Metro

Rainy Saga

Federation building improved
as part of yearlong repairs.

Alan Hitsky
Associate editor

R

epairs continue in ear-
nest at the Max M. Fisher
Federation Building on
Telegraph Road in Bloomfield
Township, where storm damage to
the roof in August 2009 led to exten-
sive flooding inside.
When the incident happened 13
months ago, officials estimated the
cleanup would take 1-3 months and
that the $750,000-$1 million cost
would be covered by insurance.
Scott Kaufman,
chief executive offi-
cer of Federation,
gave an update to
the Jewish News this
week:
"The water
caused damage far
greater than origi-
Scott
nally anticipated.
Kaufman
As a result of the
increased scope
of damage, updated code require-
ments were triggered for numerous
portions of the building and thus
resulted in an extended timeline.
"We worked very closely with the
insurance company, city building
officials and our own insurance
claim advisers, Globe Midwest
Adjusters International, and once
the total scope of damage was iden-
tified, compliance was dealt with."
"Replacement of all damage and
subsequent code requirements are
being performed with no finan-
cial exposure to the community,"
Kaufman noted.
"So as not to disrupt our opera-
tion," he added, "we have established
a phased move-in process for both
Federation employees and other
building tenants. This process has
already begun and, as of Sept. 27,
Tamarack Camps has taken occu-
pancy of their space and is fully
operational. The Federation has
received furniture, fixtures and
equipment in preparation for the
next phase of occupancy.

"We are pleased with the progress
and look forward to having all of
our employees who were relocated
to other space back in the building.
More so, we are pleased with the
fact that our operation indeed has
not been interrupted over this time
period and we continued to meet
the needs of the community?'
During construction, some non-
Federation tenants moved to smaller
space in the Federation building
and some others moved out. Larger
Federation meetings were held at
other sites because repairs to the
first-floor conference room have not
been completed.
Douglas Etkin,
president of
Federation's bank-
ing and land-
holding agency,
the United Jewish
Foundation, told
the annual meeting
of the Federation
Douglas Etkin
and Foundation in
September, "Finally,
we are at the very end of construc-
tion at the Max M. Fisher Federation
Building:'
That meeting was held at the
Jewish Community Center in West
Bloomfield.
"As part of the project, we were
able to significantly improve the
building usage and install very cost-
efficient systems. We thank the Real
Estate Committee for their leader-
ship," Etkin said.

JCC Berman Theatre
Another community construction
project appears to be moving well.
Work on the Mandell and Madeleine
Berman Theatre on the east side of
the Jewish Community Center in West
Bloomfield "is coming along great
— if the weather holds': said JCC
Executive Director Mark Lit.
The 400- to 600-seat theater may be
completed by next March, in time for
some of the events of the JCC's annual
music fest. A grand opening celebra-
tion is planned for May, Lit said.

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October 7 • 2010

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