CO o Father Bingo Makeup tip Everything's new about world premiere OBSERVER LIFE-SECTION C PLYMOUTH SUNDAY Your hometown newspaper January 8,2006 serving Plymouth and Plymouth Township for 120 years 75 cents WINNERS OF OVER 100 STATE AND NATIONAL AWARDS SINCE 2001 wwwhometownlife com BY TONY BRUSCATO Smcock ‘ They tried to get the purchase pnce Some city officials mdicated 21 Century Holdings STAFF WRITER down to $ 2 7 million, but that wasn’t an accept­ was havu^ second thoughts even before the able transaction for the City Commission ’ meetmg was held A Southfield developer with plans to construct In a Dec 7 letter to the aty, 21 Century The 180 home sites included a mix of multi­ 180 home sites on a l6-acre ti-act of land m Holdings pulled out, forfeiting $25,000 it previ­ story ranch, townhomes and live/wx>rk combma Pfymouth has pulled out of the project ously put down on the project tion umts, which could be used for small busi­ As a result, the city of Plymouth - whidi has ‘ They exercised their option under the contract nesses The price range was estimated to be had to cut Its budget by millions of dollars the to withdraw their offer, saidSmccxh. It was between $149,000 and $280,000 past several years - will lose the negotiated $4 5 under the deadlme The aty gamed ownership of the parcel at 100 million purchase price Calls to 21 Century Holdings by the Observer S Mill St - between Mam Street and Ann Arbor City officials say 21 Century Holdings had been were not returned James Pappas, of Fusco, Thail - m January 2003 after a lengthy court bat­ stallmg on the project at 100 S Mill St - between Shaffer & Pappas, Inc, the architects of Mill tle With former owner Wendell Flynn, who failed Mam Street and Arbor TVail - for several Street Commons said he was told to stop work- to pay $3 million m back taxes, mterest and months mg on the plans penalties over a 20-year period “They said the market conditions have “We were told to put a hold on it, said Pappas After takmg an estimated $250,000 offlhe changed smce they put m their offer, and there Pappas held a Nov 9 meetmg with several top, the remainder of the purchase pnce was to Condos that were supposed to be built on the city s Bathey were environmental costs associated with the dozen residents whose homes border the project, property will have to wait after the developer pulled out of the cleanup of the property, said City Manager Paul gettmg mostly good reviews for the development PLEASE SEE BATHEY, AS $4 5 million project Less grant money could cause in bus service BY TONY BRUSCATO gram TAFF -^TER Marsha Koet adrnimstiatorof the Plymouth Community Council A cut m federal bloclc grant on Aging and senioi van progTam money could mean changes m the coordinator, is quick to point out senior transportation program the 30 year old transportation pro­ serving elderly residents in gram IS not m danger of being Plymouth and Plymouth Township phased out The city is applying for $65,000 The program is going to contin­ m block grants funds to pay for its ue, there’s no way it will stop,’ Koet portion of the 8130,000 a year sen said It’s the most important senior mOlUS BY BILL BRLSLLK j B AFL PHUIUBRAPHLR lor van program with the remain program we have, enabling seniors Plymouth resident Ed Hingelberg is excited about building upgrades to the Cass Avenue Activity Center in Detroit which he runs Repairs to the der paid by Plymouth Township who have no other means of trans­ drop ceiling are already under way However, according to City portation to get to the doctor, pick Manager Paul Smcock, thats up medicines and shop for food, $10,000 less than the city received basic needs last year ‘ We put together a list of ideas As a result, city commissioners earlier this year, and one of those believe some changes should be was to shorten the day by about an Super Bowl more than just a game instituted hour, she added ‘Another would With die cuts, this might be an be charging $1 for each way, appropnate time for aty admmis- although anyone with lower Partnership helps Plymouth man make a difference tration to look at some cost saving income could apply for a waiver” measures, without hopefully Koet said the cost of the senior BY TONY BRUSCATO kitchen Vacant property decreasing any service to our sen­ transportation program is based on STAFF WR TER next door is being turned iors,” said Commissioner Michele ndership, with the city paying into a parking lot Much of Potter By just cutting out a half about 60 percent of the total cost Ed Hingelberg is ecstatic it IS being done with volun­ hour a day (of service), we could and Plymouth Township 40 per­ Super Bowl XL is coming teer work and donated sup­ save about $30,000 ayear, which is cent to Ford Field in Detroit plies a big chunk of change when you’re The Plymouth resident loolung at $70,000 to run the pro­ tbruscatgihom ebwni fe com j (734) 459 2700 doesn’t have tickets to the SERVING A NEED game, nor is he planning to “I think the thing that attend any of the Super attracted them to us is that Bowl parties we serve so many different However, as director of populations here, and they operations for Cass saw the need,” said Community Social Services Hingelberg If these people m Detroit, Hingelberg is didn t have this place, they excited about $200,000 in literally would be sitting at renovations planned for the some group home, staring Cass Avenue Activity at the wall Center in Detroit - for “There are thousands and BY BRAD KADRICH Its first meeting of the new year developmentally disabled Shirley Carpenter baked a cake for the clients of the programs at the thousands of developmen­ STAFF WRITER Wayne County officials are pres- adults - as a result of the Cass Avenue Activity Center Director Ed Hingelberg tries a piece tally disabled and seniors,’ sunng both the township and City game being held in the he said “You put those two Dnvers frustrated by the fre­ of Plymouth to make a deasion so Motor City Avenue Activity Center, The Cass Avenue Activity things together, and in quent traffic jams caused by trams as not to lose another construction The NFL and Rebuilding nominated as one of 20 Center is visited each day some way they have it at the CSX crossing on Sheldon season Together, a national non­ potential projects, was cho­ by about 60 developmen- worse than the homeless Road - not to mention residents The project, now estimated at profit group supported by sen tdly disabled adults, and people because they’re a irked by more than six years of some $13 2 imlhon, is scheduled to NFL Commissioner Paul “This IS great stuff,’ said the building on Cass victim of their circum­ questions about whether an start - finally - m the later ffurd’ of Taghabue and his wife, Hingelberg ‘We have a lot Avenue is in desperate need stance They live in foster underpass will ever be built - the year, accordmg to Assistant partner each year to make of things higher on our list of repair The $200,000 in homes, and sometimes it’s could finally get some answers Wayne County Executive Alan improvements to at least to get done, but now we’re work will include new ceil­ not so good Thesday night Helmkamp Of course, ffiats contin­ one building in the Super gettmg done things we ings, flooring, doors, four That’s when the Plymouth gent on die tovraship joining the aty Bowl’s host city The Cass couldn’t afford to do new bathrooms and a new PLEASE SEE REBUILDING, AS Township Board of Trustees is scheduled to deal with the issue at PLEASE SEE UNDERPASS, A4 © The Observer & Eccentnc INDEX Coming Thursday For Home Newspapers Apartments FT Automotive F3 in Filter Delivery call: LINCOLN (866) 887-2737 Volume 120 Community Life C1 Number 40 Crossword E7 Health C6 J obs D2 Obituaries C4 DETROIT Perspectives A7 PSRStJAaVS J006 new 2006 Zephyr New Homes £4 Super Bowl Glitz & Glamour AcsiTnotors.com Service Guide D5 There are manv parties happening - from the OPEN SATURDAYS Sports B1 Hawaiiar Tropic Girl events to elbow rubbing 6 S3174 lOOQS with Detroit celebrities M (P) Observer & Eccentric | Sunday January 8 2006 PiPELlNE WWW hometownUfe com Ash tree talk evolution of a woodcut to a lence to file general public for Caregivers Senes over four con­ ICnstine Hahn of the MSU pnnt Kalaj s work is evocative, our open skating sessions,” said secutive Mondaj^ at the Extension Service will talk about expressing a raw and mtuitave Ron Baase, ice arena manager Plymouth Distnct Library m filling the void left by the less of eiqiloration of her moods and For more information, contact downtown Plymouth The senes, so many ash trees to the ash perceptions the Plymouth Recreation all of which start at 7 p m , will borer during a presentation at The artist s reception will be Department at (734) 455-6620 mdude the PlymouSi Distnct Library held 7 30-9 30 p m Saturday, during regular busmess hours ■ Monday, Jan 23 — The presentation, hosted hy Jan 14 It will include a demon­ Understanffing Normal Aging the Plymouth Libraiy Garden stration of the woodcut process Networking group ■ Monday, Jan 30 — Helpmg Club, takes place 7pm The public is invited to attend John Lankford, career coach When Health Fails Thursday, Jan 19 The library is Also on view during the exhib­ and networking expert, speaks at ■ Monday, Feb 6 — Memory located at 223 S Mam (at it wJl be another of the artists the Our Lady of Ckiod Cbunsel Loss-Yours and Theirs Church) m downtown creations, watercolor books She (Career Networking Group 7 pm.