News

Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation Walk Moves to City Centre!
Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation Walk Moves to City Centre! southfieldcc_3ik8d2

Southfield City Centre is the new venue for the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation Take Steps Walk on June 9, 2018. The family-friendly walk will cover 2.6 miles across the City Centre’s walkable district, with an available one-mile shortcut.

The City Centre is perfectly suited for the event, says Sarah Arminiak, Take Steps manager for the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation. “Southfield City Centre is hands-down beautiful, like a park in the middle of an urban city. The walking route is gorgeous, and highlights benches, plants, flowers, art, and wide sidewalks,” Arminiak says. Up to 1,500 participants and 100 volunteers will enjoy the ample space and welcoming vibe of the City Centre district.

A pre-walk festival on the Civic Center lawn will provide entertainment and information, including booths from Henry Ford Health System’s IBD center and Medical Weight Loss Clinic, plus face painting, crafts, inflatables, and a photo booth.

Event info:
Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation Take Steps Walk, June 9
9:00 a.m. check in, 10:30 a.m. walk.
Southfield Civic Center Complex.
contact: 248-737-0900 ext.6

Beaumont Health Welcomes Employees “Home” to New Service Center
Beaumont Health Welcomes Employees “Home” to New Service Center southfieldcc_3ik8d2

It’s always cause for celebration when a new home is perfect in every way. This year, 3,000 Beaumont administrative employees from 16 buildings across Metro Detroit will move into the former First Center building, selected for its generous glass atrium, easy accessibility to major highways, and the vibrant work-life environment available here in the district. The new location has been named Beaumont Service Center.

Early this year, 550 members of Beaumont Health’s financial services team moved in, and so far, they’re thrilled, says Beaumont Health executive VP and COO Carolyn Wilson. Initial feedback is very positive.”Our teams have found Southfield easy to get to, and they love the common areas of the building,” Wilson says. A fitness center and sunshine-filled atrium provide places for employees to connect.

As a health organization, Beaumont values the Southfield City Centre’s pedestrian-friendly sidewalks, green spaces, and, of course, the Zagster bike share. As employees move in throughout the year, they will join their colleagues as active members of the Southfield City Centre community.

“We are really excited,” says Wilson. “We believe we have picked the right community for Beaumont Health and want to be a good neighbor. We feel really good about the decision we have made, and want to give back to the community as well.”

Cybernoor Corporation moves in on Northwestern Highway
Cybernoor Corporation moves in on Northwestern Highway southfieldcc_3ik8d2

When Ahmed Alomari decided to expand Cybernoor, the global software support and solutions corporation he leads, he knew that a Midwest location made the most sense for clients located across various time zones.

“With Detroit regenerating, and with business incentives, Michigan seemed to be a good location,” says Alomari, Cybernoor Corporation president and CEO. “We searched for office space and knew we wanted to acquire a building. Southfield seemed to be a good location for an up-and-coming business.”

In October 2017, Alomari and his colleagues selected a building on Northwestern Highway, between Southfield Road and Evergreen Road. They knew they wanted extensive renovation, a prospect that requires permits and approvals that, in most cities, can take months. But Alomari says the whole process was smooth and simple, thanks in large part to support from the City of Southfield.

“We were new to the permitting process, but once the City learned what we wanted to do, they expedited everything for us, and made things happen in days that normally take months,” he says. Cybernoor purchased their building on October 16, and the bulk of the renovations were completed before the end of December.

As a One Stop Ready community, the City of Southfield is focused on economic development by following a set of best practice guidelines to provide cohesive support to businesses that invest in the community. Cybernoor’s positive experience illustrates the depth of resources available through Oakland County’s One Stop Ready designation.

As a small- to mid-sized business, Cybernoor management made a conscious choice to join  Southfield, because it believes in the value of variety and diversity for a robust business climate. When other similar-sized companies have chosen to locate in other suburban Detroit areas, Cybernoor selected Southfield, and Alomari says this was a smart choice.

He was correct. The City of Southfield is an engaged Redevelopment Ready Community, as designated by the Michigan Economic Development Corporation. Because Southfield has invested time and effort into building a community-driven approach to development, prospective businesses can expect to benefit from effective, forward-thinking strategies designed to help the entire community prosper.

As Alomari continues to settle Cybernoor into its new home on Northwestern Highway, he will be looking to grow the Southfield location by hiring sales executives, a marketing manager, an office administrator, as well as technical staff. Alomari says he also plans to work with local schools and universities to seek out interns and offer training opportunities to help build a talent pipeline.

Overall, Cybernoor is looking to join an active and growing business community.

“We’re looking for good networking opportunities with other small- and medium-sized businesses, and to connect with other software and IT companies in Southfield,” says Alomari.

For companies that have yet to locate in Southfield, Alomari wants to share the message that the City of Southfield actively works to make new companies feel welcome and valued. A streamlined permit process, coupled with consistent and rigorous due diligence helped Cybernoor make the best choices when hiring contractors.

“In general, dealing with city permits can be a pain, but in this case Southfield was welcoming,” Alomari says. “This can really help other small businesses who are moving in and investing in the city.”

It’s spring! Hop on a bike and cruise the Southfield City Centre
It’s spring! Hop on a bike and cruise the Southfield City Centre southfieldcc_3ik8d2

No matter how beautiful and vibrant the Michigan winter, a Michigan spring feels pretty good, too.

This year, plan to spend time taking in the many sights of the Southfield City Centre…from the seat of your Zagster bike.

Zagster is the Southfield City Centre’s bike share program, an inexpensive, fun, healthy way to get around the district.

And right now, you can save $10 on an annual Zagster membership, riding all season long for a special membership price of just $15. (For members, first hour is free, $2 per additional hour, up to a maximum cost per ride of $20.)

A lunchtime ride perfectly shakes off the stagnant feeling of sitting at a desk or behind a computer. A weekend ride gets the heart pumping, and allows you to further explore the many pleasures of the Southfield City Centre.

Cruise down the Evergreen Road corridor and breathe in air that you are helping make fresher by pedaling instead of driving. Stop for a sandwich or a beverage at the south end. Fly up to the Southfield Public Library and the Mary Thompson Farm.

Meet up with friends for a game of volleyball or to walk a nature trail. Ride to the nearby Lawrence Tech campus. Don’t forget to stop and get a close-up view of the many art installations along the way, or just rest on a bench and take in the sights. Spring is a beautiful time to enjoy the Southfield City Centre.

Register now and get ready to ride the City Centre spring through fall. But hurry! This special offer expires May 1, 2018.

The Spring Bike Share promotion is a $10 discount on the annual membership. 

Annual memberships are $15 using promo code spring18. 

Special code expires May 1, 2018.

The 2018 Southfield Corporate CommUNITY Cup Challenge – it’s almost time!
The 2018 Southfield Corporate CommUNITY Cup Challenge – it’s almost time! southfieldcc_3ik8d2

There’s an important reason why the word “unity” is so prominent in the Southfield Corporate CommUNITY Cup Challenge branding. This is an event that brings people together.

This friendly competition between Southfield City Centre businesses and community partners fosters team spirit, forges connections, and creates friendships. It raises donations for a great cause, too.

This year, 19 teams are registered (with room for 20), and the competition kicks off on July 12 with a kickball tournament at Inglenook Park. The challenge will wrap up on August 9, and teams will be building up donations of school supplies for Southfield Public Schools, to help teachers who so often need plenty of extra supplies to use throughout the school year.

The 2017 CommUNITY Cup brought 16 teams—more than 500 participants and volunteers in all—together for weekly challenges from June to July. Throughout the challenge, teams collected canned and packaged foods to donate to Gleaners Community Food Bank.

By the end of the six-week event, Sandy Schmidt and Wendy Dyrda of MSX International felt more connected to their coworkers as they pulled together to earn bragging rights over fellow Southfield City Centre businesses. “The best benefit was team building within the company, and also getting to know other companies within Southfield,” they said.

From the corn hole tournament, to the quiz bowl competition, to the golf scramble, and the kickball game, participants built strategies, supported each other, and had a lot of fun. At the very end, all 16 participating teams built displays using the 9,600 pounds of canned and packaged food they collected. In the final event, dubbed “canstruction,” creativity ruled, as companies showed off their colors, logos, and corporate pride—all with packaged food.

Schmidt and Dyrda were especially proud of their company’s generosity in supporting Gleaners, and their collaboration during all of the weekly events.

What made the challenge fun was a community spirit that rewarded effort alongside victory. “There was a friendliness among everyone that participated in this event, even though we went head-to-head with each other,” said Schmidt. “It wasn’t cut-throat. It was actually fun.”

This year, Schmidt is looking forward to reconnecting with 2017 participants, and welcoming new companies and their employees to the competition.

“The CommUNITY Cup just makes you aware of what other companies are around you that sometimes you don’t even know about,” Schmidt said. “Just knowing what some of these companies do might help us in our business.”

Registered teams should be sure to watch for announcements about the 2018 CommUNITY Cup. It’s never too early to begin team training for trivia, sand volleyball, and “Race Around Southfield” events. Not part of a registered team? Get swept up in the fun by volunteering during any or all of the events this summer. There are so many ways to connect with your community right here in the Southfield City Centre.

Bike Share at Southfield City Centre
Bike Share at Southfield City Centre southfieldcc_3ik8d2

We are excited to announce the Southfield City Centre Bike Share program.

Feel like a kid again, ringing the bell with the wind blowing in your face down Evergreen Road. Our official launch will take place next week with a  ribbon cutting at 10:00 AM on 7/26/17.

In the meantime, learn more about the program at http://bike.zagster.com/southfield/

Eat to the Beat – June 8, 2017
Eat to the Beat – June 8, 2017 southfieldcc_3ik8d2

Thank you to everyone who attended our first Eat to the Beat of summer 2017! We had a great time enjoying food from some of the area’s best food trucks, music by Cancel Monday and we kicked off the inaugural Southfield Community Cup Challenge.

Join us for our next one on Thursday, July 13 from 11:30am-2:00pm, featuring music by The George Brothers Band.

 

Crowdfunding campaign launched for Red Pole Park
Crowdfunding campaign launched for Red Pole Park southfieldcc_3ik8d2

Lansing, Mich. – The Michigan Economic Development Corporation and the City of Southfield today announced a new crowdfunding campaign through Michigan-based crowdfunding platform Patronicity. The campaign will create an interactive art installation along the new Northwestern Highway Pathway in Southfield’s City Centre.

If the campaign reaches its crowdfunding goal of $50,000 by August 4th, the project will win a matching grant with funds made possible by MEDC’s Public Spaces Community Places program. For project details and to donate, please visit: http://www.patronicity.com/redpolepark

“Supporting projects that find innovative ways to engage the public in their environment is what Public Spaces, Community Places is about,” said MEDC Community Development Director Katharine Czarnecki. “We are pleased to be able to resource this productive effort.”

Funding raised during this campaign will support the creation of Red Pole Park as a destination that will exemplify Southfield’s redevelopment as connected and pedestrian friendly community. This redevelopment began with converting an old goat path into a brand new bike-walk accessible greenway to join a growing network of trails and new sidewalks throughout Southfield. The greenway will include a series of outdoor “rooms” or art installations that residents and visitors will experience when using the path, of which Red Pole Park will be the first.

“Red Pole Park will give Southfield’s newest bike/walk trail a sense of place, and be the first big step towards making it not just a route but a destination in and of itself,” said the Director of Planning for the City of Southfield Terry Croad. “Southfield was built for cars, and so building appealing places for pedestrians, cyclists, and mobility aid users to get around is an important transformation here. The matching grant for this will make it possible for us to build this at a large enough scale to make it visually interesting.”

Public Spaces Community Places is a collaborative effort of the MEDC, MSHDA, the Michigan Municipal League, and Patronicity where local residents can use crowdfunding to be part of the development of strategic projects in their communities and be backed with a matching grant from MEDC. Communities, non-profits and other business entities can apply at https://patronicity.com/puremichigan.

“Southfield is really on the right path with this project,” said Dan Gilmartin, CEO and Executive Director of the Michigan Municipal League. “Creating art-filled places along the city’s bike-walk greenway will encourage residents and visitors to get out of their cars and explore the community in a more up close and personal way.”

Pure Michigan is a brand representing business, talent and tourism initiatives across Michigan. These efforts are driven by the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, which serves as the state’s marketing arm and lead advocate for business growth, jobs and opportunity with a focus on helping grow Michigan’s economy.

For more on the MEDC and its initiatives, visit michiganbusiness.org. For Michigan travel news, updates and information, visit michigan.org. Michigan residents interested in seeking employment with any of Michigan’s growing companies should check mitalent.org, where more than 93,000 jobs are currently available in a variety of industries.

Welcome to downtown… Southfield? It’s coming
Welcome to downtown… Southfield? It’s coming southfieldcc_3ik8d2

An RFP is due for developers this Friday, April 21, to transform the city of Southfield.

Southfield is seeking to transform an 8.15-acre parcel into a pedestrian-friendly, traditional downtown, something the city has never seen. Planned in the middle of the 20th century, Southfield embodies a suburban era of design where cities were built for the automobile and not people.

Terry Croad is Director of Planing for the City of Southfield. Since joining the city in 2010, he’s made it his mission to help transform the city center into a more urban, walkable destination.

He started with a series of small steps; things like filling in gaps in the sidewalk around the municipal center, making Evergreen Road more pedestrian friendly, and installing bike racks and improved bus stops. The increased pedestrian activity from those efforts has helped convince city leaders that a change was possible and vital for Southfield.

“It wasn’t an easy sell five to seven years ago,” says Croad. “But the improvements made over the last couple of years have changed many of the naysayers and doubters into believers.”

The RFP put out calls for the construction of EverCentre, a high-density, mixed-use district that incorporates a pedestrian-friendly Complete Streets infrastructure at the corner of Evergreen Road and Civic Center Drive.

Plans call for multiple-story buildings of mixed residential and office use with retail on the ground floor, creating a more traditional downtown setting complete with a streetwall built right up to a sidewalk filled with outdoor seating. There’s also plans for a new park with entertainment programming among its features.

That’s not all Croad and his team are working on. Southfield is launching a bike share program by mid-to-late June, with 22 bikes spread out over five to seven locations, including the municipal center and Lawrence Tech campuses. A bike and greenway trail is also being built, with landscaping to be installed this spring. The trail will run along Northwestern Highway. Croad likens it to the High Line Park in New York City.

“We’re in competition for young talent,” says Croad. “Entrepreneurs used to locate around natural resources and transportation centers. Now they go to where the human resources are, where people want to be.”

Original Article Located here.

Evergreen Construction
Evergreen Construction southfieldcc_3ik8d2

Evergreen Road from 11-13 Mile will be under construction from now until November 2017.  Portions between 12-13 Mile are closed to thru traffic, Lahser being the posted detour route.  Signs were posted regarding this closure two weeks ago. The rest of Evergreen and the service drives are open but with reduced lanes and some turning prohibitions per posted signs.  This week will be the worst of it as drivers find alternate routes to avoid the construction as best they can.

Lastly, Evergreen Road between 9 Mile and Northwestern will be under construction this year as well, starting mid to late May, again lasting through November.

 

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