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Designs may bridge community, school life

From the South Oakland Eccentric
By Sandra Armbruster

As the saying goes, if you build it, they will come. But instead of a baseball field, in this case, five students at Lawrence Technological University in Southfield are talking about an area known to city of Southfield officials as the City Centre.

Generally speaking, that area is centered at Evergreen Road and Civic Center Drive, across from the Civic Center. It is filled with tall office buildings, a historic farm and, as it turns out, a lot of students from LTU and other universities and colleges in the area.

LTU students — including Mike Knoff, Erik Slagter, Deanna Hewitt, Abby Schroeder and Gena Briolat — are “always building stuff,” as Knoff put it. So faced with what they believe are things left wanting in the city’s central area, they devised a design competition. read more

Southfield Director of Planning Terry Croad (L) and University Architect Joseph Veryser discuss the details of the gateway plaza construction project near the Civic Center Drive entrance to Lawrence Tech’s campus.

By The Oakland Press

A new landscaped gateway plaza at the intersection of Civic Center Drive and the Northwestern Highway service drive on the north end of Lawrence Technological University’s campus is part of a plan to increase pedestrian and bicycle traffic between the University and Southfield’s commercial district.

The Southfield City Centre Advisory Board has unveiled ambitious plans for the City Centre district that will create a pedestrian-friendly, mixed-use environment for the area bounded by Evergreen Road, Northwestern Highway, and I-696. The Southfield municipal complex and the Lawrence Tech campus are considered part of the new City Centre. read more

Lawrence Technological University (LTU) has announced the winners of its first-ever “Third Place” Design Competition. The winning student teams will share a total of $2,000 in prize money and possibly see their concepts used in the design and construction of a new business in the Southfield City Centre district.

The term “third place” describes a public space frequented by individuals seeking a relaxing and fun social environment. Examples of third places include bars, restaurants, coffee shops, wireless cafes, laundromats, and delicatessens. By contrast, the “first place” is referred to as home — where the bulk of a person’s time is spent — and the “second place” is the workplace or school. read more

The U.S. Energy Department has awarded $2 million to Eaton Corporation in Southfield for the development of cost-effective, durable and highly efficient fuel cell components. The three-year project will focus on boosting the performance of advanced fuel cell systems for vehicles and stationary applications while lowering the costs. This investment by the Energy Department represents its commitment to give families and businesses more options to cut energy costs and reduce petroleum use. read more

One of the area’s fastest-growing cupcake specialty stores is coming to Southfield’s City Centre district. Just Baked, headquartered in Livonia, opened Wednesday, March 21, 2012 in the City Centre Plaza at 25198 Evergreen Road, just north of 10 Mile Road.

“Southfield was an easy choice,” says Just Baked’s Southfield franchise owner Andrea Marchand. “It is centrally located and provides easy access to numerous metro-area freeways, major highways and Detroit Metropolitan Airport. Southfield has an enormous corporate footprint that includes automotive, media, IT, Research & Development, the healthcare industry, and the list goes on. The businesses and residents are the exact type of customers we hope to serve for a long time.” read more

The Southfield City Centre is a sponsor of the annual Genealogy Lock-In on June 22 at the Southfield Public Library. For one evening only, the library will re-open its doors after the normal closing time for a “study hall” for family researchers.

This exciting project normally attracts 50 to 60 people who will receive unlimited access to the library’s computers, databases and collections for their genealogy research. Librarians will provide instructional guidance to assist beginners and will be available all evening to answer questions.

Participants must pre-register. The event is open to anyone over 18 years old. A $10 admission fee is payable in cash at the door. For more details on this educational event, visit www.southfieldlibrary.org or call 248-796-4224.

Click here to view the calendar of upcoming events in the Southfield City Centre.

Lawrence Technological Universitsy

Lawrence Technological University (LTU), located within the Southfield City Centre district, has launched a design competition that challenges students to visualize and create a “third place” within walking distance of the LTU campus. What is a “third place?”  It is a public place separate from the rest of your life where you can go to relax, have a good time and be sociable several hours a week. It can be anything from a sandwich or coffee shop to a laundromat or a restaurant. The “first place” is your home and the “second place” is work or school.

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From C & G Newspapers

By Jennie Miller

Southfield City Planner Terry Croad laid out new concept plans for the long-desired City Centre district — a friendly, walkable retail and entertainment mecca off Evergreen, near the municipal complex — along with new partners in the endeavor before the Southfield City Council Feb. 27.

Croad was joined by members of the City Centre Advisory Board, and representatives from the Southfield Planning Commission, Lawrence Technological University and Mort Crim Communications, as well as Robert Gibbs of Gibbs Planning Group in Birmingham, who was responsible for the meat of the presentation.

The City Centre is triangle-shaped and bounded by Evergreen, from 10 Mile to 11 Mile; Northwestern Highway, from 10 Mile to 11 Mile; and 11 Mile, from Evergreen to Northwestern, with the Southfield Municipal Complex and Lawrence Technological University included.

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Southfield Mayor Brenda Lawrence outlined accomplishments and  opportunities in the Southfield City Centre district and throughout the city in her annual State of the City Address on March 5. Click here to read the highlights of her speech.