Who Lives, Who Dies, Who Tells Your Story

Posted by – Steve Cohen, Director of Community Development

My father loved history and musical theater.  He made it a point to introduce these passions to me in the years before he passed away.  So, I was intrigued when the Pulitzer Prize winning musical Hamilton was introduced last year.  I recently downloaded the musical’s soundtrack because the lyrics bring this time in America’s history to life for me … it also connects me to my dad.  He would have loved to see Hamilton.  I hope to make the pilgrimage to New York City with my wife to experience the show someday.

In the final act, after Alexander Hamilton dies, the entire cast comes together to sing the song “Who Lives, Who Dies, Who Tells Your Story.”  This song explains to the audience what happens to all the remaining characters.  It explores their legacy and leaves the characters asking if they had done enough to have lived a worthy life.

Cast of the musical Hamilton (Photo credit: Joan Marcus)

In my mind, I think of what the leaders of the City of Auburn Hills (our cast) have been doing to address the cards the community was dealt as the result of the Great Recession.  The challenge of our time.  Such as,

• Loss of a staggering $2.3 billion in true cash property value (2006-2014) due to the required lowering of property assessments based on the market’s decline
• The resulting 37% decrease in the City’s taxable property value, which is the value the City primarily generates revenue to operate and provide essential services like police, fire, utilities, and roads
• Loss of industrial personal property tax, with no certain replacement
• Unfavorable Michigan Tax Tribunal decisions and the insanity of the “Dark Store” phenomenon

It’s like flying a plane and having one of your engines go out when you least expect it.  You must remain calm, land the plane safely, and get the engine fixed so that you can fly again.

Well, Auburn Hills has landed the plane safely and we have been fixing the engine.  We have found that most didn’t even know the plane was in trouble, since they’ve seen little decline in their services.  Also, property values have bounced back and the economy is healthier, but most don’t know that this recovery has not translated into revenue growth for the City since Michigan law caps it.  Under these restraints, the City can’t “grow its way out” and recover the tax base lost during the economic downturn – although we have tried.  No Michigan community is immune to this struggle.

Fortunately, the City Council has had the foresight to see that the status quo will become unsustainable over time.  With the support of City Manager Tanghe and staff, the Council has methodically made some difficult decisions over the years to stabilize the finances of our community … and will continue to do so.  Recently, the Council authorized a Fire Department millage election, which will take place on August 2, 2016.  It’s a critical step forward in securing a strong future for the City.

Like the cast of Hamilton, it’s our hope that future generations in Auburn Hills will remember this time in history and tell our story of resilience.

Still Feel The Emotions

Posted by – Steve Cohen, Director of Community Development

Last night, I watched a short video that the City of Auburn Hills made in partnership with the Auburn Hills Chamber of Commerce in January 2012.  It’s called The Auburn Hills Story.  The clip still impacts many of us.  I personally make a point to watch it often to remind me of our team’s mission.

It brings back a sea of emotions.  A reminder of the fear and uncertainty that the Great Recession brought to Michigan families.  In Auburn Hills, we saw Chrysler lay off thousands of workers and witnessed several auto suppliers struggle to stay open.  The number of home foreclosures were high in the region because thousands of people were out of work and couldn’t pay their mortgages – many being forced to leave the State to look for new jobs.  There was even talk of the Palace of Auburn Hills becoming a “white elephant” and the imminent move of the Pistons to another community.  It was an uneasy time.

However, Auburn Hills had a choice.  Be paralyzed with worry … or keep our heads up and move forward.   Our community collectively chose the latter.  We chose to innovate, hustle, and think differently.  Today, we’re in a better place.

If you’ve never seen this short video (2 minutes and 27 seconds long), watch it.   If it’s been a while since you’ve last watched it, do it again.  Feel the emotions and remember.

New BIGGBY COFFEE Coming to Town

Posted by – Steve Cohen, Director of Community Development

Need a java fix?  Well, we have some really good news.

BIGGBY COFFEE plans to open a new store at 4141 Joslyn Road, Suite 100.  Although it’s just a shell of a building with a dirt floor, construction happens fast in the City of Auburn Hills.  The coffee shop anticipates opening by June 1st.  They will join Jake’s Fireworks at the previously unfinished RetailWorks building.

BIGGBY COFFEE will occupy the south end of the once vacant and unfinished retail center

Founded in March 1995 near the campus of my Alma mater Michigan State University, the “Big B” now operates over 160 stores across nine states including: Michigan, Ohio, Illinois, Indiana, South Carolina, Wisconsin, Kentucky, Florida, and Texas.  This will be their 2nd Auburn Hills’ store, with the other located at 2795 University Drive.

BIGGBY COFFEE is known for their fun and less pretentious approach to the standard gourmet café experience.  For example, they introduced connoisseur-worthy drinks with pronounceable names like Teddy Bear and Caramel Marvel.  In addition to coffee and other refreshments, they offer assorted pastries, fruit, yogurt parfaits, cookies, sandwich wraps, salads, and specialty baked goods.

A casualty of the Great Recession, the RetailWorks building has sat empty and unfinished for almost 5 years.  So, the decision by both Jake’s Fireworks and BIGGBY COFFEE to fix up the place and locate there is such great news for our community.

Staying Focused

Posted by – Steve Cohen, Director of Community Development

Driving into work this morning something happened to me.  Things were going really fast in my head preparing for the day and something made me pause and take a moment to calm my mind.   I’m so very thankful.

As a little background, it seems like the Auburn Hills’ team goes a 100 miles per hour all the time, which honestly can be very exhausting.

We’re always moving from one important task to another.  It seems like we rarely take a moment to stop, think, and put things into perspective.

For many of us, it’s important that we remember our role in helping the City grow so that it stays healthy and vibrant for future generations.  We must be deliberate and intentional. Sometimes we get so caught up in the day-to-day craziness, we fail to see the “forest for the trees.”

It starts with “radical hospitality” so that our residents and business community receive the support and attention they deserve.  We must give people an experience that makes them wonder … Wow, is this really a governmental agency?  That also includes us serving each other.  Sometimes, we fall short of this high standard.  But, we must always strive for it.

So this morning, I stopped to think about what I’m so blessed to be a part of … The Auburn Hills Story.  The Great Recession is almost over.  It’s been a very dark and difficult time in Michigan.  The memories are still very raw for many of us.  However, our town pulled through it together as a team.  We’re going to be OK, perhaps much more than just OK.

I thought about the fantastic short video that the City of Auburn Hills and the Auburn Hills Chamber of Commerce produced last year called The Auburn Hills Story (click here to view the video).  It still inspires me today.  I encourage you to watch it … perhaps again.

Stay focused and serve.  Stay focused and serve.

Jake’s Fireworks Coming to Town

Posted by – Steve Cohen, Director of Community Development

Empty and unfinished since April 2008, the former “Retailworks” strip center at 4211 Joslyn Road will soon have new life.

Jake’s Fireworks will soon renovate the building across from Home Depot / Sam’s Club on Joslyn Road

Jake’s Fireworks, Inc., the leading U.S. distributor of wholesale and retail fireworks, has purchased the incomplete project with plans to soon finish it.  The company intends to utilize the north half of the building with their new fireworks store and showroom, which is anticipated to open by May 1, 2013.  The high-tech, interactive showroom is unique in that it will allow customers to view videos of their fireworks selections before making a purchase.

The south portion of the building is expected to include three to four new retail tenants. They’re hopeful to secure a drive-thru coffee shop to accommodate the large number of southbound Joslyn Road commuters that head toward I-75 every morning to get to work.

Stalled by the Great Recession, this incomplete project will soon be finished.  Now, that’s something to celebrate!