Ann Arbor Planning Commission will consider new Belle Tire store, Honda lab expansion this week
Belle Tire wants to clear the parking lot east of the Tim Hortons coffee shop to construct an auto service building.
Lizzy Alfs | AnnArbor.com
The Michigan-based company wants to construct a 9,735-square-foot, one-story auto service building at 590 W. Ellsworth Road, just east of State Street and adjacent to the new Tim Hortons coffee shop.
Belle Tire operates more than 80 stores in southeast Michigan and Ohio.
Courtesy photo
First Martin Corporation owns the 0.84-acre site, which was once occupied by the former Enzo’s Sports Bar. Belle Tire is under contract to purchase the property from First Martin. According to Belle Tire’s plans, the estimated cost of building construction is $1.1 million.
Belle Tire and Tim Hortons would share an existing access way off Ellsworth Road and a new public sidewalk is proposed along the frontage of the site. Plans call for 47 parking spaces.
Belle Tire operates more than 80 stores in southeast Michigan and Ohio, including locations on Jackson Road, Carpenter Road and Washtenaw Avenue.
Also on the Planning Commission’s agenda this week is a proposal to construct a two-story, 24,116-square-foot addition to the Honda Emissions Lab, located on Research Park Drive just south of I-94.
Honda's emission's lab is located in a research park off South State Street that also houses research and development centers for Mercedes Benz and Subaru.
Ben Freed | AnnArbor.com
Constructed in 1975, the existing two-story, 19,000-square-foot lab sits on 2.72 acres. The planned expansion will house a new chassis dynamometer — which measures the amount of power or torque generated by a machine — as well as storage space for test vehicles and other support equipment.
Plans call for constructing an underground stormwater detention facility on the southwest portion of the site.
The lab on Research Park Drive is one of 43 major facilities Honda operates in the United States. Honda’s only other emission’s testing facility in America is located in Denver, Colo.
Ann Arbor planning staff is recommending approval of both requests.
Lizzy Alfs is a business reporter for AnnArbor.com. Reach her at 734-623-2584 or email her at lizzyalfs@annarbor.com. Follow her on Twitter at http://twitter.com/lizzyalfs.
Comments
Fat Bill
Tue, Aug 20, 2013 : 2:25 a.m.
Light Industrial is the holy grail for municipalities. Tax base is added without a whole lot of additional stress on the infrastructure and city services. The environmental impact is minimal. As others have said, bring it on!
GratefulReb
Mon, Aug 19, 2013 : 8:47 p.m.
Approve both now. And don't bring up affordable housing or flood plains during the discussion. PLEASE.
Barzoom
Mon, Aug 19, 2013 : 7:48 p.m.
I won't do business with Belle Tire anymore. After several bad experiences I've given up.
Belle Tire
Tue, Aug 20, 2013 : 2:43 p.m.
Good Morning Barzoom, We pride ourselves on providing our customers with excellent customer service and I'm disappointed to hear that you had several experiences that did not live up to our expectations. If you could please send an email with the name and phone number associated with your account, we would appreciate the opportunity to follow up. We can be reached at customerservice@belletire.com. Best, Kelsey
Basic Bob
Mon, Aug 19, 2013 : 11:18 p.m.
I was at the one on Washtenaw today. They get all of our business.
Boo Radley
Mon, Aug 19, 2013 : 9:18 p.m.
After several very good experiences, I try to give them my business whenever I can.
Arieswoman
Mon, Aug 19, 2013 : 6:19 p.m.
Ellsworth Road is the next Wastenaw Ave!
DJBudSonic
Mon, Aug 19, 2013 : 6:37 p.m.
All the worse for it.
SemperFi
Mon, Aug 19, 2013 : 5:27 p.m.
Both good projects. Git 'er done!