Business

ongratulations

Robert V Scbecbtei; CLU ChFC
Council President
New York Life Insurance Company

Detroit's Robert Schechter,
CLU, ChFC, worked hard to
earn the prestigious honor of
being named New York Life's
leading agent in 1997. It is a
recognition he truly deserves.

Since joining New York Life
in 1971, Mr. Schechter built
a reputation as one of the
foremost experts in his field.
Clients have come to depend
on Mr. Schechter for his
unequalled ability to deliver
well thought-out solutions for
estate planning. His success
can be attributed to his
experience, diligence, and
genuine concern for people.

Mr. Schechter has not only
distinguished himself in
business, but also in his
community. As a spirited
public citizen, Schechter

devotes much of his time to
many charities in the Detroit
area. These charities include
the Jewish Federation of
metropolitan Detroit, the
Detroit Institute of Arts,
and the Jewish Federation
Apartments which provides
housing for the elderly.

We believe that Mr.
Schechter's unyielding
service, knowledge, and
dedication epitomizes the
qualities you can expect
from Robert Schechter
& Associates. It is this
commitment to the delivery
of the highest quality
professional counsel for
all your financial services
- and insurance needs that
sets them apart.

We applaud Robert Schechter
for his outstanding work and
community spirit. And we
extend our sincerest thanks
to the many Detroiters who
helped him earn this special
distinction by investing in
New York Life insurance
products and services.

The Company You Keep.®

Robert Schechter&Associates

6/12

1998

128

2000 Town Center • Suite 1820 • Southfield, MI 48075 • 248,357.9500 • 800.357.6954
Life Products • Annuities • Investment Products • Group Health Insurance • NYLCare

development firm, and Pertex Textile
Products, Inc.
The purchase of the track is not
Walkon's first land transaction with
Ladbroke. About six years ago, he pur-
chased a parcel and developed 12 acres
at Middlebelt Road and 1-96.
Originally occupied by a Home
Quarters store, the site now boasts one
of Livonia's two just-opened upscale
Costco Wholesale stores and a restau-
rant. The other Livonia Costco store,
at Haggerty and Seven Mile roads, is
also in a Walkon development.
Walkon has been a key player in
Livonia's economic development since
he gave up his lucrative law practice
nine years ago to concentrate upon
land development.
Walkon and his partners pursued
Ladbroke for two-and-a-half months
to make the deal for the DRC site. All
their negotiations were handled
through the parent company in
England.
"I see this as the premiere site in
the metropolitan area. It's a site where
you have 200 acres already assembled.
There's not another area in the metro-
politan area that compares to it," said
Walkon.

go out and attempt to attract upscale
retail and Fortune 500 industrial com-
panies that have outgrown or are seek-
ing headquarters, offices or warehouse
space."
Millennium Park could draw
research and development operations,
technology centers and light manufac-
turing facilities, said Walkon. Calling
the development "a work in progress,"
he is not ruling out office buildings or
even housing.
Walkon said this is the largest
development project he's been
involved with in terms of space. "It is
rare in Michigan to have a situation
where you have 1.5 million feet of
industrial and 600,000 feet of com-
mercial in one setting in an urban
area. It may well be the last site of this c7_
kind."
Walkon, 56, was born in Detroit.
He is a graduate of Mumford High
School, Michigan State University and
the Detroit College of Law. His family
owned the former LaSalle Distributing
Company on Livernois Avenue until
1978. His father, Harry, died in 1991,
and his mother, Jenny, lives in
Federation Apartments.
Last November, Walkon married

He is looking at both upscale com-
mercial as well as industrial develop-
ment. Of the 200 acres, about one-
third will be what Walkon calls "clus-
tered commercial." The majority of
the project is industrial because it
backs up to 1-96 and is easily accessi-
ble from 1-275 and M-14. The devel-
opment proposal includes nine indus-
trial buildings, a retail center with five
large tenants and four restaurants.
That breaks down to 80 acres for the
retail center and 110 for the industrial
campus. The entire park will be heavi-
ly landscaped, said Walkon.
Although there is a 20 - screen AMC
theater on Walkon's other Livonia
development, there are no plans to
build one at Millennium Park.
"We are the gateway to the indus-
trial area of Livonia. So we're not dis-
rupting any residences or any neigh-
borhoods. All we're doing is contribut-
ing to an environment that's already
existing," said Walkon.
It should come as no surprise that
all work on Millennium Park will be
done using union labor. Walkon's for-
mer law firm, Kasoff, Young,
Gotteman, Friedman and Walkon,
represented the ironworkers, riggers,
and other building trades unions.
Said Walkon, "Our philosophy on
this project is to be good listeners, to
get the input of citizens first, and then

Sharon Rapp, who is also an attorney.
She is the daughter of Dr. Seymour
Rapp, and the sister of urologist Dr.
Stanley Rapp and neurosurgeons Dr.
Lawrence and Dr. Steven Rapp.
Walkon and his wife live in
Bloomfield Hills. ❑

Martin Grass, Rite Aid
Corporation's CEO, was honored
by the American Friends of the
Hebrew University with the
National Scopus Award for his
leadership in the drugstore indus-
try and his commitment to the
ideals of higher education at
Hebrew University in Jerusalem.

Paul Marion has joined Sterling
Bank & Trust, Southfield, as
account manager in the credit card

division.

The Birmingham-Bloomfield
Chamber of Commerce will host a
breakfast program on highlights of
the Tax Relief Act of 1997 7:30-9
a.m. Wednesday, June 17, at the
Fox and Hounds Restaurant,
Bloomfield Hills. For reservations,
call (248) 644-1700.