A Nixle alert was sent out by the safety department Tuesday afternoon.

The first of the outages will be from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. on Ellsworth Road between State Street and Lohr Road, as well as on Lohr between Ellsworth and Waterways Drive.

The second outage will take place from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. on Plaza Drive between Interstate 94 and Ellsworth Road.

During the outages, DTE recommends unplugging electronics in order to prevent damage.

Should severe weather conditions interfere with DTE's ability to perform the planned work, it will reschedule for Friday.

The annual FestiFools parade every April in downtown Ann Arbor encourages all kinds of foolishness.

Ryan J. Stanton | AnnArbor.com

There are two awards this year — one shared by Jeri Rosenberg and Vic Strecher, and another going to John Carver.

The "Spirit of Ann Arbor" as it looked on a recent afternoon.

Ryan J. Stanton | AnnArbor.com

Carver is recognized for commissioning an artwork by Detroit artist Charles McGee for the Carver-Gunn Building, which he owns on Liberty Street in downtown Ann Arbor.

The artwork is titled "Spirit of Ann Arbor" and is a 16-foot-tall artwork made from cut powder-coated aluminum. It is a composition of abstracted human forms, depicting figures as if dancing.

The Golden Paintbrush Awards honor individuals, businesses and organizations that have contributed to outstanding public art projects in Ann Arbor.

The awards are in recognition of artworks that add interest to the cityscape, beautify the community and create a sense of place, said Bob Miller, chairman of the Public Art Commission.

Miller presented the awards at Monday night's City Council meeting, joined by Aaron Seagraves, the city's public art administrator.

Miller noted McGee's artwork is in many national and international collections, including a significant public work outside the Detroit Institute of Arts. McGee also was an art instructor at Eastern Michigan University for 18 years.

Strecher and Rosenberg are described as strong supporters of local organizations whose missions help to serve the city's youth, the elderly, the arts, education, health, and the environment.

They are said to have generously given to the University of Michigan Pediatric Cardiology Department at Mott Children's Hospital, the U-M Nursing School's Julia Strecher Scholarship Fund, the Steven Gradwohl Art of Primary Care Award, the Ann Arbor Community Foundation, Safe House, the Huron Valley Humane Society, and Project Grow.

Additionally, Rosenberg is one of the founding members of WonderFool Productions, a nonprofit dedicated to encouraging public art education and presentation.

Ryan J. Stanton covers government and politics for AnnArbor.com. Reach him at ryanstanton@annarbor.com or 734-623-2529. You also can follow him on Twitter or subscribe to AnnArbor.com's email newsletters.

The council voted 8-3 to approve a $49,883 contract with CDM Smith for engineering services as the project heads into the environmental analysis phase, which includes further study and public outreach before an actual contract to construct a wind turbine comes back to council for approval.

"This finally gets it out to the community to let the community have the dialogue that we've kind of been hoping we would have," said Council Member Marcia Higgins, D-4th Ward.

Ryan J. Stanton | AnnArbor.com file photo

"This finally gets it out to the community to let the community have the dialogue that we've kind of been hoping we would have," she said.

The three council members in favor of killing the project before it advances any further were Sumi Kailasapathy, Sally Hart Petersen and Jane Lumm.

Lumm and Kailasapathy both relied heavily on an email they received from Gregory Tarle, a physics professor at the University of Michigan who questions the $1.4 million project. The city received a federal grant for the project and isn't planning to spend any of its own cash.

Kailasapathy, D-1st Ward, said it's still taxpayer money, though, and she's not convinced — based on the data Tarle has presented — that the turbine will even move. She said she now regrets her vote from earlier this year to accept the federal grant money for the project.

"We do want to spend it, but we want to spend taxpayer dollars wisely — not to show if you put the project on the wrong place, it's not going to work," she said.

"It's not too late. We really need to rethink this," she added. "I know it's federal dollars coming in, but it's not free dollars — it's taxpayer money. And it's our duty to be good stewards of that money."

Tarle emailed council members in April, saying he was concerned about spending such a large amount of taxpayer dollars for a project he doesn't think will produce good results. He said he teaches a class called "Energy for our Future" at U-M and effective wind turbines must be sited in places where the wind velocity is high and steady or where there are frequent high velocity gusts.

He argued wind resources are marginal at best in Ann Arbor, and a better place for a turbine would be near the shores of Lake Michigan — or better yet, offshore.

Lumm said given Tarle's expertise in the field, she found his arguments against the wind energy project to be "quite compelling."

Council Member Sabra Briere, D-1st Ward, called city staff up to the lectern Monday night to reiterate why they thought it was a good project.

Brian Steglitz, a senior utilities engineer for the city and project manager, reminded council members that funding is coming from the U.S. Department of Energy, and the project is intended as an educational demonstration of wind energy.

He said New York-based Wind Products Inc., the developer the city is partnering with, is willing to guarantee the turbine will produce a minimum of 66,000 kWh of electricity per year. Pioneer High School would be the beneficiary of that arrangement with reduced electricity costs.

"The data we've received from the developer indicates that it will produce power," Steglitz said. "It's not a tremendous amount of power. We're talking about a 60-kilowatt turbine. It will offset a portion of the power of the high school. It won't be all the power, just a portion of the power."

Even if the turbine doesn't produce power, Steglitz said, the developer is willing to guarantee a certain level of production and will offset the cost to the school. He went on to indicate the school might save a few thousand dollars a year in electricity costs.

John Hieftje

Though there has been talk in the past of potentially two turbines going in at Pioneer High, city staff indicated it's now just a single turbine standing 120 feet high with 60-foot diameter blades.

City officials said part of the challenge has been that the turbine has to be located on the site of whatever it's powering. City Administrator Steve Powers said the city searched as far as East Lansing for a place to install a turbine and Pioneer High School is "really our last location."

"I think it's a same that East Lansing isn't going to put up a maize and blue windmill for us, and I mean that," Briere responded.

Council Member Stephen Kunselman, D-3rd Ward, said he was willing to support the project based on the fact that it's intended to be educational.

"This is just going straight into the school. It's going to run a couple outlets basically," he said, adding it looks like the turbine would be running about 30 percent of the time.

"Some of that time, there will be students in a class, as part of this educational effort, who will have the opportunity to look at a data center that shows its output, shows the wind speed, shows the generation, shows temperature, shows all the environmental factors of what's going on, and how much power is going into the school," he said.

Mayor John Hieftje said he hears the concern that Ann Arbor isn't the best location for wind energy, but he said it's also not the most ideal place for solar.

"And we see probably the largest utility in our state wanting to install solar here, and it seems to work fairly well" he said. "We have people who are putting solar on their homes."

Hieftje said he did a quick calculation and determined the turbine could offset the carbon emissions of about 16 houses the size of his own.

"I've never expected that this wind generator would generate a lot," he said. "I'm actually happy with 66,000 kWh, and I'm guessing that's probably a conservative number … so I think it is worth exploring this to the next stage and getting the public input and doing the environmental study."

Hieftje said he doesn't disagree with the professor's email, but it's worth pointing out the U.S. Department of Energy is interested in seeing the project move forward.

"I don't know nearly as much about this as they do, and I don't think anyone here at the table does, so I'm happy to follow the lead of the U.S. Department of Energy," he said.

"I think they're very well aware that it's not going to produce much energy, and it's always been about the educational component," he added. "It might be a real bonus for our high school kids."

Kailasapathy raised concerns about the potential for noise pollution and wondered if the turbine would cause headaches or other side effects.

Steglitz said those kinds of concerns could be examined as part of the upcoming environmental assessment. He said project officials will be visiting a college in Indiana with a similar turbine to figure out everything they can about its operation and its impacts.

The City Council voted in January to accept a $951,500 federal grant for the project. The $484,390 local match for the grant is made up of $18,590 in city staff and $465,800 worth of work provided by Wind Products Inc. for the equipment and installation.

As for the costs to own and operate the turbine, city officials said, those will be handled in the agreements among the parties, but there will be no net cost to the city.

• Read a history of the project

Ryan J. Stanton covers government and politics for AnnArbor.com. Reach him at ryanstanton@annarbor.com or 734-623-2529. You also can follow him on Twitter or subscribe to AnnArbor.com's email newsletters.

The cupola of University of Michigan's West Hall.

Mark Bialek

Another project will relocate U-M's astronomy department from the Dennison Building to the third and fourth floors of West Hall. The relocation will facilitate collaboration with the school's Center for the Study of Complex Systems and physics department, already located in West Hall.

To accommodate the department, crews will renovate 21,800 square feet of West Hall. The renovation of the two floors and moving expenses are expected to cost $5.5 million. The project also is expected to be completed in the summer 2014.

Both renovations are anticipated to provide 25 jobs.

The university's eight-member governing board is expected to approve the renovations during a 3 p.m. Thursday meeting at the Michigan Union.

U-M's Department of Architecture, Engineering and Construction will design the physiology department's new space, while Quinn Evans Architects will design the astronomy department's new area.

Kellie Woodhouse covers higher education for AnnArbor.com. Reach her at kelliewoodhouse@annarbor.com or 734-623-4602 and follow her on twitter.

American Broach has seen growth amid the economic downturn and the company is now seeking an abatement to assist its $1.4 million expansion project.

Daniel Brenner | AnnArbor.com

The Ypsilanti-based manufacturer American Broach is requesting a six-year tax abatement to assist in its ongoing $1.4 million expansion project, that will add 20 new jobs by 2015.

The Ypsilanti City Council will hold a public hearing and consider the abatement request at its Tuesday meeting at 7 p.m. in City Hall.

American Broach manufactures machines that create parts for the automotive, defense, train, aircraft and other industries. The company produces intricate cutting machines and was founded by Francis Lapointe in 1919 in Ann Arbor at the suggestion of Henry Ford.

Company president Ken Nemec previously told AnnArbor.com in addition to the $1.4 million to be invested at the new 42,800-square-foot facility at 535 S. Mansfield St., $200,000 will be spent to cover the cost of moving and buying new appliances.

The business is based at 575 S. Mansfield, but the company has outgrown the 22,580-square-foot facility. The company will still use the old facility, which it purchased in 2007 for $1.2 million from the Marsh Plating Corporation.

In 2011, the company requested a tax exemption to expand their building at 575 S. Mansfield with a 45,000-square-foot addition, but decided to purchase another location in the industrial park rather than build an addition.

In November of 2012, the company purchased 535 S. Mansfield to expand their manufacturing into this location, keeping the research and development and office area (as well as some production) at the 575 Mansfield address.

City staff estimates the total value of the exemption for six years is about $236,000. The amount of city taxes is estimated at $93,000.

If approved, this would not be the first time the company has received and applied an exemption. American Broach has received and applied for the following exemptions from Ypsilanti:

• In 2008, the company received an approval for an Industrial Facilities exemption for four years that provided a 50 percent exemption from personal property taxes related to the purchase of new equipment to expand the business. The expected savings to the company were about $450,000 over the four year period. The exemption has since expired.
• In 2011, the company received another approval of Industrial Facilities exemption for real property for a 45,000-square-foot addition to house the expansion of American Broach manufacturing as well as a research and development facility. This project was not pursued.
• In 2011, American Broach received approval for a PA 328 Personal Property Exemption for new personal property at 575 Mansfield as part of the expansion project. This exemption was approved for six years, and went into effect in 2012. The original estimate of the exemption was approximately $430,000.

Between 2011 and 2012, 14 full-time and two part-time positions were created. The company informed the city that additional jobs have been added since that time and an update will be provided at the June 18 council meeting.

Nemec told AnnArbor.com the average wages at American Broach are $20 per hour and $22 per hour for skilled trades. Employees receive full benefits.

"Today, we are a thriving corporation with a supportive board of directors and motivated employees with a sense of urgency driven by the excitement of our growth in the U.S. machine tool market," Nemec wrote in a letter to the Ypsilanti City Council.

According to Nemec, only 30 percent of the company's sales are outside of the U.S. and the auto industry accounts for nearly 65 percent of the company's sales. As the industry continues to post gains, the company does as well, Nemec previously said.

"That's why we bought the building," he said. "We're on an upward trend and the economy is going to build and people are going to be able to buy cars. I think over the next six or seven years, we're going to continue to see growth."

Katrease Stafford covers Ypsilanti for AnnArbor.com.Reach her at katreasestafford@annarbor.com or 734-623-2548 and follow her on twitter.

A rendering of the proposed Hampton Inn & Suites on Jackson Avenue in Ann Arbor.

Giffels Webster

Akram Namou of A&M Hospitality and Executive Hospitality wants to build a Hampton Inn at 2910 Jackson Ave., the site adjacent to his 163-room Clarion Hotel.

Ann Arbor City Council approved the Hampton Inn plans in 2008, and minimal site work was completed before financing issues stalled the project. The site plan expired in 2012, and Namou resubmitted it in early 2013.

City documents show the four-story, 72,000-square-foot Hampton Inn would include a workout facility and an indoor pool. Between the two hotels, there would be 337 parking spaces. The estimated cost of construction is $800,000.

Namou also is requesting a planned project modification to increase the maximum front setback requirement of 50 feet to allow a 72.4-foot setback from the north property line. When the foundation was poured in 2008, there was no maximum front setback requirement.

A pedestrian crossing is proposed on Jackson Avenue from the Hampton Inn site to Hilltop Drive. The Ann Arbor Transportation Authority plans to relocate a bus stop on eastbound Jackson to take advantage of the crossing, according to the plans.

Ann Arbor Planning Commission will consider the request at its June 18 meeting. Ann Arbor planning staff is recommending approval of the plans.

Related coverage: Hotel on Jackson Avenue: Developer submits site plan for Hampton Inn & Suites

View Larger Map

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.

With amenities like beach volleyball courts, game rooms and outdoor pools, these high-end student apartment buildings might seem more like a vacation than school.

Ann Arbor's 600-bed Landmark student high-rise has a movie theater, tanning beds and outdoor lounge.

Melanie Maxwell | AnnArbor.com

“As private housing developers try harder than ever to outdo the amenities that their competitors offer in college towns, concern is growing about the academic and social consequences of upscale off-campus student housing,” the report says.

In spite of the economic downturn, the student housing market in many college towns has remained strong and Ann Arbor is no exception. The downtown and near-campus apartment market has welcomed more than 1,500 new beds in the past several years. Meanwhile, approved and under-construction projects will result in an additional 1,300 beds in the coming years.

As housing competition increases, developers are looking for ways to set their buildings apart and attract tenants. Their conclusion? Amenities.

Downtown Ann Arbor’s flashy new student high-rise apartment complexes such as Landmark, Zaragon Place and Zaragon West are offering a wide assortment of amenities to attract tenants — even as rental prices reach as high as $1,745 per bed.

The question is, with services such as a movie theater, outdoor hot tubs and billiards tables, will academic importance fall by the wayside?

• Read the full New York Times report.

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.

According to a report from the Detroit Free Press, some of the women who worked at the plant during the war returned Saturday for the first time since it had ended.

The former General Motors facility in Willow run covers over 5 million square feet.

Daniel Brenner I AnnArbor.com

The Yankee Air Museum has launched a $5 million fundraising drive to save a small piece of the plant and convert it into a future home for the museum’s exhibits.

According to the Free Press story, the women recalled difficult but fair working conditions in the massive plant that at one point, employed 42,000 people.

Ben Freed covers business for AnnArbor.com. You can sign up here to receive Business Review updates every week. Get in touch with Ben at 734-623-2528 or email him at benfreed@annarbor.com. Follow him on twitter @BFreedinA2

"We're going to announce the development of new construction of affordable housing in Washtenaw County," Berriz said, citing a need by the everyday workforce for this sort of housing. "People don't realize how far out some have to live to work great jobs in Ann Arbor. One of the things I think is important is not to just focus on the homeless, but you need workforce housing, too. That's where we focus our energy."

McKinley Inc. has received more than $18 million in HUD loan financing for the Evergreen Apartments at 3089 Woodland Hills Dr.

AnnArbor.com file photo

Although Berriz didn't state where the housing would be, in April, he told AnnArbor.com that McKinley wants to build affordable rental housing on a vacant 4.47-acre parcel on South State Street. McKinley purchased the property about five years ago. It has a 2013 assessed value of $481,900, city records show.

Within its portfolio, McKinley has several affordable housing apartment complexes in the area and the company just received HUD financing for two of them. The Detroit office of Berkadia Commercial Mortgage helped closed the financing.

McKinley received $18.08 million in HUD loan financing with a 3.5 percent rate for Evergreen Apartments, a 477-unit community in Pittsfield Township at 3089 Woodland Hills Dr.

McKinley also received $11.2 million in HUD financing with a 3.5 percent rate for the Roundtree Apartments, a 228-unit community in Ypsilanti Township at 2835 Roundtree Boulevard.

The 35-year, fixed-rate loans will be used to refinance existing debt on the properties.

Berriz said McKinley has had a "very long-term relationship" with HUD.

"We have many properties throughout the country financed by them," Berriz said. "It's a more than 25-year relationship with them. They're a big part of what we do at McKinley."

McKinley and Berkadia have recently originated and together closed more than $200 million in HUD financings for various McKinley communities in various states including Illinois, Indiana, Florida and Michigan.

Berriz said a lot of the affordable housing discussion in Washtenaw County centers around homelessness and not enough emphasis on housing for people within the workforce.

Rent at the Evergreen Apartments ranges between $619 for a 1-bedroom apartment and $999 for a 3-bedroom apartment.

Tenants living in the Roundtree Apartments pay between $669 and $879 for an apartment.

McKinley was founded in 1968 and is headquartered in Ann Arbor. McKinley owns and manages more than 34,000 units and 21 million square feet of commercial space throughout 25 states.

Katrease Stafford covers Ypsilanti for AnnArbor.com.Reach her at katreasestafford@annarbor.com or 734-623-2548 and follow her on twitter.

Cleanup of a makeshift dump filled concrete, construction material and a variety of junk in Ypsilanti Township has begun.

Tom Perkins | AnnArbor.com file photo

• Previous story: Ypsilanti Township asks judge to address illegal dump full of concrete, construction materials

An Ypsilanti-based concrete company that dumped waste on another business’s private property in Ypsilanti Township is beginning a cleanup of the site.

The illegal dump was discovered earlier this year just south of Congress Street and east of Hewitt Road in Ypsilanti Township.

William Babut, an attorney for Hearns Concrete owner Shawn Bell, said his client was unaware that he was illegally dumping concrete, construction debris, broken down automobiles and other junk on the property.

Bell inherited the company from his father, Jerry Hearns, and the property was already being utilized for dumping, Babut said.

“I think that (Bell) was unaware of where the exact property lines were,” he said. “His father had some prior understanding that it was OK, so I don’t think Shawn did anything in bad faith.”

Piles of concrete as deep as four feet were found in an approximately 1.5-acre clearing on 17-ares of heavily wooded lot owned by Lincorp Holdings, a multinational land holding company.

Officials believe Hearns has been dumping concrete on the site for 10 years. Township attorneys are working to locate Lincorp, which has a last-known address in Toronto.

An approximately 350-foot driveway leads to the clearing. Bell’s uncle owns a house that shares the driveway and abuts the Lincorp property.

A driveway belonging to a relative of Hearns' owner leads back to the dump site in the middle of a heavily wooded area.

Tom Perkins | For AnnArbor.com

The township filed a lawsuit asking a judge to order the property cleared of the debris, and officials say they are pleased that Bell is already removing junk from the site.

“He is being very cooperative,” said township building director Ron Fulton. “We came to an agreement on what had to be moved, and he pledged to move forward as his time allowed. We’ll verify that he’s restoring it to original grade level.”

The cleanup effort comes as Hearns' city of Ypsilanti property was listed on the Washtenaw County tax foreclosure auction list. Babut said Hearns is now operating out of the company's Sumpter Township location and no longer uses the Ypsilanti location.

Fulton estimated the cost of bringing approximately 100 truckloads of concrete at 20 cubic yards per load and to a legal dump would be at least $80,000.

But Babut said Bell plans to dump the concrete at Hearns’ Sumpter Township property at 47690 Willow Road, which would significantly lower the cost of a cleanup. Hearns also has its own equipment and trucks to complete the job.

Babut said Bell plans to start removing the concrete and return the land to its original grade as soon as the site is dry enough.

“We spent a lot of time last week with the attorneys and township officials. Ron Fulton spent a lot of time going over the whole site, and it was a very positive meeting. The township understands he’s going to need a little time to do this,” Babut said.

Fulton said the current agreement gives Hearns 90 days, but the township is willing to extend the deadline if it looks like the cleanup effort is moving forward.

"I’m pleased that they are taking seriously and cleaning it up,” Fulton said.

Tom Perkins is a freelance reporter. Contact the AnnArbor.com news desk at news@annarbor.com.

The eight-unit building at the Woodcreek Apartments on Forest Avenue has not been renovated or torn down because it was at the center of a dispute over the insurance settlement.

The owner of the building, Ken Sharrock, received a $600,000 settlement from Hastings Mutual, but he and an insurance adjuster claimed they needed $150,000 more to bring the building into compliance with current fire codes.

Township Building Director Ron Fulton disagreed that the building needed to meet new fire codes.

To a degree, both parties agreed on what is damaged in the interior. Four of eight units needed to be stripped down to the studs. Six of eight trusses also were damaged. But Fulton''s assessment found no structural damage. He determined most of the damage is related to smoke and water.

The Woodcreek Apartments building on Forest Avenue will soon be torn down.

Tom Perkins | For AnnArbor.com

Sharrock and the insurance adjuster, Craig Trombley of American Adjusters, appealed Fulton’s decision to the Ypsilanti Township Construction Board of Appeals. The board ruled in the township’s favor.

Trombley and Sharrock then asked the State of Michigan Bureau of Building Codes to hear their case.

In the meantime, the township had filed a lawsuit with the Washtenaw County Circuit Court that asked a judge to order the building repaired or demolished because it sat vacant for so long.

The State of Michigan Bureau of Building Codes declined to hear the case until the lawsuit was settled.

Shortly after, the township received a demolition permit application from a demolition company on behalf of Sharrock. The permit was issued on June 6 and is good for 60 days.

The estimate for the job is $25,000, according to township documents.

Sharrock declined to comment until the court case is settled.

Mike Radzik, director of the township’s office of community standards, said the township has never received any indication that Sharrock intended to rebuild.

“In the absence of any firm plan to rebuild, the building needs to be demolished,” Radzik said, adding that the case would likely be closed after the building is torn down.

Tom Perkins is a freelance reporter. Contact the AnnArbor.com news desk at news@annarbor.com.

Algal Scientific chief science officer Geoff Horst shows off his beta glucan rich algae at the company's lab in the Michigan Life Science and Innovation Center.

Ben Freed | AnnArbor.com

Algal Scientific began in 2008 as an attempt to harness the power of algae to clean wastewater. Geoff Horst, a Ph.D. candidate at Michigan State University at the time, teamed up with two University of Michigan business school master's students and one U-M Ph.D. student to enter the idea into the DTE Clean Energy Prize competition.

The group won the competition — which included a $65,000 prize — and used the money to start Algal Scientific in the Michigan Life Science and Innovation Center. They planned to sell the leftover algae from their cleaning process as biomass for fertilizer and make approximately $500 per ton.

“It was a nice way to kill two birds with one stone,” Horst said.

“We could help solve company’s wastewater problems and have some value to the biomass we were generating and do it all in a good, ‘green’ way.”

Further testing on the species of algae they were using to clean up the water revealed it was worth more as a dietary supplement than a simple fertilizer. The algae were high in a sugar compound known as beta glucan that acts as an immune system booster.

“About a year and a half ago we realized that this beta glucan that was in the algae we were already using was very valuable,” Horst, now the company’s chief science officer, said.

“It is worth $20,000 to $30,000 per ton and at that price point were figured, ‘Wow, we can make a lot of money with this."

Right now, the most popular source for beta glucan is certain types of yeast that develop the chain of sugar molecules in their cell walls. According to Algal Scientific literature, when animals are fed the substance as part of their diet, “the immune system response to stressful conditions and disease is more robust.”

Some people believe there can be significant benefits to human consumption of beta glucan as well. The compound is available in a number of over-the-counter supplements — many of which claim to boost the immune system of users. Horst said further claims such as anti-viral properties have yet to be proven.

“Some of the opportunities on the human-side are pretty sweet but we’re focusing on the animal-side right now because it’s pretty straightforward,” he said. “The human applications are more down the road.”

Charlie Strauss prepares a sugar and water mixture to feed the algae at Algal Scientific's lab in the Michigan Life Science and Innovation Center.

Ben Freed | AnnArbor.com

“It turns out [they] really want it but it’s too expensive for them because of the yeast process,” Horst said.

“That was the 'ah-ha' moment for us. If we can produce this for a fraction of the cost, this is a good place to be in.”

The species of algae used by Algal Scientific is more than 50 percent beta glucan, while yeast has just 5 to 15 percent beta glucan content and requires an expensive process to extract the compound from the cell walls.

“Our beta glucan is stored within the cell and the cell itself is very digestible, so we just feed the algae straight to the animal and it doesn’t need further processing. It’s a very elegant process,” Horst said.

“It’s a unique species of algae, you probably wouldn’t encounter it in a local pond or lake, but it’s not genetically-modified. It’s a naturally occurring species, just not a very common one.”

As with the wastewater treatment, Horst has an altruistic motive to Algal’s new focus in addition to the profits it might bring in.

“My personal goal is that we eventually we could reduce the amount of antibiotics we use in animal production which is a huge societal problem right now in the United States,” he said.

“The vast majority of the antibiotics in America go into animals and the majority of those are given to animals that aren’t even sick… It’s creating new antibiotic resistant strains of bacteria that can be very dangerous. It will take some time but it’s great to have an opportunity to do something about it.”

As trials of their beta glucan product move forward, Horst and his co-founders Bobby Levine, Jeff Lebrun, John Rice are looking to find a new location to expand their production.

“There’s not much more science we have to do to be profitable, now we’re really in the 'ramp-up, scale-up' mode,” Horst said.

The company has grown to include nine full-time equivalent employees and has brought in approximately $1.5 million in outside funding, which includes $500,000 for winning the Accelerate Michigan innovation competition in 2012.

The company’s CEO, Geoff’s father Paul Horst, will be looking to raise a multi-million dollar funding round later this year in order to facilitate the move. Geoff said the fermentation process of the algae should allow for the company to rapidly scale-up and be cash-flow positive by the end of 2014.

“It’s a fairly efficient facility, and it will look a lot like a microbrewery,” he said.

“We put in a tank and then as demand increases we just add in the next tank, and the next tank. So the facility will be able to experience a fair amount of growth simply by adding capacity as we get more customers.”

Ben Freed covers business for AnnArbor.com. You can sign up here to receive Business Review updates every week. Get in touch with Ben at 734-623-2528 or email him at benfreed@annarbor.com. Follow him on twitter @BFreedinA2

It might seem like a simple notion, but there are a number of checks and procedures that have to happen along the food’s supply chain to ensure that it is not contaminated or otherwise dangerous.

NSF International director of supply chain food safety technical services Jim Bail with his award from Whole Foods Market.

Courtesy NFS International

“If you’re working with large multi-national companies, those guys have tons of resources and scientists and food safety experts,” John Burns, Whole Foods’ executive director of global food safety and quality assurance, said.

“But a mom and pop granola operation that’s located within a couple miles of a store and provides incredible products doesn’t have those mechanisms in place.”

To help bring their smaller suppliers up to code, Whole Foods sought out Ann Arbor-based NSF International, a public health organization that helps establish standards for safety in food, water and other consumer goods.

“One day out of the blue I got a cold call from [John] Burns. He had some questions about food safety auditing and that kind of thing,” NSF International director of supply chain food safety technical services Jim Bail said. “That was eight years ago.”

Over nearly a decade, Bail and NSF International have helped Whole Foods develop quality control mechanisms for their regional suppliers. On June 6, Bail was honored by Whole Foods with a newly created “Special Recognition Supplier Award.”

“We started giving suppliers awards a couple of years ago, and we started thinking about our service providers, the ones who partner with us and allow us to provide the caliber of products we want to provide to our customers,” Burns said.

“And the first person that came out of that was Jim and the work he’s done helping us with our supply chains… He’s not just a service provider, he’s helping us to solve the problems we have and the challenges we have in the organic industry.”

Bail said the relationships between he and Burns and the companies they work for have grown naturally over the years thanks to common concerns and ideologies and that the award was an acknowledgement of that connection.

“It was a real honor for me to receive the award. I admire the way Whole Foods goes about their business and we just appreciate the opportunity to work with them,” he said.

“They value innovation and they engage in a lot of fresh thinking. They’re very receptive to that sort of thing and I think that’s one of the reasons it’s been such a great working relationship with them.”

Food safety is not always seen as a realm with a lot of innovation, but Burns noted the same quality when asked to put a finger on what made the company’s relationship with NSF International, and Bail in particular, so unique and fruitful. “He’s a great innovative thinker, someone who truly understands the food industry not just from the big producer prospective but from the smaller and organic prospective as well,” he said.

Ben Freed covers business for AnnArbor.com. You can sign up here to receive Business Review updates every week. Get in touch with Ben at 734-623-2528 or email him at benfreed@annarbor.com. Follow him on twitter @BFreedinA2

Ypsilanti Township officials want the former Ypsi-Arbor Bowl brought up to code. It has sat vacant for more than two years.

Tom Perkins | For AnnArbor.com

The owner of the former Ypsi-Arbor Bowl property says the building will soon be torn down.

Ypsilanti Township officials received notification of Troy-based Frankel Associates' intent this week. The property is at the intersection of Washtenaw Avenue and Golfside Drive.

Paneling on the side of the alley has been broken and is now boarded.

Tom Perkins | For AnnArbor.com

On June 6, the township sent Frankel notice of a litany of code violations on the property and asked that it respond to a request to bring the 3.3- acre property up to code or demolish the building within 30 days.

Hard economic times forced the 38,000-square-foot alley to close after 40 years in business in May of 2011 and it has sat vacant since.

Issues range from cosmetic to potentially serious. Cracks are appearing in the masonry and the township asked Frankel for an assessment from a structural engineer.

The windows have been boarded for more than 30 days, which is the limit per township ordinance, and many of those boards are serving as a canvas for graffiti artists. Tall weeds are growing out of the growing number of cracks and potholes in the parking lot, and broken paneling on the building’s exterior have been covered with boards.

Officials are not pleased that a boarded up bowling alley has greeted motorists entering the township at the intersection of Golfside Drive and Washtenaw Avenue for the last two years.

Tom Perkins | For AnnArbor.com

“The building is classified as blight and the blight has to be abated,” Fulton said.

A Frankel representative declined to comment.

The property is being marketed for sale or lease by the Mid America Realty Group. No price is available on the company's website and it's vice president, Adam Goodman, declined to comment.

In June 2012, Frankel told the township a national retailer would present redevelopment plans to the Ypsilanti Township Planning Commission, but the retailer chose a different location.

"We want to see the property brought into code compliance by repairing or demolishing the building and cleaning up the grounds," Radzik said. "If the owner chooses demolition, I hope the property will be well positioned for redevelopment. It is an important gateway to the community with extremely high traffic counts and visibility."

View Larger Map

Tom Perkins is a freelance reporter. Contact the AnnArbor.com news desk at news@annarbor.com.

The Connector is a developing plan for high-capacity transit in an arc from northeast to south Ann Arbor, connecting major destinations — including downtown, the University of Michigan campuses and medical center, and other commercial areas. Download larger version of map.

Ann Arbor Connector

The workshop-style event is scheduled from 4:30 to 8 p.m. at the downtown library, with several opportunities for the public to provide feedback.

This example of bus rapid transit on 34th Street in Manhattan was included in a previous presentation on the Ann Arbor Connector.

URS Corp.

In early 2011, the city of Ann Arbor, the Ann Arbor Transportation Authority, the Ann Arbor Downtown Development Authority and the University of Michigan collaborated to complete a feasibility study that concluded a high-capacity transit service in the study corridor is feasible and that demand is sufficient to consider streetcars, bus rapid transit, light rail or an elevated guideway such as a monorail.

The project is now in the alternatives analysis stage, where community input is needed to determine a locally preferred alternative that will specify the type of transit technology (bus rapid transit, streetcar, light rail or elevated guideway), service levels, route alignment, station locations and costs.

Tuesday's workshop is open to anyone who wants to attend, including residents, business owners, and other stakeholders or interested parties.

The workshop agenda:

• 4:30-5:30 p.m. — Open House
• 5:30-6:00 p.m. — Presentation
• 6:00-7:00 p.m. — Breakout Groups: "Connect The Connector"
• 7:00-7:30 p.m. — Presentation
• 7:30-8:00 p.m. — Open House

The open house portion of the workshop will feature displays on the various modes of travel under consideration, as well as possible route options.

Project staff and representatives from the organizations collaborating on the project will be available to further explain the displays, answer questions and record comments.

The presentation will provide a brief overview of the project. The breakout groups will be an opportunity for the public to review segments of the Connector route and make comments.

This is the second in a series of public input opportunities, the first of which were held in December, and there will be additional opportunities later this year.

• Visit the project website.

Ryan J. Stanton covers government and politics for AnnArbor.com. Reach him at ryanstanton@annarbor.com or 734-623-2529. You also can follow him on Twitter or subscribe to AnnArbor.com's email newsletters.

John Fike will bike 450 miles this summer to raise $4,000 for EMU students.

“This year we got to thinking about where we wanted to go,” 70-year-old Fike said. “Bonita and I generally combine biking and vacation in the summer and we’ve biked some long distances. So I said let’s extend it, make it something of a challenge and see if we can raise some money for scholarships. At first it was just this crazy idea but the more we thought about it and reflected on it the more we wanted to do it.”

On June 29, Fike will bike 450 miles around Michigan in an attempt to raise $4,000 to help fund study abroad scholarships and help students start their fundraising careers by giving money to EMU’s nonprofit leadership alliance program. Bonita will meet him at stopping points along the way with their car and supplies.

Starting in Lansing, Fike will travel through Battle Creek, Kalamazoo, South Haven, Grand Haven, Big Rapids, Mount Pleasant, Bay City and finally Lexington where he will complete the 450 miles. Fike plans to finish his journey by July 13 or 14, which means he will be traveling between 40 and 50 miles a day.

“We have set aside five days of no biking,” Fike said. “In those five days we’ll be doing a little touring around Battle Creek, South Haven and then a day up in Big Rapids visiting state parks. We’ll take another day over in Bay City so we get to experience some tourism as well.”

In return for Fike’s long, winding bike ride across Michigan he asks those inspired by his journey to donate to one of two causes: study abroad scholarships or funding for the EMU nonprofit Leadership Alliance Program, which gives students real-life experience working in the field.

“I’m asking everyone to contribute to these two funds” Fike said. “I want people to know about the programs and I hope that the general public will have an interest in my trip, but more importantly the cause and that they will be interested in giving.”

Fike boasts about the exciting group of students he taught winter semester as he explains why he’s using his vacation time to bolster these two programs. He said he is inspired by his students because every one of them overcomes some sort of challenge to obtain their education.

“The best part about teaching at Eastern is being able to watch my students succeed even when they had to struggle to get there,” Fike said. “Many of them are married and have full-time jobs on top of taking full-time classes. It’s amazing to me to watch them balance it all and I want to support them any way I can.”

The education system leaves graduates in debt and it shouldn’t be that way, Fike said.

“So many students come out of their education now with so much debt, which is really one of the things that moves me to raise money,” Fike said. “I’d like students to get these experiences without having so much debt to deal with because of it.”

Students come back from studying in other countries with a stronger interest in what they’re learning and this shows through in their work, Fike said. He said he wants to foster experiences like study abroad because they allow students to grow.

“When our students study in foreign countries they come back with new knowledge, but they also change as people,” Fike said. “They’re more focused and more mature. They are more well-rounded in their understand of what’s going on around them and so one of the things I’ve been trying to support is students studying abroad.”

One of the courses Fike teaches at Eastern is fundraising. He said he wants his students to have the opportunity to learn outside of the classroom, but this sort of experience requires funding.

“There are often frustrated students who go out for their first job and are passed over for those who have more real life experience,” Fike said. “I want to be able to give them the experience to match their educational skills.”

Fike has been training since March for the bike ride he hopes will raise funds for two programs he believes to be important in personal and educational development, he said. You can follow his trip on Twitter @EMUjohnfike. Donations to support study abroad or nonprofit management training can be made online.

Chelsea Hoedl is an intern reporter for AnnArbor.com. She can be reached at choedl@mlive.com.

Christian and Amy Wilds opened Wildly Fit at 220 Felch St. in Ann Arbor.

Melanie Maxwell | AnnArbor.com

The husband and wife duo — both American College of Sports Medicine-certified personal trainers in the Ann Arbor area — opened Wildly Fit, at 220 Felch St., earlier this year. The studio celebrated its grand opening in early June.

“We always wanted to do this,” Amy said. “We jumped on this location. It’s hard to find outdoor space — especially connected to your studio.”

TRX Suspension Trainers hang outside Wildly Fit's new studio on Felch Street.

Melanie Maxwell | AnnArbor.com

Located in a former Ann Arbor Art Center building just north of downtown, Wildly Fit utilizes its 1,000-square-foot studio for personal training and group fitness classes. When the weather cooperates, classes are held outside on the property.

“Everything at this point is mostly outdoor,” Amy said. “We’re not afraid of a little rain.”

Wildly Fit specializes in TRX Suspension Training and Cardio Resistance Training classes, more commonly known as boot camp. The studio has elliptical machines, a treadmill, spinning bike, a FreeMotion machine, punching bag, free weights, kettlebells and other equipment.

“We have to be very creative in our workouts, because we don’t have a lot of machines,” Christian said.

“It’s a perfect location, because we have all these parks nearby,” he added.

Wildly Fit took over the space vacated by Pure Barre last year.

Melanie Maxwell | AnnArbor.com

Christian — who’s training a group of clients for a Tough Mudder race — said they will jog to nearby parks and run up hills and stairs.

Wildly Fit mostly offers one-on-one or semi-private training by appointment, but it also has 16 group classes per week, or a group — which must be comprised of at least five people — can customize a class. First-time clients can try a class for free, and the studio offers student discounts. It also plans to host a youth fitness camp beginning in July.

In the competitive world of health and fitness, Amy and Christian said they are finding their niche by solely focusing on providing one-on-one attention andy fitness training.

“We just want to be fitness,” Amy said. “That’s what we’re good at.”

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.

Main Street was not the gridlock of cars you might expect it to be from 6 to 9 p.m. on a Friday. Instead, energy-efficient appliances, eight-seat bikes and a solar powered concert filled the street for the 13th annual Mayor’s Green Fair.

More than 100 exhibits displaying environmental information ranging from "green" transportation to energy saving techniques lined the street.

“Ann Arbor has such an environmental ethos and this event really resonates with the citizens,” City Transportation Program Manager Eli Cooper said. “That’s why we get thousands of people walking around and learning about how to be more environmentally-friendly.”

A new addition to the fair this year was Arbor Brewing Company’s zero-waste beer garden, where the restaurant teamed up with the city to produce an exhibit that would not send trash to the landfills. The booth had a live band and beverages served in compostable cups.

“This is our first Green Fair experience and we’re really excited about it,” Arbor Brewing Company general manager Casey Hyde said. “Everything here is compostable or recyclable. We wanted to do our part and show people how easy it can be to be environmentally friendly and produce less waste.”

Also new this year was a refurbished railcar for people to tour. The railcar, which is proposed for the Ann Arbor-to-Detroit commuter rail service, was toured by more than 150 people within the fair's first hour.

“People love it,” said Alex Bourgeau , transportation coordinator for Southeast Michigan Council of Governments . “At least the people that have been here seem to like it a great deal. We wanted to be able to show people what’s going to be available for them.”

Ann Arbor resident Diana Bowman said she specifically came to the fair to tour the railcar.

“With the two decks it reminds me of the metra in Chicago,” Bowman said. “It’s exactly what I was expecting and it looks like they’ve done a good job.”

Several local businesses set up shop to show off products and services helpful in reducing energy use as well. Arbor Insulation explained their ‘fresh start’ program and how proper insulation can reduce energy use by about 30 percent.

“It’s a great way to reduce energy use, especially in Ann Arbor,” said general manager Rob Patterson. “So many houses were built in the early 20th century with little to no insulation. We’re a local company and we’re at the fair to get the word out and help people save energy.”

People and organizations in charge of the booths used demonstrations, product explanations and hands-on activities to teach people how to be more environmentally friendly.

DTE Energy informed citizens of the benefits of LED light bulbs and Energy Star rated appliances. They also explained their rebate incentives available to those who purchase Energy Star rated appliances and handed out mini lightbulb keychains to encourage energy saving.

“We just like to get out and talk to the customers,” said Todd Bondy, a residential lighting and appliance representative with DTE. “We want them to know we’re here for them and provide information on saving energy.”

Aside from vendors and booths lining the street, energy efficient cars we also in attendance for people to tour, including a hybrid bus.

Cooper said it is clear Ann Arbor citizens enjoy the fair for both the information provided as well as the atmosphere.

“It’s a celebration of life and it gives the citizens a chance to be in a car-free environment, walk around and enjoy Main Street and this beautiful weather,” Cooper said.

Chelsea Hoedl is an intern reporter for AnnArbor.com. She can be reached at choedl@mlive.com.

Restaurant patrons enjoy the nice weather and special meal prices on the last day of restaurant week.

Chelsea Hoedl I AnnArbor.com

Restaurant week came to a close Friday as patrons scrambled for reservations at the last eatery on their Ann Arbor bucket list.

“It’s a great way to try new food even at places you’ve been to several times,” said Shelly Baczkowski, an Ann Arbor resident. “Last year I tried The Melting Pot and really enjoyed it. I’m open to new things especially if it’s convenient.”

As the time to take advantage of the deals ran out, Baczkowski decided to pack three restaurants into two days — Mani Osteria and Bar, as well as Gratzi , for lunch, headed next door to Prickly Pear Cafe to cram in one last stop with friends.

“Mani was absolutely fabulous,” Baczkowski said. “The $15 I spent was totally worth it. I knew I needed to take advantage of the deals Friday too since it’s the last day.”

For NeoPapalis , this restaurant week experience was the pizzeria's first since opening in October. As far as his expectation for business during the week, owner Joe Sheena said he really wasn't sure what to anticipate.

“It went better than I had expected,” said Sheena. “I thought there would be an increase, but not to this extent. This week we’re up by about 30 percent as far as customer traffic is concerned — I would gladly participate again.”

Sheena estimated about 40 percent of the sales from this week were restaurant week specials.

“Our deals were pretty darn good and we exposed ourselves to a lot of new people,” he said. “This was a good thing for us and I was happy to participate."

Also new to Restaurant Week was Liberty Street's What Crepe? which opened in February and offered a special that allowed patrons to try both the savory, as well as the sweet items on their menu.

“Since we’re new to the area, we decided to prepare our menu so that people could try both parts,” manger Nicole Myint said. "That way they could get a feel for what our menu has to offer."

Myint said What Crepe? definitely will be participating again after seeing the results from this week.

“It’s been spectacular,” Myint said. “We were extremely busy. We literally had a line out the door this whole week for lunch and dinner. I feel like it brings in new customers and as a new establishment, that’s a really good thing.”

Jerry Krebes, manager of R.U.B. BBQ Pub on Packard Street said he recommends eateries new to the area participate in the promotion to let residents know what they're all about. The restaurant has participated in the event twice and Krebes says brings in people who might not normally give it a try.

“It gives people another reason to come and try you out if they haven’t already,” Krebes said. “We had a lot of people here this week who wanted to try us before, but didn’t give us a shot until now.”

Krebes estimated customer traffic increased by about 300 people and the restaurant brought in between $5,000 and $6,000 more than they would in an average week.

Arbor Brewing Company bar manager Ryan Luttermoser said events like this are especially appealing because of the across-the-board pricing for lunch and dinner.

“I think it gives people the opportunity to try all of the different kinds of Ann Arbor fare at a reasonable price,” Luttermoser said. “It brings out people who can’t normally afford it or who just haven’t tried it.”

Arbor Brewing Company has participated in Restaurant Week since it's first year and Luttermoser said they will continue that tradition

“We like to participate," Luttermoser said. "We like to be a part of the community.”

Chelsea Hoedl is an intern reporter for AnnArbor.com. She can be reached at choedl@mlive.com.

Ann Arbor resident Nick Tobier and his 3-year-old son Oscar board a recently refurbished railcar for the proposed Ann Arbor-to-Detroit commuter rail service on display in downtown Ann Arbor on Friday.

Ryan J. Stanton | AnnArbor.com

"It's fantastic, we love it," Tobier said, while Oscar offered a one-word review of the refurbished railcar for the proposed Ann Arbor-to-Detroit commuter rail service: "Good."

"We're really big supporters of public transit and anything that links Ann Arbor to Detroit," said Tobier, an Ann Arbor resident who teaches at the University of Michigan. "I work with schools in Detroit, so I'm in Detroit anywhere from three to five days a week, and I would be very happy not to drive.

Ann Arbor Mayor John Hieftje offers remarks at a special unveiling event on Friday while standing in front of the refurbished railcar.

Ryan J. Stanton | AnnArbor.com

Friday's unveiling of the railcar took place in advance of the Mayor's Green Fair in downtown Ann Arbor, and it marked the first-ever public display of the commuter railcar.

It's one of a number of railcars being refurbished for two proposed commuter rail services — the east-west Ann Arbor-to-Detroit line and the north-south WALLY line linking Ann Arbor and Howell.

Representatives from the city of Ann Arbor, Michigan Department of Transportation, Southeast Michigan Council of Governments and others were on hand for the railcar's unveiling on Friday.

Ann Arbor Mayor John Hieftje emphasized that Ann Arbor-to-Detroit commuter rail is the focus right now, and WALLY is something that might happen years down the road.

"WALLY is still a viable plan, but it is not my emphasis," he said. "It is not something I think is going to happen anytime soon, but I think it is something we will turn to at some point down the road, and it is probably a good thing to continue long-range planning for."

As for the proposed service between Ann Arbor and Detroit, Hieftje said he's expecting that to be a project that the new Southeast Michigan Regional Transportation Authority takes up.

"This isn't Ann Arbor's project," he said. "This is the state of Michigan's project. This is the Southeast Michigan RTA's project. And we're one of the willing participants — along with all the cities along the line. Everybody's enthusiastic about it. But we have no plan to put general fund money into this."

Hieftje said it's his expectation that the RTA will be the controlling organization if Ann Arbor-to-Detroit commuter rail service is going to move forward.

"This project is frankly going to need the support of the Regional Transit Authority that has just been made real by the state," he said. "We've been working with them and we will continue to work with them, and we are having some real positive conversations coming out of the work that we've been doing. And if it's embraced by the RTA, this can become a reality in a few years."

Hieftje stressed it's nothing Ann Arbor can do on its own.

A look inside the double-decker railcar that was refurbished by Owosso-based Great Lakes Central Railroad. The rail cars were purchased from the Metra commuter rail system in northeast Illinois before being refurbished. The new seating inside was done by American Seating in Grand Rapids.

Ryan J. Stanton | AnnArbor.com

"That is economic development and that is what can happen when you have a new rail hub established that has easy access to a major employment center."

SEMCOG Executive Director Paul Tait, who lives in Ypsilanti, said he commutes to work in Detroit and he'd love to use the proposed commuter rail service.

"We can feel it, taste it, and soon ride it, so I'm pretty excited," he said, saying it's getting "real close" to becoming a reality.

"In the very near future, we're looking at event trains that will help create the buzz for the service that we're talking about," he said. "Full service, we're probably yet a couple years off in the future."

He noted MDOT has secured hundreds of millions of federal dollars to do some major track upgrades that will make not only Amtrak function better, but also Ann Arbor-to-Detroit commuter rail.

"This has been a long time coming," he said. "Not because of a lack of hard work, but because there are just a gazillion that we all have to get through to make this work."

After calling Hieftje the "strongest advocate for rail probably anywhere in the state of Michigan," Tait went on to talk about the economic benefits of rail. He noted there are 10 different college campuses, as well as major medical centers, along the corridor.

"For the young knowledge-based workers that we need for the future success of our economy, transit — particularly rail transit — is at the very top of their list of amenities they want," he said. "So this is a huge step forward for attracting that worker of the future."

Tobier and his son get a feel for the seats inside the 124-seat railcar.

Ryan J. Stanton | AnnArbor.com

"The University of Michigan has identified 10,900 of their employees who live in a zip code along that rail line," Hieftje said. "In Ypsilanti, there are 4,000 people with an Ypsilanti zip code who work just at the U of M. This doesn't include the private employers."

Hieftje said the latest estimate he's heard is that it should be about another two and a half to three years before Amtrak trains are going over 100 mph all the way from Detroit to Chicago. He noted that will be on newly refurbished tracks with all sorts of places for trains to pass each other, and with MDOT and Amtrak in control of the track, it will become much more dependable.

"I don't know — maybe we'll see a doubling (of train ridership) in three or four years as people recognize it's dependable, it's fast, and it's a much better alternative to flying," he said.

Hieftje said the University of Michigan has pledged to be a partner as the city continues work on a new train station somewhere in the city, possibly on Fuller Road.

"And I want to be very clear, that is with 80 percent federal funding, which is a great thing, but the university is one of our partners in that and will help us to come up with matching funds," he said, mentioning MDOT and the Ann Arbor Transportation Authority as other potential partners.

Hieftje said he's happy with the pushed-back schedule the Ann Arbor Station project is on, because once Amtrak's new high-speed rail service is up and running on brand-new trains between Detroit and Chicago, he's expecting ridership to increase significantly. He thinks that will make it easier to sell the idea of a train station to Ann Arbor voters, who get to decide if the project goes forward.

A crowd of about four dozen people gathered for a special unveiling event Friday afternoon along the tracks next to the First and William parking lot.

Ryan J. Stanton | AnnArbor.com

AATA Chairman Charles Griffith reiterated on Friday that AATA has been a partner in the planning for rail service for the Ann Arbor community, though he said: "We're not yet a rail operator."

"But we clearly see rail as the next level of transit for our region, especially as more and more of our citizens come to expect modern, advanced transportation options as a basic service in the community in which they live," he said. "We see it as a key for economic development in our community."

State Rep. Adam Zemke, D-Ann Arbor, was among the crowd of about four dozen people who took a tour of the rail car during a special unveiling event Friday afternoon.

"It's very cool. The prospect of seeing commuter rail in Southeast Michigan is absolutely nothing short of awesome," Zemke said. "We all know the economic development benefits behind having rail, and bringing more people into Ann Arbor and giving people the opportunity go into Detroit cheaply, easily and efficiently is phenomenal. I'm absolutely excited."

Zemke has introduced a bill that would amend the state law that created the RTA. The purpose of the bill is to get rid of a clause that gives any one member of the RTA board veto power over rail.

"Basically right now, rail in Southeast Michigan is very difficult to get under the RTA because you have to have 100 percent unanimous consent of all board members," he said. "We introduced a bill to make it a simple majority, the same as other transit project decisions within the RTA.

"We think that's fair, and the bottom line is that will allow these other communities in the RTA — for instance, Detroit, Wayne County, Ann Arbor — to work together and do something that may not affect the other entities, but still definitely affects mass transit in Southeast Michigan."

A closeup view of the railcar on display Friday afternoon.

Ryan J. Stanton | AnnArbor.com

"It makes so much more sense than the bus rapid transit, which actually is very, very expensive — hundreds of of millions of dollars to install," he said. "The infrastructure for this commuter rail line is being paid for by the federal dollars."

Hieftje was adamantly opposed to having Ann Arbor and Washtenaw County included in the RTA last year, but that's no longer the case.

"What's happened is we've had some good conversations," he said. "We pushed our case. I'm accepting reality here. It's obvious the state is not going to let us out, and the governor is really behind the RTA, so we don't have a choice there. And since we are in the RTA, we want to do everything we can to make it a success, so we're very pragmatic about it."

Hieftje added, "I've had some very good conversations with leaders of the RTA, and also leadership in the other counties. I've met with people from Oakland and Macomb, and we've had some good conversations, and I believe there's some synergy moving forward."

This map was on display Friday afternoon, along with information explaining the 38.2-mile corridor would have five stations (Ann Arbor, Ypsi, Airport Connector, Dearborn and Detroit), with four daily 55-minute roundtrips (all during peak periods), and three roundtrips on Saturdays and Sundays. Coordinated bus services would be provided by SMART, DDOT and AATA.

Ryan J. Stanton | AnnArbor.com

Ryan J. Stanton covers government and politics for AnnArbor.com. Reach him at ryanstanton@annarbor.com or 734-623-2529. You also can follow him on Twitter or subscribe to AnnArbor.com's email newsletters.