Art, Placemaking, and a City Coming Alive — The Local Loop Ep. 10

Trevor and Dion are back after a long winter and they've got a lot to catch up on. From sandhill cranes and red-tailed hawks at Kensington to skiing Vermont and 3D printing rabbit holes, the guys ease back into the groove before diving into the real meat of this episode: what's happening in Farmington and Farmington Hills right now — and it's a lot.

First, they talk about the Make A Wave community glass art installation coming to the new Promenade Park in downtown Farmington. 672 hand-made tiles, inspired by the Rouge River, created by community members at Fired and Fused — and yes, Trevor and Liv made one. The goal? Connect Shiawassee Park to downtown in a way that's walkable, beautiful, and unmistakably Farmington.

Then they break down the Governor Warner Mansion renovations — a $1 million state-funded project that's been years in the making. Phase one tears off a crumbling 1960s addition and replaces it with a modern addition designed to highlight the historic mansion, not copy it. The long-term vision: weddings, corporate events, and a true destination venue steps from downtown Grand River.

From there, the conversation expands into what both cities are doing around placemaking and public art — including Farmington Hills' new public art ordinance requiring developers to include art on-site or contribute to a city art fund, a ban on new gas stations and car washes, $41 million in road investment, and a renewed focus on mental health police training. Plus: the DIA, Detroit's bankruptcy, and why you should absolutely be going to the art museum you're already paying for as an Oakland County resident.

Oh, and there's a big hockey announcement teased for next episode. Stay tuned.

🏡 Trevor Medema | Compo & Medema Real Estate Group comporealty.com

🔥 Fired and Fused | Downtown Farmington Glass Studio firedandfused.com | Make A Wave Project

🏛️ Governor Warner Mansion Info — City of Farmington website: farmgov.com

Whether you're a longtime local or just passing through on Grand River, this is the podcast for you. Stay in the loop.

Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:00

Trevor, oh my God, I haven't seen you in forever.

SPEAKER_00 0:03

Dude, it's been a long time.

SPEAKER_01 0:03

It's been a really long time. I'm really looking forward to this episode. We we uh catch up and we talk about placemaking, community building, and a lot. Actually, I this is a very art-centric episode. It is. I and that's one of my passions. So I'm really excited about it. Art and nature, dude. That's like you all day long. But and that's basically what we talk about this this entire episode. So uh yeah, no, I'm really excited to get into it and catch up.

SPEAKER_00 0:27

Oh, yeah. Enjoy, guys. Enjoy. What's up, man? How have you been, dude?

SPEAKER_01 0:32

Been busy.

SPEAKER_00 0:33

It's uh it's getting to be that time of year. That is, it has it has, I should say. I think uh I was I was literally just trying to remember the last time we recorded.

SPEAKER_01 0:41

Yeah, I was looking at notes and it was like pre-holidays. So we got some catching up to do.

SPEAKER_00 0:49

Not only that, but I just like sitting here in front of the camera, it's like, yeah, gotta bright the rust off.

SPEAKER_01 0:53

Yeah, we're just shake it, shake it off.

SPEAKER_00 0:56

So, what you been up to, man?

SPEAKER_01 0:57

Uh well, business is picking up. It's um, you know, the time of year where everything starts waking up and the plants start shooting out of the ground and the ants start coming out, and so phones have been a bit busier. I did some hiring this winter, which is cool. I I'm happy to still be growing a little bit right now. Um and been doing more back chamber stuff. I've been starting some personal projects. I started doing some vlogging of our outdoor adventures, like our birding and our fishing. Interesting stuff. Where have you been doing that at? Um we did we went to Kensington recently and we went to Mayberry State Park recently. So hitting the hitting the good stuff around us. Um I do really want to get like heritage, like maybe this weekend if it's nice enough.

SPEAKER_00 1:47

I haven't been, dude. I've only gone to Kensington, it's so bizarre.

SPEAKER_01 1:49

It's that's yeah, that's actually crazy because we got some good parks. Like, I I need to we have we do have the best like municipal parks. Yeah, yeah, for sure. There's a couple in Royal Oak that are pretty good too, but Farmington's are bigger and better, in my opinion. Um, but yeah, so just doing that, working on personal projects and trying to learn more skills and stuff.

SPEAKER_00 2:11

So this is the first year that I have like I should say week. My wife Liv and I have gone to Kensington like somewhat consistently, I think like once a week. Nice, we've gone and trying to get like four miles in. That's great. But this last half the lake, yeah, yeah, yeah. Exactly.

SPEAKER_01 2:27

Well a there and back kind of thing.

SPEAKER_00 2:29

But it's uh only the nature trails. Oh, we don't go on the the page. The circle, yeah, yeah, yeah. We got enough concrete elsewhere. Yeah, that's true. Um so we've been just sitting up the nature trails, and then just this past time I was specifically thinking of you because I felt like going around was we did the loop that goes around the lake where you halfway through you go up, no half, yes.

SPEAKER_01 2:50

So you go around the boardwalk and then you go around that you go up to the like on the back side and it's wooded, and there's like yeah, there's like valleys and stuff in there.

SPEAKER_00 2:57

And so the wildlife that I saw. Yeah I felt like I was at the zoo. Yeah, I saw is it the sandhill cranes that occupy in, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 3:06

They're coming in the dinosaurs, the dino birds, yeah. Um don't feed them, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 3:10

Don't peck your eyes out. Uh I saw turkeys and all but mind you, turkeys and the um what was the first one? Sandhill cranes. They're they were like so close, yeah, like five feet away. It's crazy. And then dude saw a red tail hawk eat a squirrel. Sick.

SPEAKER_01 3:27

Like it was there's uh there's a pair of red tail hawks that are kind of closer to the nature center. Um like in that open prairie space that they they do a lot of hunting in that area. Um, yeah, that those nature trails have a lot of really cool and rare birds too. Um the birds, dude.

SPEAKER_00 3:45

It's like they're like right there.

SPEAKER_01 3:47

Yeah, they just hang out.

SPEAKER_00 3:48

What's someone with the the little ones with the mohawk? The chickadees? Is that what it's or there's also Mohawk? They have a weird name color. Blue? I think they're blue. I don't know, but they're small. Nuthatch. Is that a nuthatch?

SPEAKER_01 4:05

So white and then like a black mohawk and like a gray body, like a grayish blue body, not hatch.

SPEAKER_00 4:10

And like they're always just waiting for you to feed them.

SPEAKER_01 4:12

Yeah, they like and they like those are the ones that like walk down the trees like they're going to work or something.

SPEAKER_00 4:17

Yeah, yeah. Um, but anyways, back to this this watching this hawk eat this squirrel, like rip it apart, dude. Rip it apart, and then it ends up so it ends up like essentially taking the whole body and just eating it. Yeah. And then, but the the craziest thing that I've never experienced before is Liv and I are standing there and it just like turns around and looks at us. I've never been intimidated by a bird before.

SPEAKER_01 4:42

I know, and like they have forward-facing eyes, so they're just like staring at it.

SPEAKER_00 4:46

Staring at me. Yeah, and I'd never been intimidated like a by a bird before, like that. And it was uh like it was genuinely like I felt like that bird was in it, like like X Games mode. Like, I don't even know what else to say. Like it had entered this, yeah, yeah, like like instinctual. I um it was crazy.

SPEAKER_01 5:04

I I think I prescribe that experience to like um we're uh us and like other apex predators like that, owls, hawks, wolves, those kind of things. Like they don't they they they like see us as equals, like we're not a threat to them. Seriously? Well, like okay, I'll use the example of the it the way it made eye contact with you. It wasn't looking at you like I'm gonna eat you, like I'm gonna eat you, or that I'm afraid of you.

SPEAKER_00 5:33

Right, it's like I know you're there, exactly.

SPEAKER_01 5:35

So it was acknowledging you, but like it doesn't think of you as like a threat to it necessarily. Like, of course, if you engage with it, it's gonna fly away. But in that moment, it's like not scared of you at all, at all. And so there's very few times, unless you spend a lot of time in nature, that people experience that feeling of of meeting an equal that isn't human. It's crazy. And so I that's a very common experience when I take new people birding, is they're like, Whoa, like that's it's so crazy to see apex predators because it it's I think it reminds us that, like, yes, we're human, but we're also a part of this thing bigger than us, and like yeah, if things want to like a red tail hawk could like mess you up, yeah. Yeah, and like it's we don't deal with that a lot, like being threatened in that way, so you have to kind of respect it and because it is that pinnacle and it's cool. It's it is cool, and it is gruesome, like no doubt. It's it's kind of crazy to see wildlife attacking and eating other wildlife, but uh it's also very like eye-opening, and it makes you appreciate like everything's gotta eat, everything's we're all part of this system that's bigger than us, and yeah, for sure. It's it's cool. I'm I'm glad you've been spending some time touching grass and getting out there.

SPEAKER_00 6:52

Talking about like touching grass, like getting some perspective, and yeah, and also too. I think this time of year everything is like still kind of dead. Yeah, nothing's bloomed. So, like like like little things that pop up, like a cardinal right now. It's like the cardinal looks so red, right?

SPEAKER_01 7:07

It stands out especially so because everything else is gray and blue. Yeah, I think it's cool, it is nice, and yeah, and it's I like I I built like this tracker using like bird migration data to like see of course you did well because like I want to know what things I want to look for at like okay, what do we when we go birding this weekend, what are we hoping to find kind of thing. And so, like over the next month or so, like every weekend or every week, there's gonna be new birds coming back, and so like that's got me pumped. Like, it's been a super long winter, and so I am really excited to get those friends back and and make me feel like it's in the spring.

SPEAKER_00 7:47

And that's cool. Yeah, I love that you love that. It keeps me going, yeah. For sure. We all we all need that, dude.

SPEAKER_01 7:52

What have what have you been up to besides that? Are you you working on personal stuff?

SPEAKER_00 7:56

Yeah, just you know, work has been it's been all right. It's it's been really odd this this first quarter, I think. Um, for obvious reasons, people are are hesitant to to move. Uncertainty makes people kind of hunker down. There's there is some uncertainty going on for sure. Um you know, we're still blessed. We have we have we have business. Good.

SPEAKER_01 8:16

Um yeah, kid, thank you. You took care of my my it was an honor. Yeah, uh those are my favorite ones. Trevor helped my my brother buy his first home, and I know that's a passion project for him is helping out first-time home buyers.

SPEAKER_00 8:30

So it's it's fun because it's like I feel like in all these other transactions, like first-time home buyers is the only time where you know you have to really slow the process down and explain things because they've never done it before. Yeah. And so I think, you know, typically you you have to remind people um b that have been through it, but it's they know, right? Because they've experienced it. But someone that's never done it, it's step by step explaining, you know, yeah, you know, this is what this is what an inspection period is for, and this is what we can ask for, this is what we can't, this is what em d is, you know, earnest money deposit, essentially like a security deposit, things like that. I just think it's so cool because um, you know, I think it helps keep me in check because if if if I'm just constantly processing, yeah, yeah, yeah. Like listings all day, and you're not having the situations where someone has no clue what's happening versus just you know trying, you know, obviously with with the probate, you're trying to get the most amount of money for someone's um you know, family home, but typically, but no, I really enjoy first-time home buyers because it's uh it keeps me a good good honest agent.

SPEAKER_01 9:36

Yeah, yeah, for sure. Well, no, I appreciate you taking care of my brother. And um, I know as far as as far as I heard and what where I was involved with, you made the process extremely smooth for him. And sweet, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 9:48

I know there was a little hiccup at the end, and yeah, um with the sink, dude. We go there for the final walkthrough, we turn this, we turn on the tub sink in the basement, and water just starts pouring out from underneath it.

SPEAKER_01 9:59

No, was it like the P trap or something?

SPEAKER_00 10:01

So this old sink, like the pipe that connects the drain in the sink is all in one.

SPEAKER_01 10:06

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 10:07

And so I guess when it got snaked out, not code anymore. Not coated anymore. It got snaked out, it got put back together. Well, it's like this old pipe, this old pipe from like the 60s. Oh, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 10:17

Shattered like so the snake, the snake when it was cleaning it out, I think.

SPEAKER_00 10:21

Well, that didn't get snaked, they unt they undid it to get the snake down. Uh yeah, so it was just brittle. And so, but we got it replaced for him and cool, yeah. All good stuff.

SPEAKER_01 10:29

Yeah, but now he's he's getting working on the floor and like doing some appliances. Yeah, I think he wants to try to be in probably by May, but we'll see. Yeah, it's a good timeline.

SPEAKER_00 10:38

Yeah, um, but besides that, I've just been had a really good winter of skiing.

SPEAKER_01 10:43

Oh, yeah, it was a great winter. It was for that. Yeah, you probably were having a blast.

SPEAKER_00 10:47

I did have a blast. We uh this is our first time we had um season passes in like forever. Uh so we had the season season pass at Crystal Mountain. Nice up in Thompsonville, yeah. And uh yeah, we I think I got like uh 25 days this year skiing.

SPEAKER_01 11:03

That's awesome for Michigan, actually.

SPEAKER_00 11:05

Yeah, well, and so that's there. We went out to Vermont for the trip sick. So it was, and that was that's always just a time, dude. Vermont's on the bucket list.

SPEAKER_01 11:14

I've got a friend in uh Burlington, and I really want to go.

SPEAKER_00 11:17

Burlington's sweet. I I just love Vermont because it's like it everything feels so local, dude, and everyone's like friendly. It kind of reminds me of like Gilmore Girls.

SPEAKER_01 11:27

Like, I don't know if you ever watched that show, but like Starz Hollow, small town. Uh Jackie's been watching Gilmore Girls. I've watched it like four times in the last three years. So like sticks out actually, downtown Farmington reminds me a lot of stars hollow, too. I could see that. Yeah. Um I imagine Vermont's just like entirely the whole state is like that.

SPEAKER_00 11:48

So we go out for because I drive a Subaru, a forester. So perfect for Vermont. Perfect for Vermont. So Subaru does this thing, it's called the Winterfest. Is it tours? So it tours around the US. Well, it starts in Vermont.

SPEAKER_01 12:02

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 12:02

I mean, it checks out, yeah. And so what it is though, it's it's this free festival that they put on um on the base of Killington, is Killington is the ski resort. Okay. Um, so there's like this this main area where a lot of the ones kind of funnel into with the lodge.

SPEAKER_01 12:19

Nice.

SPEAKER_00 12:19

And they literally put the stage out, all these vendors, live music, live bluegrass, dude. Sick. And like good bands, good stuff. That's cool. I mean, so one year, like there was street string cheese incident.

SPEAKER_01 12:32

Oh wow.

SPEAKER_00 12:32

Yeah, like that's like big bands. Yep. Uh the Mercury Brothers, who's a little lesser known, but a big bluegrass band. Um, there was a there's been a couple others, but like bands that go on tour. Right, right. That's for free.

SPEAKER_01 12:45

It's an event. It's for free, though. Yeah, it's an event.

SPEAKER_00 12:47

That's all so. It's just like great skiing.

SPEAKER_01 12:50

So did you go for that?

SPEAKER_00 12:51

Yes.

SPEAKER_01 12:52

Sick.

SPEAKER_00 12:52

And so we've gone, I think this is my third year going to this festival. And uh, yeah, it's just uh bluegrass, brews, and skiing, dude.

SPEAKER_01 13:01

It's yeah, that sounds awesome. Good way to like get through the winter.

SPEAKER_00 13:04

Yeah, yeah. It was a blast. And so it's on the list for next year, but nice, yeah. That's what we've been up to, man.

SPEAKER_01 13:09

Just and then and then do you did you hit anywhere else in Michigan or did you just go exclusively Crystal Mountain? Chris Crystal Mountain, yeah. Yeah, just maximize the pass.

SPEAKER_00 13:16

Oh, I know I did do Cabaret. Nice. So because we get one free day there, and I was up there for a buddy's bachelor party. Oh, okay. So we went that up. Nice. So it's just a lot of skiing, um, hanging out with family, all good all the good stuff. Nice. So now I'm just ready for spring. Yeah, hit the ground and get some work done. Get well, and uh, it's almost time to get back out to the the dirt tracks.

SPEAKER_01 13:41

Oh, yeah, the the other the summer events, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 13:43

The summer events, which uh it's all honestly, I could talk a whole episode.

SPEAKER_01 13:49

We should talk a whole episode. We should. Honestly, we should probably like go and like get some some footage. That would be sick, and then and then do like on the scene and then like come back into the studio and and recap it and it'd be we I'm gonna hold you to that now.

SPEAKER_00 14:03

Let's do it.

SPEAKER_01 14:03

I mean, I mean, I've got the my my winter projects has been working on my videography, so I've got all the equipment where we could take some uh some on-the-scene recordings, and you've been doing a lot of 3D printing too, right? I've been doing a lot of 3D printing, yeah. I got some 3D printers, um, kind of personal and professional reasons, uh, in the fall. And then I because I slow down in the winter, I like to work on my like workshop projects during that time, and then in the summer I'm out in the woods and fishing and burning and stuff. But yeah, so been learning how to use 3D printers, I've been learning 3D modeling as well, which is like a whole thing. Um, and so yeah, it's uh this winter I was very productive on my on my technology learning new stuff, which makes sense though, because it's like kind of the offseason for it.

SPEAKER_00 14:52

I mean, yeah, yeah, that's what I use it for. National winter time is just brutal.

SPEAKER_01 14:56

It is, uh, and then like for us too, like our our dog got sick and needed to have surgery this winter, so we were really cooped up because of that. Yeah, and then I feel like I was sick from like December through February, Sabrina winter, it was brutal. Yeah, I had like COVID and then like some like everyone got like this flu or something around Chris Christmas too. So like I definitely got that, and like I'm not I don't even go into like public either. Like, I we don't go out to eat, like I'm I don't do you're a fairly reserved person. Yeah, I I I hole up, I definitely hole up in the winter, so it's kind of confusing that I was still expecting it. Wait a minute, it doesn't make sense. What's happening? But um, yeah, so things are things are coming out, yeah. Um stuff is looking pretty. Like we're I know our garden is starting to bloom, and it's like parts of it are, and then parts of it just look horrible.

SPEAKER_00 15:45

Yeah. We have chives. The chives of chives are already up, yeah. Dang. We have we have got chives coming up, and then like like a nice tuft, like it's a lot of them. It's they're ready.

SPEAKER_01 15:54

I don't even know if that's a proper term, but no, it's like chives, it's it's probably like uh like onion, like wild onion. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 16:00

Um I love just pulling, dude. Pulling anything out of the garden and eating it, uh obviously it's it's the move. It's obviously instinctual to us. It is absolutely instinctual, yeah. But it it tastes superior, dude. Like a like a cherry tomato, like don't even wash it, dude. Like who cares if there's bird poop on it? I mean, let's be honest. We've ingested way worse. First, oh, I definitely put way there's no visual poop on this tomato.

SPEAKER_01 16:24

It's fine. Out of sight, out of mind. Yeah, exactly.

SPEAKER_00 16:27

It doesn't hurt me. Um, but we've got we've had a lot going on in Farmington and Farmington Hills, yeah. Um, which I feel like that was the biggest thing when we were getting ready for this podcast. We're like, oh my god, what are we talking about? We could make this like a two-hour podcast.

SPEAKER_01 16:39

We really could. It might, it might even hopefully it doesn't turn out to be, but it might be. Um, but yeah, so like we recently had state of the cities, and and it seems like both cities want our are very forward-looking right now, and like doing improvements and and you know, announcing their big projects and all of that. Um, I know you had some stuff you wanted to talk to about Farmington, and then I found some stuff about Farmington Hills, and and they all kind of relate. So I guess you know, the overall theme of this episode is like art and community building, yeah. Improvements and improvements and stuff like that.

SPEAKER_00 17:16

You know, Farmington has recently uh I think released, you know, sp some like just brand new things that haven't been released, but also um I think improving specifically. Um we're getting a park that is the promenade park. It's gonna connect the the new townhomes.

SPEAKER_01 17:35

Well yeah, weren't they supposed to do like a pond or something like that?

SPEAKER_00 17:37

Yeah, yeah, something like that. Some sort of water water wall. So what they're actually doing, um, and they've teamed up with Fired Infused, which is like this glass fusion studio, about to be glass fusion. I think glass fusion.

SPEAKER_01 17:49

I was just saying they just put in a blow, uh like a huge kiln kind of thing.

SPEAKER_00 17:53

Well, they just bought like the other half to their um their space because it's like a two-unit.

SPEAKER_01 17:59

Yeah, it was straight. They were split in half, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 18:01

And so they just bought that. That's gonna be the glass blowing, and I think a couple other things. Awesome. Um, so what what we're actually doing now is this community initiative where anybody could have done this, but it's a a three by six-inch tile cool that you go in there, decorate, and that it's glass fusion, so you're overlaying pieces of glass to make a design, and so they're they're making this wave that is gonna go across. I don't know how long it's gonna be really long. I know that because there's a bunch of pieces. 672 tiles, yeah, a lot, yeah, and it's gonna be a wave, and there's two different colors, so it'll be really cool. But all these community members have you know donated the amount of money, I think it was like$50 to make a tile cool on that's gonna like it's helping build this this this art, this piece of art. Cool, and we're gonna have it forever. The only thing up in the air is is like we're like hoping, you know, no bad actors, because it's glass, right? This means glass walls. So um I don't think I don't I think it's just a worry. Not I I wouldn't no, I think it'll be fine. I think we'll be fine. I think it's gonna be sweet. I think Farmington has a good level of civic pride that like there's not gonna be problems, and so uh I think that's gonna be a really cool feature, uh feature in our in our downtown that it's definitely sums up, I think, what Farmington is, which is like this community.

SPEAKER_01 19:21

The renderings of it look awesome.

SPEAKER_00 19:23

And so if if you guys want to see, because I do a mid job of explaining what this thing is, so Fire Infuse actually has a tab on their website. Um that is this, it's uh I think it's literally just titled The Glass Wall. Um, so you can go on there.

SPEAKER_01 19:38

I would just we can probably just have have it pop up, like just a photo on the video. Yeah, let's like what the rendering, yeah. Yeah, but since they already have to edit uh this episode, we'll we'll have them throw in the rendering too of what this installation looks like because it is it looks awesome, and that'll be really nice connecting Grand River to those new townhomes. And I I love that they're like even putting that in and making it walkable to begin with because like that is what younger people want, right? Is is walkable neighborhoods, so third spaces, right? Yeah, third spaces, yeah. I mean, that was really how we started podcasting talking about third spaces, and this is one of those. Um, and just reading through the downtown Farmington Facebook post, where I believe they copy and pasted from their website. Um what is make a wave? Which it's called like make a wave glass mural. Okay. Um the stunning glass installation is inspired by the movement of the Rouge River, which is that's right, awesome because like that is honestly a very important part of Farmington and Farmington Hills, is the Rouge River and all of its little tributaries and stuff like that. And honestly, on the back side of those townhomes is Shaywassee Park, which the Rouge River runs through. So it's cool that you know they're making it really part of the identity of of the city.

SPEAKER_00 21:02

I feel like the big picture of of this is that um for those of you that haven't looked at like the master plan for Farmington, which um is available on the Farmington website, they're they're gonna be redoing the access to Shiawassee Park. Yeah, and that's on both ends, right? On both ends, right? Yeah. And so um, I think this is really they're really the the goal is to to try to connect Shiawassee Park to downtown more um with installing like an ADA ramp that goes up that's like a switchback.

SPEAKER_01 21:34

Oh, sick, instead of like the tallest staircase you've ever seen.

SPEAKER_00 21:38

Yep, and they're gonna rework some of the baseball fields down there.

SPEAKER_01 21:40

Yeah, aren't they putting in? I think they're putting in like a like a I'm gonna call it like a tranquility pond, but like I think it's supposed to be like a pond with landscaping and like flowers and what do you want to say? A retention pond? No, well, I mean like like fundamentally, yes, that's probably what it what its purpose is, but like they're gonna beautify. And make it like this entrance. Like that's gonna be sweet. Yeah, it'll be that reminds me a lot of um my my partner Jackie is from Rochester Hills. And so like the municipal area of Rochester, like downtown Rochester, has the they have the Paint Creek that runs through, which is very similar, except there is trout in there, which is sick. That is sick. Uh I would love to have trout in the roof. Like that would be awesome to have trout in the roof. We have a bunch of ducks. We a bunch of ducks, a bunch of ducks and a bunch of like uh little uh gobies. But um we're lucky we have fish. Yeah, we're lucky we have fish in the rouge, all the all the industrial waste over the years, yeah, for sure. But um they have a really cool pond, like right next to their, I want to say like police station and city hall in Rochester, and it's beautifully landscaped. They have flower gardens, and then they have a park that you can walk along all the paint creek and get in and out. And I see people let their dogs in and out, like at the pond and stuff too. And it's cool, and so I'm glad that we're getting it on this side of town too. We need it stuff.

SPEAKER_00 23:03

I think will be a massive improvement. And yeah, I mean you look at Brighton, Brighton's the same way. You know, I haven't checked out like downtown Brighton.

SPEAKER_01 23:10

It's all right. I I hear it's all like I have friends who love it and like say it's different.

SPEAKER_00 23:14

I think I'm uh we're obviously partial because we have Farmington, right? But there just really isn't a downtown that feels quite as local as Farmington does. And I think it's that's very purposeful. It's a small town, yeah. I think that was done on purpose. Yeah, um, but you you kind of you don't get that same feel you go to you go to Brighton or you go to, you know, I think I think Fenton is is a is a nice resemblance. Oh, and yeah, okay. Because they I feel like they they have a lot of small business. Um yeah, that's really what I love about downtown Farmington, is it's so small business.

SPEAKER_01 23:45

It is so um so it seems like if they want it to be, they want that that promenade park to be opened by like founders fest, is my understanding.

SPEAKER_00 23:53

I believe so. Yeah, but you know how construction is. You never know.

SPEAKER_01 23:58

You never know. You don't know until you know if we get a ton of rain over the next couple months, it might get delayed. Um, but yeah, it's definitely it's gonna create visual appeal of that area. Um I I really enjoy the community engagement aspect where like residents and business owners and all these different people were encouraged to take part of it because like that helps people feel ownership over their town too, which is really important. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 24:25

Um Liv and I have a tile. We made one.

SPEAKER_01 24:28

Oh, cool.

SPEAKER_00 24:29

We did.

SPEAKER_01 24:30

I actually I think I remember you telling me that you did that. Uh, what did what did you like? So, what was the process of the tile making?

SPEAKER_00 24:36

Like, for people who have never gone to Fire Infused or don't know what that is, so you start with your base tile, right? So meant so three by six for this instance, and what you do is is you use like this aloe, it's like I think that's literally just aloe vera as like this glue because when it dries, it gets like slit just hard enough that it holds the pieces in place.

SPEAKER_01 24:58

But when it goes in the kiln, yeah, it burns off. Interesting.

SPEAKER_00 25:02

And so you're literally like using this essential, we'll call it glue aloe vera, um, to put these pieces down and stack, and you can only go like three pieces high. Yeah, so you have to be really strategic on like how you do it and triple and stuff. Okay, and so uh I definitely was just told what to do. I was not the a big design factor. You were you were uh a shop hand, yeah. Shop hand. I was essentially so chef. Yeah, so chef. Uh and yes, chef. Yes, chef, exactly. Um, in the best ways. Um and so what we ended up doing though was we did a coffee cup and a music note because we love to go to the coffee shop. Nice, yeah. Strong control. Yep. Uh is kind of where we're where we go. And then um, we love the the the music in the parks, man.

SPEAKER_01 25:46

I was gonna say, yeah, in Riley Park on the in the summer. We need to I Jackie and I are gonna be more deliberate about I think on Friday afternoons, like after work, like spending a couple hours in downtown Farmington. We should do it, dude.

SPEAKER_00 25:57

We should like grab a drink before. I always like what I do is Liv and I will like go either to the coffee shop or FBC, Farmington Brewing, and we'll have a drink, and then I'll buy a four-pack and then take it over.

SPEAKER_01 26:11

Take it to the park.

SPEAKER_00 26:11

Right. And if you get there at a decent enough time, like you can don't have to bring a chair, you just grab a bench.

SPEAKER_01 26:16

Grab a bench or grab a table. They have tables set up there, too.

SPEAKER_00 26:18

They do. Yep. They have some some high top and low top tables. Yes. Um, but it's just like it's I don't even care what the music is. Right.

SPEAKER_01 26:25

Honestly, it's just it's really cool to have that amenity though. It is. And then we're like write it in your backyard. 100%. That's awesome. Um, and so that is an example of like an intentional, like, not just what we're talking about here is like this art adds to the placemaking of downtown Farmington. And so this Wave project is an example of a city not just trying to fill storefronts and like, yes, that's important for a city to build a tax base and and to give people reasons to come to the city, but people don't go to an area just to go shopping, they also go to hang out and to see live music and to be in an area that feels nice and cultured and and keeps them there. And so I think connecting Shiawassee Park to downtown will help encourage more traffic to the city. Or to and not that downtown Farmington has a parking problem, like depending on who you ask. Yeah, but I don't think it does.

SPEAKER_00 27:28

But I just think it's more of less people when it's when it's busy, it's when it's not laid out in front of you. People are like, there is no parking. Right. When in fact it's like, no, there's a bunch of public lots that go unused and are free. And are free. And it's literally on any given Saturday, a prime example. There's a lot that's right behind CVS on State Street. Yeah. And that's a public lot.

SPEAKER_01 27:52

Yep.

SPEAKER_00 27:52

And it is a two-minute walk from the market. Yeah, it's so easy. Like people walk further parking at the lot that's in front of Sidecar Slider Bar to get to the market rather than there. It's closer to park at this other lot, but it's never used.

SPEAKER_01 28:05

It's never used. I know. I I typically typically go like behind Picornera and the pharmacy and stuff back there because like there's always spots back there.

SPEAKER_00 28:14

There's always spots. So no, I I do not think we have a parking problem.

SPEAKER_01 28:18

No, but for people who do, this that will help give them another option. They could even park at Shayawassee and walk it before they get up into downtown and do what that whatever dinner, drinks, whatever. Um and so, like, do you think do you think like projects like that will encourage people to stay in the city? I do.

SPEAKER_00 28:37

I think that any I think people come even just driving through and they're gonna see this promenade park with this even at nighttime illuminated glass wall. Yeah, it'll be sick. And they're gonna say, this place is sick. Why have I not been here? Um, and I think this is a perfect segue to to talk about um the the improvements they just released that it's gonna be done on the the governor Warner mansion.

SPEAKER_01 28:58

Yeah, yeah. Tell it tell I know you were fairly involved with the governor mansion or later.

SPEAKER_00 29:04

Yeah, so I so we so as you guys know, um my team puts on holidays, which is the the holiday time festival, one day festival uh that happens at downtown Farmington's been going on for a while. We just happened to pick it up um to just to help out, help with the community. You guys promote it, yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah, and um and so we each year, this is our second year, have you started to use the governor Warner Mansion a little bit more? So the first year we just did the tree lighting, um, and then that was really it. We were done with it.

SPEAKER_02 29:39

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 29:39

The last past year we did the tree lighting. We actually we spent a little bit more on on visual lighting and audio. And so we we let we up did a lot of up lighting on the the Warner Mansion, um, just to kind of make it a vibe. And we actually did something inside the mansion for our guests after, yep, uh, for our clients. I mean, and uh really kind of had this epiphany of like, oh my gosh, we have we have this home in Farmington, this was museum, yeah. Um, that really kind of has been, I don't want to say squandered because I don't think it's neglected. Yeah, I don't think it's really anybody's fault per se. No. Um, but it's it's kind of just it's waiting to be picked up, yeah. Right. And well, a little that I know that's not the case at all because we after having this event, we're like, we need to get more involved with the Governor Warner Mansion. What can we do as um a community to help lift this this home? And so we became a part of uh the the Friends of the Governor Warner Mansion, Friends of the Mansion, um, that works in tandem with the historical farming historical commission. Turns out there's been um people at work uh this whole time with the mansion trying to secure some funding to be able to grant funding for I think it's at the state level that they're even trying to get funding.

SPEAKER_01 31:00

They are, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 31:00

Yep. And so what's been going on with the mansion kind of uh in this time period is there's this edition that was built. Um I want to say it was in the 60s, but I'm not 100% sure uh what specific year it was built. But it's essentially it's falling off of the mansion, like it's separating, like there is a separation in the wall where you can see outside. Well, that's and so and it's because it doesn't have a proper foundation when it was built. So essentially what's being done um is they're tearing off this addition um and they're rebuilding one.

SPEAKER_01 31:33

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 31:34

So they're rebuilding one that's essentially gonna take the place of it as far as how big it is. Yeah, but what they're doing uh is is they're also modifying some of the rooms inside to make them larger to accommodate larger events.

SPEAKER_01 31:47

Ah, so so essentially they're they want to utilize this space as more of an event space and make it more usable. Oh, wet with the yeah, that makes sense.

SPEAKER_00 31:56

The big pictures weddings, and this is the this is the most exciting part for me, um, because what's been released so far, which is um the tearing down of the edition, rebuilding the edition, and I think there's gonna be some um a beautification to like some of the landscaping um as well. That's gonna be a part of this first phase, um, which you can see the renderings, they're they're they're all over the place. Farmington website, yeah, farmington uh city Facebook.

SPEAKER_02 32:21

Yep.

SPEAKER_00 32:21

Uh we reposted, we reposted it and kind of did our own uh post as well. Um, so you can check out the compo and metamore real estate group Facebook pages, uh has some info about it. But um it's it has it's a really cool concept because uh Steve Schneeman, who's been a part of city council, mayor for Farmington for quite some time, um, has done these designs at no cost, as you almost have to in that position, right? But still doesn't take away the fact that he, you know, his firm is doing it, which is so cool that he's doing it for no cost. Um and it looks sweet because it's taking on this almost like a European theory of uh of what they're doing with a lot of uh really old museum like historical or historical preservation where they're purposefully making it look not like the mansion. They want it to look to highlight the historic aspects of it. Yes, cool, awesome. And I think that that theory is so cool to me.

SPEAKER_01 33:18

Yeah, no, that makes a ton of sense. Um, yeah, that's awesome. So, so this new addition is is not they're not gonna try to make it look the same. No what you're saying.

SPEAKER_00 33:27

They're specifically making it look abstract so that it doesn't pull away from the the mansion's architecture, right? Just what it is, it's only gonna highlight it.

SPEAKER_01 33:36

That's awesome.

SPEAKER_00 33:37

Um, and so and this is just the first phase. We have all these other phases in the works, you know, that I don't want to say too much because I think a lot of it's left up um to to to decision making based on what what funding can be secured. Um, but there's this big picture for the for this whole property, you know, the the city acquired um the Scientology property, the Scientology Church property right next door. They tore that down. So they're gonna be utilizing that property as well for the the mansion parking because parking's always been an issue.

SPEAKER_01 34:08

For event, yeah, because up on that part of Grand River, there's really not a lot of municipal lots or anything.

SPEAKER_00 34:14

But just think one thing that I know I can say is the end goal for this is to make this property a destination for weddings, for corporate events, for for any for a variety of events, um, you know, community members, as well as bringing people in from outside of our community as a real highlight. And I mean, just think about weddings you've gone to where the venue was adjacent to a downtown. Right.

SPEAKER_01 34:36

You're all up in that downtown. Right. You would you would support the local businesses, you'd you'd go out for drinks after before, whatever. Um, and then also it keeps you coming back to that town too, because you have the memories and you have that connection to that space. It keeps people here. Um, that's really smart. Yeah. Um, yeah, I'm just looking through uh the the Farmington government website and um yeah, definitely see like some background on the funding on this because it is thank you interesting.

SPEAKER_00 35:08

Deanna always picks up the details.

SPEAKER_01 35:09

I'm just like your big picture. I like I'm give me the details. No, I think people appreciate that. Um so yeah, it's the the the mansion's like 150 years old. Uh was built in 1867. The city um got ownership of the mansion in the 1980s because the descendants of Governor Warner donated it to the city. Um, and so the project is gonna be starting in the next month or two, is what it sounds like. And like you said, it's a multi-phase long-term plan. Um, the first thing to be addressed is the house itself because of the things that you mentioned. The backside falling off is a huge problem. And of course, that's gonna lead to water leaks and other problems that will mess with the structural integrity. So, like, you want to address that as soon as you can.

SPEAKER_02 35:56

Yep.

SPEAKER_01 35:56

Um, and the additions that were built on the back to make it usable at the time included bathrooms in a kitchen. Yep. That's what's back there, and that's what's back there. And so not only are they going to be um ripping that off and and making it modern and new, like I think that's really smart, especially if you are trying to turn it into an event space that needs to serve a hundred, two hundred people. Yeah, you're gonna want some modern amenities in a kitchen and space and bathroom spaces for stuff like that. Um, so that makes a ton of sense. Um yeah, they said the new addition won't match the painted wood, whitewood siding, and that's the point. Um, rather the quote is rather than build something faux historic, the goal is for the addition to fade into the background so the historic house remains in focus, which is sweet. Sweet. Um they're making interior modifications for flexible space for seating, which for a large is there is there uh the funding amount on there for the first phase?

SPEAKER_00 36:55

I want to think it was it's a million dollars.

SPEAKER_01 36:58

Million dollars, and and the funding was secured by our uh uh state legislators. So Mary Kavanaugh, Jason Hoskins, and Kelly Breen. And actually, this goes back to 2023, they secured a state level grant appropriation, and the city has until the end of this year to spend that money, which is why we're seeing the movement on this now.

SPEAKER_00 37:22

So, really, and in the grand picture of it, we came in at the last minute and they're like, get to enjoy it.

SPEAKER_01 37:29

Yeah, no, see, like, yeah, the very passionate people have been working on this for for a couple years now, and so it was a million-dollar grant from the state um to preserve the historic home and and make it usable and to give it purpose. Um the quote from uh Farmington Mayor Joe La Russa Um, that the he said uh the goal is to activate the mansion as a living community space, place where programs, gatherings, and events become a part of everyday life in Farmington. Yeah, just like our library or Riley Park. Uh, the mix of history and the future is Farmington at its best. And I think that's a great quote. Um, because there is Farmington does have this mix of like new development, new business, and also keeping the historic aspects of it and and educating people on the history and not forgetting your roots. Can't forget the Quakers, can't forget the Quakers. Um phase two, so these two phases, to my understanding, will depend on additional funding. They will. Um, but phase two, they're actually going to focus on restoring the carriage house, which is nice. The big barn in the back, the big barn, the carriage house, the garage, whatever you want to call it. And then phase three, which honestly, this will probably be the one that if if we do get funding for it and and they do get to execute on it, will be the thing that has probably a significant impact, but it's like glass-walled indoor-outdoor pavilion, landscaping improvements, and updated to the adjacent owned city lot. So parking and green space and that kind of thing, that will tie it all together and turn it into that destination.

SPEAKER_00 39:07

Yeah. And I think too, once phase even phase one is done, yeah. I was gonna do that. I think just the use of it is going to um play such a big role that we don't know yet and in the funding for the future phases. So I uh I think it's an absolute improvement uh to our city. And i I think it's really it excites me as a resident of Farmington. Um, and I and and furthermore, I'm really satisfied with the leadership in our city. Um, just from I think as a citizen, just outside picture looking at what improvements have been done to the downtown area, all these parks, third spaces um that we want, we're getting. Yeah. Um, and it really feels like we're being heard. So it's cool.

SPEAKER_01 39:51

It's like refreshing to have all of these different parties working together towards a shared goal.

SPEAKER_00 39:58

Oh, you mean a nonpartisan board actually looking like a nonpartisan board?

SPEAKER_01 40:02

Yeah, yeah, like getting stuff done and like benefiting communities. It's it's refreshing uh because we don't see that a lot. No, we don't. Uh and so we're very fortunate to have, you know, despite everyone's got their personal opinions and what they would like to see the direction of this go, but ultimately all these people are still working together towards a shared common goal to make the place better. Yeah, super cool. We're very lucky to have we are. Um, looks like they they really want to try to get this done by the end of 26 or possibly 27 on the main house. Um, and so I guess stay tuned for updates on this because it's gonna be really exciting. So it like they are really trying to turn the downtown Farmington, and and actually we'll get to this probably in the next topic or two, but like that whole Grand River corridor, the backbone of both of the cities. Um, they're they're putting a lot of fo that seems to be the focus of to two city governments is to really restore that corridor and turn it into a destination.

SPEAKER_00 41:01

Well it's so heavily used, right? And I think for the longest time, because it's fallen in this area of is it Farmington, is it Farmington Hills? It's really it's kind of like a di dissector of both. Yeah. Um, that it's been in a lot of senses forgot about. And yeah, I think up until a year ago, I feel like one day I was driving, I'm like, oh my gosh, there's no trash. Right. Our our these these medians aren't littered with garbage. Right, right.

SPEAKER_01 41:31

And there's even that deliberate effort to like take care of this space again.

SPEAKER_00 41:36

Because up until it was like knee-high grass, like strewn with trash.

SPEAKER_01 41:40

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 41:40

Like that's what was the medians. And so, yep, um, and I know we had Teresa on Mayor Rich, uh, and she kind of was like the first time I heard about this project.

SPEAKER_01 41:51

Yeah, that me too, actually, like the the the directed efforts for it. Yeah, yeah. Um, which you know, I actually this is a good segue to talk about what Farmington Hills is doing. Um, I think I think downtown Farmington for a long time, I want to say for like 10, 15 years, and and this even goes back to like the downtown development authority of Farmington, and uh there's a couple other entities that are responsible for um like the district of that area.

SPEAKER_00 42:22

I would say like the the DDA, the DDA's purpose, you know, is really kind of the connector from the business owners in the community to like the actual, yeah, it's a private group of people who are connected to the city. Well, then you have the the director for the DDA, which is an employee of the city.

SPEAKER_01 42:38

Okay, so it's a public-private partnership. It is okay, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 42:41

Um and then and then business owners sit on the board for the DDA. So like and it's really like the downtown businesses that sit on that.

SPEAKER_01 42:47

So yeah, no, that's a really good public-private partnership. And the reason why downtown Farmington is so nice is because you have this entity that has direction and purpose. And I know for like 10, 15 years, they have been pushing like strong public art components and and doing these things that are called like placemaking or community building. Yeah. Um, and they've really had that direction for a while. Um, Farmington Hills really hadn't had so much of that direction. It was way more like a suburban governed city compared to a Farmington. And so what's cool about Farmington Hills is in the last couple of years, and honestly, like I do think that Mayor Rich is a driver of this, is there has been more of a concerted push to do placemaking as far as redevelopment is concerned. And so um Farmington Hills actually last fall, I want to say it was October, passed a public art ordinance that was for any new redevelopment. You are required. Required to have a public art component in that development. Like it is a city ordinance. Seriously? Yeah, which is interesting. I think it I think it's sick. I know you think it's sick. Like honestly, if you're gonna have like government power, use it to like use it to benefit the community. Yeah. Um I think that it's interesting to see Farmington take that direction because it's not just like encouragement. It's a it's a policy shift for the city. Um, so now it's actually tied to public art is tied to development approvals and zoning flexibility. So if like you're a developer coming into Farmington Hills who's like, well, I want to build a bunch of houses, but this isn't zoned for it. Like I have to change the density. There is a public art requirement in Farmington Hills that you have to create essentially a third space for residents if you're going to request a change to zoning or or um not a change, but uh like flexibility, right? Like um overlook. Overlook.

SPEAKER_00 45:05

Yeah, like like a like a planning and development.

SPEAKER_01 45:07

Uh yeah, a PUD, exactly. Like like sheets, for example. If sheets if sheets wanted to come in, they would have had to not sheets coming off again. It's it's a hot topic. It is, right? It is it's a hot topic. But like now, actually, Farmington also passed an ordinance saying that the that you cannot open any more car wash or I'm sorry, Farmington Hills passed an ordinance uh that was enact December 31st. I want to say, that no more gas stations or car washes can be built in the city. I mean, I I understand why. I do too. Like per capita Farmington Hills has more gas stations than any other surrounding city. So car washes, though, is so bizarre to me. I mean, we could have a whole episode on car wash franchising in the Empire of Jacks.

SPEAKER_00 45:50

It's crazy. Literally, like I passed two jack's car washes coming in from my house.

SPEAKER_01 45:55

And you're not far from from here. I'm like five minute drive. Like you're a mile and a half from here.

SPEAKER_00 46:00

And so I, you know, I have a jack subscription, and that's I think the exact reason why they are the way they are, is because and it's still busy.

SPEAKER_01 46:07

Like, I I get getting into my work from my house is a 15-minute drive. I pass five jack's car washes. That's insane. And I can go to any of them, and there's a line in all of them. That's crazy. So, like, I'm not saying there's not a need, but at the same time, it's kind of wild. Yeah, they probably oversold those subscriptions, in my opinion. Yeah, but um for new development in the city now, the developers must include art on site, or they contribute financially to a city art fund. So, like, for if the development maybe doesn't make sense to have art on city. Like the spaces isn't there, right? They they're expected to contribute to I I don't know ex the details of the city art fund or anything like that. Yeah, but like I also know this spring Farmington Hills City Hall has a two-year exhibition. They they have art in City Hall, if you've ever been into City Hall or Farmington Hills. It's been a while, but um tons of art and it's awesome. Um, and so the they just switched out that art this past winter, and I believe it's on a two-year cycle. Okay, so they they take it's all like local artists too, so they take submissions from residents and stuff like that.

SPEAKER_00 47:17

That's so cool.

SPEAKER_01 47:18

Um, yeah, I appreciate that. I do too. Um, and so you know, I think the city is saying if you're gonna benefit from development flexibility, then you have to contribute to like the public realm or the public good. Yeah, and that makes sense, like forcing developers to invest in the community that they inhibit is a good thing. Kind of seems like a no-brainer. Kind of seems like a no-brainer. Um I definitely, I mean, there's uh with everything, there's you know, pros and cons to stuff, but it does um increase costs to developers, so it could make it a little bit harder to get developers that can't afford it. Um, one of my biggest issues with development in Farmington Hills is it I feel like it kind of lacks character because, like, okay, when are we getting our kava, right? Like that's or when are we getting the next um like what that uh 451 street food or whatever that is? Like these these the same stores that you see every like three miles, like in a strip mall. Like, I feel like that's been a lot of the development, and that just lacks character to me. Yeah, it does. And so if you do require these public art things, I could see it only going only developers that can afford to do that kind of stuff, which is going to be those big developments that kind of lack character. It might add more of that.

SPEAKER_00 48:38

Um but honestly, like how many like I guess where is that line drawn between I feel like to be a developer to begin with, right?

SPEAKER_01 48:49

You have to have you have to have some capital and some you have to work within the framework of whatever you're developing. Um, I think that you know the upsides are it's higher quality environments, less generic developments overall. Um I I do worry about the type of public art that gets uh added in. What do you mean say more? I I well, like I don't know. Let's hear this. Uh I I worry about it maybe getting too generic, right? Like instead of art having character, it's just like a a corporate are you referring to like whitewash art? Yeah, yeah. I I mean it's okay to say that it's definitely a possibility because like I don't necessarily know the approval process of this art. Yeah. And so I'm assuming it's the the art. Uh there's like a um a board within Farmington Hills that is there? That like it does like a commission on the Yeah, uh that's the right word. The art commission of Farmington Hills, I'm assuming, is the entity involved in approving whatever art is is uh being um submitted.

SPEAKER_00 49:55

I can confidently say that I feel like with the current Farmington Hills administration, we'll have no concern.

SPEAKER_01 50:00

No, none, no concern. We're we're good.

SPEAKER_00 50:02

Like as far as art goes and like representation.

SPEAKER_01 50:05

Oh, for sure. No, yeah, and actually, like I that's that's very true. They actually city of Farmington Hills even like just changed their motto. Um did they? Yeah, and I actually love it, which is kind of wild. I wasn't expecting to, but it's I think it is a place for every path.

SPEAKER_00 50:22

Oh, that's cool, and it's like it's very like city motto, but but it's also like kind of unique though, because of what Farmington Hills and Farmington was exactly for the indigenous culture.

SPEAKER_01 50:31

Exactly. Well, there's that, but then it also like there's layers to it, right? Like a place for every path, like subtly nods to the diversity of Farmington Hills as well, not just like racially, but socioeconomically. And um one thing that often gets overlooked about Farmington Hills is like we are a very large city in in Farmington, or I'm sorry, in Oakland County, uh, but we also have actually like the highest percentage of renters. We do. I think it's like 60 percent. Uh it's about it's 40 percent. I think it's like 67 percent owner occupied. Is it? So yeah. So, but like compared to other cities, other cities are are like 75 to 90 percent owner occupied. And so um, again, that's going to lead to um more diverse perspectives because there's a difference between people who are homeowners, people who are renting, that kind of thing, and and also like entry points of entry are a lot easier for um having more rentals because not everyone, of course, can afford to purchase a single family home or a townhouse. So we are providing opportunities to people of different income levels to be able to live in the city, and so I think that the motto uh fits really well, and there's layers to it, and there's like subtle nods to um the diversity, like I said, um the parks, yeah, the paths throughout the parks. Like it it I think it's a very good motto.

SPEAKER_00 51:57

Also, just like our little our physical position in like southeastern Michigan, yeah. Like in a lot of ways, you had to come through Farmington Hills to leave if you're going west.

SPEAKER_01 52:05

Exactly. You're driving driving through the area always going through going across 696.

SPEAKER_00 52:11

I mean, you go right through Farmington Hills.

SPEAKER_01 52:13

Yep.

SPEAKER_00 52:13

You come up Grand River and five right through Farmington. Yep.

SPEAKER_01 52:17

So no, it's it's there's there's layers to it. Yeah, and I I really like I think they did a good job with that. And and as far as I know, the all of that stemmed from soliciting feedback from the community because that's cool. Over the winter they did have um like listening groups at City Hall. I actually did did one of them. I went as a as a citizen and I uh I got actually got the invite from the chamber. They sent emails to all chamber members like, hey, if you want to have input, like here's some sessions that you can sign up for. And so I did one of them, and they were it was cool to hear what other it was like a round table discussion kind of thing. And it was cool to hear different citizens and organizations within the city give feedback on you know what the city's doing right and what can be improved. Um, and so it's it's nice that they do have that um uh ability to get feedback from people. Agreed. Um I I do worry about bureaucratic control over creativity uh and commissions, but I like I s like you said, um, I think we have a very diverse set of people on the art commission, and so it I don't think it'll be too cookie.

SPEAKER_00 53:25

I don't know the art commission.

SPEAKER_01 53:27

Yeah, it's good. I've I've I've um because because of the stuff at City Hall, I've looked into it, and it's it the art at City Hall is very diverse too, and it's awesome.

SPEAKER_00 53:36

Speaking of art, dude, I I feel like and I didn't know this until a couple years ago, but if you're a resident of Macomb, Oakland County for sure. Yeah, the Tri County and Wayne, yeah, the Tri County's like you go to the DIA for free. Yeah, well, for free ish.

SPEAKER_01 53:51

Ish. Because you do pay taxes, yeah. If you're if you're a landowner, it's not free. If you if you're a renter, it's free.

SPEAKER_00 53:59

Um, but uh I thought that was so cool. And I mean we pay for the zoo too, but we also don't get that for free. Right.

SPEAKER_01 54:04

So no, yeah, you yeah, you uh if you haven't been to the DIA, go. Yeah, because honestly, it's one of the premier museums. Because you're already paying for it, you're already paying for number one, but it is one of the premier museums I would even say in the world. Yep. I would not even just in America, but I I think it's honestly one of the best art museums in the world. And it they the rotating exhibits that they get are awesome. They are, and the the collections that they have are uh incredible.

SPEAKER_00 54:32

It's so cool. And I don't think because that was literally the first art museum I ever went to.

SPEAKER_01 54:36

Yeah, I mean it makes sense.

SPEAKER_00 54:38

Yeah, and uh I went to I kind of had this realization because I went to the D the Dayton Art Institute, okay, and uh also called the DIA and uh DIA Junior. I'm like, oh my gosh, it made me realize like, okay, we really do have something special.

SPEAKER_01 54:53

Yeah. Well, that's the thing. If you if you've only been to the DIA, you don't know, you have no idea.

SPEAKER_00 54:57

Yeah, like not all museums are that incredible, but like of going of like seeing the Diego Riviera mural the first time, it's like it's just it's awe-inspiring.

SPEAKER_01 55:07

It's so Kresge Court and the mural and all of that stuff is is great. And then it's like it's also crazy because it has art from so many different eras there, so whereas like typically you go to a museum and it's like oh MoMA, right? The Museum of Modern Art. And so it's only this type, but like the DIA has a section of modern art that's like almost as big as MoMA. Seriously, it is, and it it really is. So it's uh yeah, like if you haven't been, definitely make the trip because it's it's uh you don't realize what this gem we we have here, and like to go back to like this is something completely unrelated, but like throughout Detroit's bankruptcy, there and I don't know if you knew this, but there was a massive, massive debate on whether or not because the city of Detroit owns all of that art, like it is property of the city of Detroit. Yeah, and so when Detroit was going through bankruptcy, there was huge debates on whether or not the city should sell off some of its collection of art to cut to come out of bankruptcy. And thankfully, in my opinion, cooler heads prevailed, and they they did as far as I know, they did not part with any of their collections in bankruptcy. Wow, and there was a lot of I don't want to say lobbying because that has kind of negative terms, but like spirited debate on whether or not the city should sell that art, and I'm really glad they didn't.

SPEAKER_00 56:33

Whoa, yeah, I did not know that, dude. Yeah, that's it.

SPEAKER_01 56:35

No, look into the Detroit bankruptcy because they had to make a lot of hard decisions like that. Um, and they they navigated it, I really think, as well as they could have.

SPEAKER_00 56:44

I think just backpelling a little bit to like um displays or um exhibits on display. I think right now it's Georgia O'Keefe. Yeah, yeah, yeah. So I definitely need to get out there. I might go this weekend now after talking about it.

SPEAKER_01 56:59

It's a good, it's a good if it's rainy this weekend or cold, it's a good, it's a good rainy, cold day trip. Say less. Um so to bring it back loc like locally to climate confirming. Sorry, we had a blog perspective a little bit. We got bigger for a second. But um yeah, so the cities, both cities recently just had state of the cities, and I mean we could have done a whole episode on that too, just with the directions of the cities and and the direction of the specific events. Yeah, I was gonna say, and state of the cities itself.

SPEAKER_00 57:31

Like why you know we there was some changes to it, you know, they made it on a Friday evening, and um, I think the intent of that was to try to get more people to come, but well, I know because this year we held it at Farmington High, and the and the hope was to get some more of the parents and just the people that are more of the the school sphere to come and that was instead of just like business, yes, okay. Unfortunately, they just we kind of it kind of was a mess, yeah. Um, and I and I think that it a a big part of it was scheduling conflict. There's a lot going on that were pulling people that were in the school community away. Gotcha so they didn't have even had the opportunity to come. Um, but also just like Friday night.

SPEAKER_01 58:09

Yeah, Friday night's uh prime time, prime time, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 58:12

Unless we're like bringing a band and entertaining people and it's like a night out.

SPEAKER_01 58:16

Well, there was music, right? There was like the VIP room, and then like the opening of the State of the Cities had some music as well. Yeah, it was the choir for yes, they did.

SPEAKER_00 58:25

Yeah, but at the end of the day, you're sitting in a high school at 8 30 at night. Yep.

SPEAKER_01 58:29

And so it's a tough, it's a tough set. It's tough. Um, so take some lessons from that and maybe rework it next year. But to not take away the importance of the state of the cities, it's really the time where the cities communicate out what their vision is. Well, a how how the cities are doing and where they're at, but then also where the vision is at for the direction of these two cities for the next year. And um if you have not watched it or even heard about this, yeah, it's on YouTube. You can rewatch it. I watched it, you should because it's your community, but I watched it at 2x speed because that's what I do. I'm too ADHD to just master process, sit there for like, you know, it was about an hour. I think it's actually two hours. I think they were about 40 minutes each. Oh my god, the speeches. But so to 2x it, try to get as much as I could from it. Um, but when you when you we were talking about like redevelopment, placemaking, doing all these things. Um, and there's a reason why, because that's according to both both mayors, like that's the direction they both are heading in the next year. Is it's when you zoom out, like the cities are in in a really strong position, and there's a lot of momentum within both cities to do this growth revitalization while maintaining like strong financial stewardship, right? Like they both all both cities are in fairly good places with regards to that. Umington Hills mentioned that they just secured 41 million dollars of road and sidewalk investment, which is like I'm so sick of hearing people complain about the roads in their neighborhoods. Like, listen, the city is trying, like they're doing everything they can. Like, you don't have to pay out of pocket for it. Um, I don't think people understand the classification of roads and what is a county road versus a city. Right, right. There's there's you can go online, Oakland County Road Commission, and that's actually where my brother works, who you just sold his house to like there, there are main thoroughfares, there are um called like arterial roads that feed something like 12 mile, and like the arterial roads are actually managed by the city of Farmington Hills and the city of Farmington, but like the main roads like Orchard Lake, 12 mile, Grand River, those are county roads, and then you have the state roads, which are M dot, which is like the highways, M5, um 696. And so when people complain about all this construction, it's because these are all different agencies that don't communicate with each other about their projects, and so they just they all have to get stuff done and they just do it, but um, there's definitely funding putting putting this that both cities are putting towards it. Um, like I said, Farmington Hills just secured 41 million, and then um another big thing that Farmington Hills is doing that I'm really happy to see, and I I think every municipality needs to make serious investment into this, but um they're they're actually leading and leading, I think, in the in the state in terms of amount of investment into mental health police training. Wow. Um, and so I I have opinions on on policing and and police in general, and so I definitely feel like police are tasked with stuff that they shouldn't be tasked with, and a lot of that does relate to like mental health crises, and and I'm glad that the city of Farmington Hills is is making the investments they need to to have their officers understand that not every situation needs to be handled with force. Yeah, um, a lot of times situations can be solved by handling it with compassion and understanding. And so um I'm glad that the city recognizes that and and is making a deliberate cool. It's important. Yeah, yeah. Um similarly, Farmington uh has federal funding secured for um Drake Road pedestrian safety. So I think they're adding sidewalks. There might even be like controlled crossings in that area. I think so. Yeah. Um this is also huge for for the city of Farmington, but like sewer upgrades and stormwater control. Please. Um, so they're making big investments into that, and then fire equipment and just technology overall at municipal buildings. The city of Farmington is um also announced that they're making some some serious investment into that.

SPEAKER_00 1:02:36

Um I think a really big one that I almost want to wait until the next episode to really dive into, but I just want to mention it because it came up at State of Cities is this project and initiative that's happening between Farmington Hills, OCC, and um I I believe it's yes, um the the Little Caesars Hockey Club, um, which is called I've always I don't know why I'm forgetting it right now. I can't remember off the top of my head either. And it's gonna it's gonna, as soon as I'm done talking about it, it's gonna I'm gonna remember it. But uh essentially Ilage family, we'll just say um they're they're they're making far this Farmington Hills, Oakland County, our Oakland Community College, Farmington Hills campus, like a huge hub for hockey.

SPEAKER_01 1:03:20

Yep.

SPEAKER_00 1:03:20

And so OCC, if you haven't noticed, there's a lot of construction going on. Yep, and they're building this facility's ice rinks. Awesome. And uh it's gonna be sweet.

SPEAKER_01 1:03:29

Well, yeah, like we had just had the Olympics and and uh one of the women's players was from Farmington Hills. I can't remember her name off the top. Yeah, Megan Keller, yeah, is from Farmington Hills.

SPEAKER_00 1:03:39

So there that's there is a uh uh Michigan. I mean, and then the on the men's hockey team, the goalsie.

SPEAKER_01 1:03:44

Well, it was the goalie. I think like there was like five or six players on the men's team that were it was from Michigan. Crazy. Uh, who won the goal? Or yeah, they won yeah, obviously Larkin. Yeah, and Larkin, yeah. Um, so yeah, like I think that's really smart. And we should we should cover that.

SPEAKER_00 1:04:01

Yeah, I want to I want to almost just like get some more information on it. Yeah, so I can remember the name of the team, dude. Like, geez, but super cool stuff.

SPEAKER_01 1:04:10

We'll come informed to the next one about it and really cover it for sure. But um it's it's both both cities are are really focusing on placemaking. Um Farmington Hills wants to spend you know 30 to 40 million dollars on on redeveloping the caustic center, caustic center, guys call it caustic center. That's okay. Caustic center. Um, I know they they're planning on relocating that to the Hawk and creating a new senior center space there. Um, the other big thing that people see all the time is the Hunter Square redevelopment. Yep. So Farmington Hills is really focusing on like major redevelopment. Um on the flip side, Farmington is is doing kind of small intentional infill, which makes sense just given the available space.

SPEAKER_00 1:04:54

Well, it's a totally different conversation, much smaller city.

SPEAKER_01 1:04:57

Yeah, but you know, overall they're both headed in these directions of of of redevelopment and filling in where there's spaces to fill in. Um and I think that the Farmington is really focusing on like efficiency and cost control, which again makes sense for a smaller city. Yeah. Um, and then Farmington Hills in the last really like three years has been like strategic plan and figuring out what the identity is of Farmington Hills is or we're in the middle of like like creating new identity for the city, which I think is important because to be honest, it was a bit stale, it was a bit like 1980s suburb of Metro. So I'm I'm glad they're heading in that direction. Um, you know, one is scaling and farming uh Farmington Hills is scaling and and Farmington is refining, really.

SPEAKER_00 1:05:45

Overall, I think that's a good yeah, synopsis of what's happening.

SPEAKER_01 1:05:48

And it comes it complements each other too. They do, and I think there's there's a really good synergy between the two cities, so yeah, no, and it's not random, like like like we said, it's all these different cooperating entities um moving together. For this shared mission, which is really nice to see.

SPEAKER_00 1:06:02

Anything else? No, man. I think it's been a great first episode, dude. It's it's great to be back uh in the loop. In the loop. In the loop. Um, but uh be on the lookout. I know Deanna and I are really making an initiative to to go back to our bi-weekly schedules.

SPEAKER_01 1:06:18

So yeah, now that winter's over, not feeling like you know, the groundhog who saw it's Shango.

SPEAKER_00 1:06:23

So I feel like I just said that for accountability purposes.

SPEAKER_01 1:06:25

We gotta hold ourselves too.

SPEAKER_00 1:06:26

So we gotta hold now. Everyone knows. So we gotta we gotta hold ourselves accountable. But and further, first and foremost, like I think that uh this podcast is serves the community just as a source of information and and hearing it from not a news article, news article, Facebook post. Yeah, yeah. Um so yeah, if you're on the lookout, we'll uh we'll be back in two weeks. Uh we might have a guess, it might just be us. We'll see. Um, but uh yeah, that's all I have. Do you have anything else? No, no, that was great. And uh thanks for staying in the loop. All right, yeah, thanks guys.