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Plan Untangling

Despite continuing wrangles, three sides see Bloomfield Park moving forward.

A

fter five years of prolonged
court battles, developer Craig
Schubiner's controversial $1 bil-
lion Bloomfield Park project is begin-
ning to become a reality.
The ambitious development will
include 1,200 residences, offices, movie
theaters, restaurants and more than
700,000 square feet of retail space on an
80-acre site near Square Lake and
Telegraph roads. The total space would
be equivalent to a small shopping mall.
"It is a big development. It has not
been scaled back. It has not shrunk,"
says Schubiner, disputing recent news
media reports.
The project has been mired in legal
disputes since Schubiner proposed it to
Bloomfield Township officials in 1999.
Schubiner couldn't convince officials of
the merit of proposed zoning changes
and other issues, and on Sept. 11, 2001,
voters in both Bloomfield Township and
Pontiac approved the annexation of the
land to Pontiac for 100 years.
That launched a flurry of lawsuits and
accusations of voter fraud. "The legal
battles eventually cost the taxpayers of
Bloomfield Township a million dollars
when they were already faced with
deficits," says Schubiner.
However, the address for the multi-use
development is still Bloomfield
Township to attract big-name retailers
such as those at the Somerset Collection
in Troy.
Tenants could include a 14- to 16-
screen megaplex cinema, a bookstore, as
many as 10 restaurants, upscale fashion
and home stores, a gourmet market,
medical facilities and a bookstore. In
addition, there may be a 250-room lux-
ury hotel in the mix.
A major lure for retailers is the poten-
tial traffic volume. Studies show that the
intersection of Square Lake and

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Artist's rendering of Bloomfield Park

Telegraph currently handles 120,000
vehicles daily.
"We've started work on demolition at
the site," says Schubiner.
His firm, the Harbor Cos. in
Bloomfield Township, is developing the
project. "We are moving forward with
retail leasing. We are moving forward
with the condominium construction.
And we will open the marketing center
for the condos this spring," he adds.
The condos will begin at $299,000
and range to $2 million. Schubiner says
they will include single-floor units.
"I think it will be a wonderful project
and will enhance the community. People
will be going there as a destination.
People who live there will be able to
walk to the movies and to shopping.
And, of course, it's already right behind
Costco," says Schubiner.
Target date for completion is 2006,
but the total development could take as
long as a decade. The project would
bring "hundreds of millions construc-

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taxes and submit invoices to
Pontiac for public improvements,
which will be reimbursed from the
site's property taxes.
After Pontiac annexed the prop-
erty, it agreed to share tax revenue
with Bloomfield Township. The
township expected to receive
about $1 million a year, but the
new agreement defrays that for 20
years.
David Payne, Bloomfield
Township administrator, took a
conciliatory tone. Downplaying
the possibility of another lawsuit,
Payne insists the township "basi-
cally is exploring options on
whether to contest"
the agreement with
Pontiac.
Says Payne, "We
plan to work some-
thing out with the
developer that insures
tion dollars pouring into
revenues received
the region," says the 38-
from
the project will
year-old Schubiner.
be
fairly
distributed."
The Birmingham resi-
Payne
was hoping
dent grew up in Franklin
to
meet
with
and attended Birming-
Schubiner this month
ham Groves and Bloom-
to "come up with an
field Hills Cranbrook
agreement" so that
Kingswood high schools.
the projects move for-
Although Schubiner is
ward.
"We will not do
confident his legal prob-
anything
until we
lems are history, he may
Craig Schubin er
have
that
meeting,"
still be facing a battle
he
promises.
"We
with Bloomfield
hope
we
can
resolve
it."
Township over its plan to recoup tax
Ey to optimistic was Everett L. Seay,
money from the development.
president
of the Pontiac City Council
Regardless of whether it results in yet
and
a
supporter
of the development:
another lawsuit, Schubiner vows he "will
"We're
not
going
to welsh out of the
not be deterred" from proceeding.
agreement
with
Bloomfield
Township.
The complex tax financing plan for
We're
all
going
to
be
living
in harmony"
the development stems from last fall's
"You
have
to
look
toward
the future,
approval by the Pontiac City Council of
to
20
or
30
years
down
the
road,"
Seay
a $68.2 million tax break for Schubiner
said.
"There's
no
doubt
in
my
mind
that
for building public roads, utilities, parks
Bloomfield
Park
is
an
investment
in
and parking. The Harbor Cos. will pay
Pontiac's future." ❑

4 ,0tIkt"

ALAN ABRAMS
Special to the Jewish News

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