Oak Park City Officials, 8MBA Staff and Trerice Employees Celebrate Trerice's Investment

The 8MBA Façade Improvement Program (FIP) is ready to finish 2014 in a flurry of activity, with one project completed and two more to go. Our three current projects, supported with just $25K in grants from 8MBA, the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan and MSHDA, represent well over $1M in private investment on Eight Mile. On September 24, we celebrated the completion of H.O. Trerice in Oak Park (a $100K project), and look forward to the completion of Advantage Health Center in Warren ($1M+ Project) and the start of construction for U.S. Ice in Detroit ($500K+ Project).

H.O. Trerice (Oak Park, MI): $10K FIP Grant, Over $100K of Private Investment

H.O. Trerice just recently completed a $100,000 restoration of their building that focused on restoring the building to its 1940s industrial grandeur. Renovations included: stripping and repainting all metal awnings; installing and repairing windows throughout the property to maintain a period look; a new front door and overhang; limestone restoration; and a spectacular new monument sign. Trerice also completely overhauled parking and landscaping areas with new parking surface, fencing and brand new trees and perennial plantings throughout the property. Project completion was celebrated with an official check presentation, attended by 8MBA staff and Chairperson Tracey Schultz Kobylarz, Trerice’s Jim Mackie and Dave Furgerson, Oak Park Mayor Marian McClellan, Oak Park Economic Development Director Kimberly Marrone, and Tom Woiwode of the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan.

Advantage Health Center (Warren, MI):  $5K FIP Grant, Over $1M of Private Investment

Advantage Health Centers' first location outside of Detroit is up and running with only final touches remaining before their facade improvement project is completed.  A complete overhaul of the building, with new storefront systems, landscaping, signage and substantial interior build-out represented a major investment in this Eight Mile property that formerly belonged to the H.J. Oldenkamp Company.

US ICE (Detroit, MI):  $10K FIP Grant, Approximately $500K of Private Investment

After significant collaboration between the property owner and the City of Detroit, U.S. Ice has been successfully rezoned and has received necessary approvals from the City of Detroit to begin construction on a brand new building next to their existing structure on Eight Mile, which has been the U.S. Ice headquarters for more than 20 years.  U.S. Ice's tremendous business growth left the company faced with the choice of expanding the current site or leaving Detroit.  8MBA was able to partner with property owner and longtime 8MBA member Saad Abbo to support the design, rezoning and construction approval processes to allow this intense, $500k project to occur on Eight Mile and keep this Detroit icon in the Motor City.  The new building will be unified with the existing structure by a common facade, which will make the property appear as one structure.  Additional improvements will include irrigated landscaping, new signage and even improvements to the parking lot across the street, which will trade its current barbed wire fence for a brand new masonry knee wall and landscaping.