigan shoreline,consisting of 1,200 acres that wasonce the site of a sprawling ce-ment plant and mining opera-tions. (See related story, Page 4.)
But in 1985, it was another de-velopment of his that was attract-ing his attention and that ofCrain’s Detroit Business: The125,000-square-foot Victor Centerat 27400 Northwestern Highwayeast of Telegraph, construction onwhich was completed that year.
Named after Johnson’s father,Victor Center is owned by PlanteMoran Cresa LLC, the real estatearm of Southfield-based PlanteMoran PLLC.
Victor International also assem-bled 11 different parcels of land to-taling 95 acres for the Victor Corpo-rate Park at Seven Mile Road andI-275.
“Victor Corporate Park pio-neered the I-275 corridor in the1980s,” said Johnson, a MichiganState University graduate. “I usedto fly potential tenants up in a hel-icopter, sit at 144 feet (12 stories)and say, ‘This is your view fromthe top of your building.’ ”
But still he ended up on VirginGorda not only because of how itkeeps far away from the harshMichigan winters, but also becauseit was part of a life-long dream.
“My long-term goal was to do adevelopment in the Caribbean,and I spent 10 years looking forthe ideal location,” he said. “Ibought it to make it the Nantucketof the west.”
Dominic J. Moceri, who hasknown Johnson for 25 years and ispartner of Auburn Hills-based resi-dential developer Moceri Cos., called
Johnson a “highly imaginative de-veloper who puts exceptional curbappeal in everything he does.”
“He is forward-thinking withdeed restrictions he places on hisdevelopments, which grant protec-tion to those that invest in his com-munities,” said Moceri, whosecompany has developed 55,000 res-idential units in southeast Michi-gan, including the $137 million lux-ury Pinnacle subdivision in OaklandTownship.
“Someone that purchases ahome there, or a builder who buyslots, they are going to be protectedon what goes on, saying that nextdoor to them will be of the sameor greater quality.”
“We don’t allow one-upman-ship,” said Johnson, who employsabout 200 people worldwide. “Wedon’t want people showing offhow rich they are.”
Moceri, who also called John-son “gregarious” and “genuine,”said the spinal cord injury “onlysped him up, not slowed himdown.”
“When you have bolts go in yourhead and you’re paralyzed from theshoulders down,” it changes yourperspective on life, Johnson said. “Ido yoga. I ride horses for freedomof movement. I have residual dam-age on my left side, but every day isthe best day of my life.
“And I work every day because Ilove what I do.” �
Kirk Pinho: (313) 446-0412Twitter: @kirkpinhoCDB
5CRAIN’S DETROIT BUSINESS // May 4, 2015
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From Previous Page
By Kirk [email protected]
Wayne County hopes to save $10 million per year by overhaulingits procurement process.
To do that, the Wayne CountyCommission would contract with avendor to create a platform that staffwould use to find the suppliers withwhich the county negotiated thebest prices, terms and conditions,said Lloyd Jackson, director of com-munications for County ExecutiveWarren Evans.
Jackson said the system will con-trol what the administration refersto as “rogue spend” — which isspending with suppliers whose rateshave not been negotiated. It wouldtake effect within 90 days of thecommission awarding the contract.
Hugo De Campos, an assistantprofessor of supply chain manage-ment at the Wayne State UniversitySchool of Business who spent adecade in supply chain managementat General Motors Co., said WayneCounty is going to a model the pri-vate sector has been adopting foryears.
“We (at GM) achieved over 20percent cost improvements byglobalizing or ‘commonizing’ thehorns” in GM vehicles in different
countries, he said. “Everyone wasbuying their own horns, so wepicked the best supplier globally.
The overhaul is part of Evans’plan to address the county’s struc-tural deficit, which has averaged$52 million in the past four years.Last week, he also proposed elimi-nating health care benefits for fu-ture retirees; a 5 percent pay cut forall employees except for police offi-cers, prosecutors and nurses; and achange in health care options for re-tirees who retired before 2007.
Wayne County’s pension systemis just 45 percent funded and needs$910 million to become fully fund-ed.
If the county does nothing, in fiveyears the accumulated deficit is ex-pected to balloon to $171 millionand the county could run out ofcash by August 2016, according toEvans.
With full implementation ofEvans’ plan, he said, surpluses areexpected at $78.5 million in 2015(due to a transfer from the county’sDelinquent Tax Revolving Fund);$17.1 million in 2016; $5.5 million in2017; $4.5 million in 2018; and $9.6million in 2019. �
Kirk Pinho: (313) 446-0412Twitter: @kirkpinhoCDB
Wayne works to control‘rogue spend,’ save $10M
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15CRAIN’S DETROIT BUSINESS // May 4, 2015
PEOPLEON THEMOVESend news items and photos to [email protected]
CALENDAR
ARCHITECTUREJerry Attia to principal, Rossetti As-
sociates Inc., Detroit, from director ofmarketing development and project
management,SORG Architects,Washington, D.C.Also, Kirk Phillipsto architecturaldesign lead, fromdirector of hospi-tality design,Hamilton Ander-son AssociatesInc., Detroit, and
Mike Shea to senior project manager,from senior project manager, Hamil-ton Anderson Associates Inc.
CONSULTINGDavid Kauppila to principal, Fulcrum
Edge Inc., Bloomfield Hills, from glob-
Crain’s 2015 M&A AwardsJoin Crain’s Detroit Business,
in partnership with the Associa-tion for Corporate Growth - DetroitChapter, to meet the M&A Awardswinners and finalists and hearthe stories behind the top trans-actions of 2014 from the deal-makers themselves.
The event takes place 5-9 p.m.May 12 at the Troy Marriott. Ticketsare $100 in advance, or $95 forcurrent ACG members. Groups of10 or more are $95 each. Prereg-istration closes May 11 at 9 a.m.
If available, walk-in registra-tion will be $120 per person.
For information, contact KaceyAnderson, (313) 446-0300, [email protected].
SPOTLIGHTGEORGE PHIFER:
Director, Huron-ClintonMetroparks
George Phifer has been nameddirector of the Huron-ClintonMetroparks. As director, he serves
as CEO and isresponsiblefor day-to-dayoperations ofthe Huron-Clin-ton Metropoli-tan Authority.
Phifer hadbeen deputydirector andCOO of the
Huron-Clinton Metroparks. In 2010, Phifer was appointed
executive secretary to the Boardof Commissioners, serving as astaff officer of the agency whilemaintaining his responsibilitieswith the Metroparks Police De-partment as police chief, a posi-tion he has held since 2008.
Phifer, 51, worked for nearly20 years at the Pontiac Police De-partment. He retired from thedepartment as a captain in 2004.
He earned his master’s degreefrom Eastern Michigan University, abachelor of business leadershipfrom Baker College and an associ-ate of applied science degree incriminal justice from OaklandCommunity College. He is also agraduate of EMU’s Police Schoolof Staff and Command.
THURSDAY Population Healthcare Manage-
ment: Strategies That Work. 7:30-9:30 a.m. Modern Healthcare.Speakers include Joe Mullany, CEO,Detroit Medical Center; Bruce Muma,chief medical officer, Henry FordPhysician Network; and Thomas Sim-mer, senior vice president andchief medical officer, Blue CrossBlue Shield of Michigan. MaureenMcKinney, editorial programs man-ager, Modern Healthcare, moder-ates. MGM Grand, Detroit. $95.Contact: Jenna Trautman, (312)649-5238; email: [email protected]; website:modernhealthcare.com/detroit.
Collaboration for Power and ProfitBreakfast and Symposium II. 8:30-11a.m. The Black Advantage III Busi-ness Conference Biz To Biz Match.Scheduled panelists: Eric C. Williams,program director, Entrepreneurshipand Business Law at Wayne StateUniversity; Brian Ellison, principal ofIntersection Consulting Group LLC.; theRev. Elreta Dodds, author and pub-lisher; Paul K. Rozier, “serial entrepre-neur,” re-engineering strategist, andbusiness educator. Greater GraceTemple, Detroit. Tickets: $25, collab-orationforpower.eventbrite.com.
FRIDAYCEO Business Roundtable Luncheon.
Noon-2 p.m. Michigan Associationfor Female Entrepreneurs. A discus-sion with Camille Jayne, president of
Phifer
People on the Moveannouncements are limited tomanagement positions. [email protected]’s name,newtitle,company,cityin which the person will work,formertitle,formercompany(ifnot promotedfrom within) and formercitywhere theperson worked.Photos are welcome; wecannot guarantee theiruse.
Calendarguidelines. Visitcrainsdetroit.com and click “Events”near the top of the home page.Then,click “Submit Your Events” from thedrop-down menu. Fill out thesubmission form, then click “Submitevent” at the bottom of the page.
More Calendar items can befound at crainsdetroit.com/events.
The Jayne Group, on personal andcorporate branding and marketingstrategies. Bastone Brewery, RoyalOak. $35. Contact: Tonya McNeal-Weary, (866) 490-6233, email:[email protected].
UPCOMING EVENTSLearn About High-Profile Redevelop-
ments. 11:30 a.m.-2 p.m. May 12. Com-mercial Real Estate Women, Detroit.Program features a panel discussionabout the Detroit Packard Plant,Michigan State Fairgrounds, Village ofBloomfield and M-1 Rail. Gem The-atre, Detroit. $45 for CREW membersand $65 for nonmembers. Lunch isincluded; parking will be available in
the GEM’s garage.
The 2015 Tigers. 11:30 a.m.-1:35p.m. May 13. Detroit Economic Club.Speakers are David Dombrowski, presi-dent, CEO and general manager; andBrad Ausmus, manager, Detroit Tigers.MotorCity Casino Hotel, Detroit. $45DEC members, $55 guests of mem-bers, $75 nonmembers. Ticket salesend at noon May 12. Contact: (313)963-8547; email: [email protected];website: econclub.org.
APACC 14th Annual Dinner Celebra-tion. 5:15 p.m.-midnight May 16. AsianPacific American Chamber of Com-merce. Keynote speaker is Bill Imada,chairman and chief collaborative of-ficer, IW Group . MGM Grand Detroit.Tickets $200 members, dinner only($350/couple); $350, dinner and VIPreception ($650/couple); $250 dinneronly for nonmembers ($400/couple); or $400 dinner and recep-tion for nonmembers ($700/couple).Registration ends May 8. Contact:Erin Mclin, (248) 430-5855; email:[email protected]; website: apacc.net.
al manufacturing engineering direc-tor, Thermal Systems Division, Del-phi Automotive plc, Troy.
FINANCEJim Jahnke to
director, Blue RiverFinancial Group Inc.,Bloomfield Hills,from managingdirector, PalisadeCapital Manage-ment LLC, FortLee, N.J.
Vince Callaghanto manager, Blue River Financial GroupInc., Bloomfield Hills, from CEO,Business Problem Solvers, Berkley.Also, Scott Sharp to manager,acquisition support group, from CEO,S. Lawrence & Co. LLC, Flint; andGeorge Petrulis to managing director,acquisition support group, frommanaging director, McLean GroupLLC, Chicago.
MANUFACTURINGPaul DiLisio to senior vice president
of automotive and industrial originalequipmentsales, Dayco LLC, Troy, fromdirector of sales and marketing, auto-motive division, SKF USA, Northville.
AttiaJahnke
20150504-NEWS--0015-NAT-CCI-CD_-- 5/1/2015 10:37 AM Page 1
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E
out its challenges. That’s because theuptick in jobs and income isn’t uni-form across the county, Jacobs said.
“Clearly, there is a considerabledifference, economically, betweenthe northern end and the southernend of the county,” Jacobs said.
“While younger families are mov-ing into the southern communities,those incomes tend to be lower thanthose previously living there, andtheir needs are different. How do weintegrate the interests of bothgroups?”
Communities such as East-pointe, Roseville and St. ClairShores haven’t seen as quick of a re-covery as communities farthernorth, Jacobs said.
Household in-come in Ma-comb Countyhas droppedsharply since be-fore the GreatRecession, sur-passed only byWayne County.Median house-hold incomedropped to$52,978 in 2013
from $71,979 in 1999, a decrease of26.2 percent, according to the U.S.Census. During the same period,household income dropped 23.9percent in Oakland County and 28.5
percent in Wayne County. County Executive Hackel doesn’t
see the gap as a problem. “A lot of our growth in population
in the southern communities isfrom the city of Detroit,” he said.“They are backfilling our residentsas they migrate north, and there’snothing wrong with that.
“These residents are finding af-fordable homes, and we’re happy toprovide opportunities for everyoneat every economic level. In fact, it’scritical we supply it because all ofour futures are linked.”
Another source of populationgrowth is from immigrants. Thosefrom Iraq and from India accountfor the largest increase, accordingto data from the U.S. Department ofHomeland Security.
Between 2003 and 2011, 18,260Iraqis and 16,372 Indians came toMacomb County.
That immigrant population couldbecome a boon for the county, Ja-cobs said.
“Most of the new Americans arecoming with skills which will beimportant for the future growth ofthe county — in particular, entre-preneurial skills,” he said. “Most ofthe (immigrant population) arepart of families with young chil-dren, so there is a future genera-tion growing up in MacombCounty.” �
Dustin Walsh: (313) 446-6042Twitter: @dustinpwalsh
13CRAIN’S DETROIT BUSINESS // May 4, 2015
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SPECIAL REPORT: MACOMB COUNTY
From Previous Page
David Girodat:Fifth Third expects toadd market share.
[PIERRETTE DAGG/CRAIN’S DETROIT BUSINESS]
20150504-NEWS--0012,0013-NAT-CCI-CD_-- 5/1/2015 11:03 AM Page 2
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14 CRAIN’S DETROIT BUSINESS // May 4, 2015
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SPECIAL REPORT: MACOMB COUNTY
Kosch Hospitality takes overoperation of Blossom Heath Inn
By Sherri [email protected]
Rochester-based Kosch Hospitali-ty LLC has assumed management ofBlossom Heath Inn, a city-ownedbanquet and events center in St.Clair Shores, under a new 10-yearcontract. The revamped venue ispart of the company’s overallgrowth strategy for this year.
Kosch took over operation of thecenter from Oak Management,which had managed the venue formore than 30 years until Kosch wonthe contract in January.
During the first quarter, Kosch se-cured the liquor license for the prop-erty and invested nearly $200,000 ininterior renovations to the historicbanquet center on Jefferson Avenuebetween Nine Mile and 10 Mile alongthe city’s Nautical Mile.
Blossom Heath Inn opened in1911 as a roadhouse. During prohi-bition, it was an “infamousspeakeasy,” Kosch says on its web-site. Evidence of basement bars andhidden walls still exist.
Interior renovations were aimedat taking the building back to itsroots, but with modern conven-iences, said Gordie Kosch, who co-owns Kosch Hospitality with hisbrother Gary.
“Little to no resources had beenput into the facility for decades, andit showed,” he said, noting that his
wife, Julie, and sister-in-law led therenovations.
The restoration included newcarpeting and paint, lighting up-grades, original hardwood restora-tion, ballroom dome restoration,new high-tech audiovisual equip-ment, a new bar and bar room,restoration of the patio, new furni-ture and, in the bar area, a wallmural by local artist Dan Melendez,said Kosch, 56.
Exterior renovations and land-scaping are also underway.
A May 8 grand opening fundrais-er, including automobiles from the1920s and ’30s, is sold out.
Kosch, which began as a tavernand restaurant operator in SterlingHeights in the early 1980s, todaymanages onsite dining operationsfor several area companies andparks, ranging from the Huron-Clin-ton Metroparks to Troy CommunityCenter, Walsh College, Monroe Coun-ty Community College and privateand public golf and country clubs.
It also caters events and operatesrestaurants in northern Michigan,including Alpine Tavern & Eatery inGaylord, Trout Town Tavern &Eatery in Kalkaska, and TheBoathouse near Traverse City.
The company employs 400 andposted $12 million in revenue lastyear, its owner said.
“We were up last year about 15
percent, and we’re projecting aboutthe same (increase) for this year,”Kosch said, noting the northernMichigan operations have doneparticularly well.
At Blossom Heath, Kosch Hospi-tality hosted a handful of events asthe renovations were progressing,he said. And it’s booked about twodozen weddings and an equal num-ber of other events.
He projects the new venue willgross about $300,000 this year fromevents, but that’s less than half ofwhat he is projecting for 2016 fromthe venue: $800,000
Both event catering and contractdining are up, said Ryan Angott,corporate marketing director atTroy-based Continental Services. Asemployers bring on more people,food sales are rising and corpora-tions are hosting more events. Thenumber of private events andamount spent on them are alsopicking up as the economy im-proves, he said.
The cost of the average weddingin Michigan has increased in thepast three years from about $27,000to about $31,000, Angott said.
Like Kosch, Continental is pro-jecting the market will increaseagain this year.
“People are loosening their belt alittle bit; it’s nice to see and definite-ly a trend,” Angott said. �
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4 CRAIN’S DETROIT BUSINESS // May 4, 2015
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LOOKING BACK Crain’s May 6, 1985, issue reported ondeveloper David Johnson’s new
Victor Center in Southfield. Johnson’s passion remains finding theright piece of land. More at crainsdetroit.com/30
Accident hasn’t kept developerfrom building his lifelong dream
By Kirk [email protected]
The diagnosis: A sixth cervicalvertebra shattered into 13 pieces.
But in the weeks, months andyears that followed David Johnsonhearing that news after a 1978swimming pool diving accident, hedidn’t become bitter about his life,
or “green” —that is, enviousof people whodidn’t gothrough thesame ordeal.
Johnson, now65, just becamegreener.
Instead of de-veloping largeswaths of pris-tine land as
densely as possible to maximizeprofit and propagate cookie-cuttersubdivisions, he said, he builds lessthan what he is allowed “to maxi-mize the physical beauty” of hisprojects.
“I’m notorious for saying that Ibuy land by what I call the ‘heartflutter’ method,” he said. “It has tobe emotionally compelling land,physically beautiful.”
And over the years, his company,which developed the Victor Centerin Southfield 30 years ago andspearheaded the Victor CorporatePark mixed-use complex in Livonia,has made a lot of green, as well.
Victor International Corp. had$112.4 million in revenue in 2014,down slightly by 1.8 percent fromthe previous year’s $114.4 million,according to company-providedfigures. Through March, it had $42.7million in revenue.
Johnson, chairman of the Clark-ston-based company known for de-veloping luxury residential and re-sort communities, spends about 10months out of the year in the Oil NutBay resort community he devel-oped on Virgin Gorda in the BritishVirgin Islands.
That’s because, due to his injury,he doesn’t “handle the cold verywell,” he said.
“I love the water, so I am able tospend the winters in the warm cli-mate and with a sense of adven-ture,” said Johnson, adding that ittook about six months for him tobecome mobile again.
“I didn’t want to go play golf inFlorida.”
Johnson, speaking last monthfrom his office in the 88-residencecommunity on 300 acres, said hevery quickly recalibrated his think-ing 37 years ago immediately afterthe accident.
“When you’re told you’re never
David Johnson:True to the “heartflutter” method
When David Johnson was plan-ning the Village at Bay Harbor, heknew it was going to be big.
“There was five miles of LakeMichigan shoreline,” he said. “Theonly problem was that it had thelargest abandoned cement plantin the world on it.”
But Johnson said he could seethe potential for a large, multi-faceted community.
It was planned for 800 units,and 724 are currently completed.It also features a nautical centerwith 227 completed docks andanother 150 planned, plus sixmiles of non-motorized trailsconnecting Charlevoix toPetoskey. Bay Harbor also in-cludes a downtown area with din-ing, boutiques, lodging, golfingand an equestrian center.
The development began to tan-
gibly materialize in 1994 withthen-Gov. John Engler on handwhen the cement plant smoke-stacks were demolished in front ofthousands of people.
Bay Harbor also is the site ofwhat is currently Johnson’s mostpressing work: Construction of theGreat Lakes Center for the Perform-ing Arts, a $50 million performingarts center expected to begin nextyear. It will be 25,000 square feetand include a 400-seat sloped floortheater and private box areas.
“It will be a game-changer forperforming arts centers for thegreater northern Michigan area,the Midwest and the UnitedStates,” Johnson said. “It will becomparable to Interlochen (Centerfor the Arts) and many great facili-ties that are around.”
— Kirk Pinho
[PHOTO COURTESY OF BAY HARBOR]
Before it became a resort community, Bay Harbor was the site of an abandonedcement plant (inset). Now, it features a nautical center, dining and lodging facili-ties, boutiques and an equestrian center.
How a cement plant becamea Lake Michigan community
going to walk again and you’re laidup there — God, money and friendsget put into perspective very quick-ly,” he said.
“My goal was to do 10 percent ofthe housing in the U.S. per year, and
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