Government : Development News

A $15.8 million project will add a new track between Detroit and Dearborn, giving Amtrak passengers and freight cars their own dedicated lines.

The changes to the West Detroit Connection Track, which is the key link between the new Dearborn multi-modal transportation station and Detroit's station downtown, were OK'd by the federal Department of Transportation last week. Feds will pay for half the project and the Michigan Department of Transportation will pay the other half as they look for ways to alleviate a bottleneck on portions of the track.

The West Detroit Connection Track is also a key part of the Detroit to Chicago line, known as Amtrak's Wolverine line.

The project, which will break ground later this year, will alleviate a bottleneck that is increasing waiting times for trains, costing companies money and slowing down travelers.

Carmine Palombo, director of transportation programs for the Southeast Michigan Council of Governments, says the changes make sense economically because they allow goods and people to move more quickly and efficiently.

"When you have 10 minute and more delays that are caused by the bottleneck that is there now, that is huge," Palombo says.

But metro Detroit and Michigan are still a long way off from trains carrying coffee-drinking, newspaper reading commuters. Improvements such as new stations, including in Dearborn, Detroit, Troy and Pontiac, as well as changes to increase train speeds up to 110 mph, are lining up to make Michigan a train-riding state.

"It's all part of the overall series of events to improve passenger service," he says.

As of now, the line is mostly for travelers and freight. He says a commuter train between Detroit and Ann Arbor is inching along but still far from a done deal.

"Part of what happens now is existing Amtrak trains start in Pontiac and go to Chicago…The problem is the times are not conducive for a lot of commuters .. The times are geared for getting you to Chicago, not points in between. And the costs are not necessarily in step with what commuters want to pay."

He says legislation that will have the state of Michigan financially supporting the train service could change that.
"When that happens we can have a little more say in the schedules and how that service is run," Palombo says.

In the meantime, the feds, who are executing President Barak Obama's High Speed Intercity Passenger Rail Program, see the project as a way to address congestion of the Midwest Regional Rail Network and promote alternative forms of transportation and to create jobs and spur economic development.

Source: U.S. Department of Transportation and Carmine Palombo director of transportation programs, Southeast Michigan Council of Governments
Writer: Kim North Shine

New sidewalks, street lamps, benches, bike racks, planters, median landscaping and other improvements are done and on display on Fort Street in Lincoln Park.

The four-block area near Southfield Road is designated as Lincoln Park's downtown and the approximate $1 million streetscape is seen as a way to attract businesses and customers by making the corridor appealing to the eye for pedestrians, cyclists and drivers alike.

Grants from the Michigan Department of Transportation and DTE Energy are covering most of the project cost, which also includes improvements as major as roadway changes and parking lots and as simple as garbage cans, recycling bins. The city's Downtown Development Authority has invested about $250,000 in the streetscape and other improvements, including energy efficient lighting that will save the city tax dollars.

The new streetscape is combined with other economic development projects, including a cooperative effort with neighboring communities to make roads and sidewalks more attractive and walkable and to advertise the cities' connection to I-94 and the Detroit River. Another project has the state assigning extra liquor licenses to Lincoln Park with the goal of attracting restaurants and bars.

Source: Lincoln Park Downtown Development Authority
Writer: Kim North Shine

A vacant building in Auburn Hills was another snapshot of Michigan's dark economy, but with the move-in of a global automotive supplier the picture is brightening.

The April 1 opening of the Teijin Composites Application Center (TCAC) also puts this metro Detroit operation in a position to globally market, develop and apply the latest uses for high volume, high-speed production of carbon fiber reinforced thermoplastic composite products, and to increase the use of carbon fiber in automobiles and other products.

The state has awarded $375,000 in tax incentives to open the $7.9 million development center, which will create 25 new jobs and could lead to more. The city of Auburn Hills is offering tax abatements as well.

Teijin, a Japanese conglomerate and leader in the carbon fiber composites industry, established its American division in 2011, the same year it struck a deal with General Motors Corp. to co-develop the advanced carbon fiber composite technologies needed for GM cars, trucks and crossovers.

Teijin's high volume, high speed process for producing the materials is considered an innovative breakthrough in the automotive industry.

The company is also receiving other tax credits and abatements from the state and the city as part of a program that seeks to simply business establishment in Michigan. In addition, Gov. Rick Snyder taking delegations to Asia with hopes of bringing business to Michigan.

“These new flexible incentives, paired with Michigan’s simplified and reduced business tax structure and initiatives to connect employers with talented workers, are creating one of the best business climates in the country,” Michigan Economic Development Corp. President and CEO Michael Finney says in a statement announcing the Teijin project - and others.

Source: Michael Shore, communications, Michigan Economic Development Corp.
Writer: Kim North  Shine

Federal transportation enhancement grants are helping cover improvements to biking and walking paths, and unattractive intersections in the cities of Rochester Hills and Flat Rock.

In Rochester Hills, paths for pedestrians and cyclists and non-motorized vehicles will be added to the intersection of Livernois and Avon roads. The $345,825 project will also pay for aesthetic improvements at the major intersection. The paths and other improvements coincide with installation of bridges for pedestrians and bicycles at the same area and over the Clinton River.

The bridge project by the Road Commission for Oakland County  prompted the city to direct its grant from the Federal Transportation Enhancement fund - $207,495 of the project price - to direct the dollars to the same intersection "and further enhance safety and connectivity," according to an announcement from the Michigan Department of Transportation.
The city of Rochester Hills is putting in $138,330 toward the project.

In Flat Rock, a multi-use path from Huron Park in Flat Rock to Oakwoods Metropark will be funded with a federal transportation enhancement grant of $342,150. The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is matching that amount for a total investment of $684,300.

The path will be the final link in the Downriver Linked Greenways Initiative. It will finish the east-west route that connects Oakwoods Metropark to Lake Erie Metropark, providing residents, tourists, recreational and competitive riders, hikers and others with a continuous pathway through Metroparks and waterways.

The grant will pay for trail construction, signs and railroad crossing work.

Overall, the purpose of the grant is to boost interest in Michigan recreationally and economically, according to MDOT, which administers the federal dollars.

"Transportation Enhancement projects boost a community's appeal to residents and businesses," State Transportation Director Kirk T. Steudle says in a statement announcing the award of more than $1 million in grants to four counties. "Increasingly, new generations demand multi-modal communities, meaning those that offer access to bicycling and walking, which contributes to healthy, active lifestyles, and streetscape projects that improve safety, walkability, aesthetics and economic vitality."

Source: Jeff Cranson, spokesperson, Michigan Department of Transportation
Writer: Kim North Shine

The cities of Auburn Hills, Rochester Hills, and Rochester are looking to preserve residents' quality of life and enhance their business climates by sharing services. By doing so, the communities expect to save money by eliminating redundancies while also providing the services that each is best at.

The three cities formally agreed to regionalizing public works such as road and sidewalk repair, water and storm drain systems management, street lighting and more.

Shared services and consolidation is a move that more cities and counties are taking - a move encouraged by Gov. Rick Snyder - as a lagging economy has led to new thinking on how to preserve public services when there is less revenue to work with.

In a statement announcing the collaboration, which is an extension of earlier shared services (or interlocal) agreements, Auburn Hills director of public services Ron Melchert says: “Each community has specific areas of expertise, specialized skills, knowledge, equipment and tools that are difficult to obtain from other service providers to perform economically, properly and in a timely manner.”

A group of citizens, city staffers and elected officials from the three municipalities formed the Tri-City Sustainability Advisory Committee in 2011. The "overarching goal of the Sustainability Advisory Committee is to ensure an ongoing high quality of life for all residents and a strong business climate for commerce."

Source: Detroit Regional Chamber of Commerce
Writer: Kim North Shine

Some 200,000 metro Detroiters accumulated a total of $50 million in energy savings in 2011 by participating in DTE Energy's efficiency programs.

The $50 million savings came through programs such as home energy audits that show residents and business owners how to prevent energy waste or add energy efficient features to their homes. Programs such as appliance recycling, low income weatherization assistance and rebates and discounts on energy efficient lighting, thermostats and appliances, says DTE spokesman Alejandro Bodipo-Memba.

DTE Energy launched many of the programs in 2009 - as have all utilities - as the federal government enacted measures in 2008 to promote clean, affordable energy.

"Customer response to our energy efficiency programs continues to be overwhelmingly positive," Trevor Lauer, DTE Energy vice president, Marketing & Renewables, says in a statement announcing the savings. "More than 200,000 of our customers took control of their energy use through these programs and saved millions of dollars as a result."

The breakdown for DTE's metro Detroit power users who participated went something like this:
* More than 76,000 apartments made more energy efficient
* More than 23,000 appliances recycled
* More than 50,0000 home energy audits/consultations completed
* More than 4.5 million discounted Compact Fluorescent Bulbs and 22,000 energy efficiency kits distributed to customers.
* More than 7,000 businesses installed 6,000-plus thermostats, 600 boiler tune-ups and took other energy saving steps.

"We're very proud of the role our energy efficiency programs have played in helping customers save money," Lauer says.
Source: Alejandro Bodipo-Memba, spokesman, DTE Energy
Writer: Kim North Shine

A $500,000 grant is coming from the Michigan Economic Development Corporation to the Macomb-Oakland University INCubator to increase efforts to cultivate businesses and jobs in the areas of defense, homeland security and advanced manufacturing.

Macomb-OU Inc was one of 12 incubators and business accelerators selected to share in $6 million in grants.

Macomb-OU INC will use its half million dollar grant to develop and enhance staffing, operations and programming offered to small businesses.

     "The Macomb-OU INCubator is very grateful for this grant award," director Julie Gustafson says in a statement announcing the grant. "This support will go a long way towards enhancing current programs and developing small business trainings that will better serve emerging companies in Macomb County."

    The incubator is located in a Technology Advancement SmartZone of Sterling Heights, and it provides comprehensive development and innovative support to start-up and emerging businesses in the areas of defense, homeland security and advanced manufacturing.

Source: David Groves, assistant director of media relations, Oakland University
Writer: Kim North Shine

Construction on an affordable, modern loft apartment development that would rise in place of a shuttered movie theater and unused plot of land in downtown Lincoln Park could begin this summer.

The developer, Louis Piszker, a Lincoln Park resident and CEO of the Wayne Metropolitan Community Action Agency, told the city council earlier this month that tax credits and other financing were in place and that the Lincoln Park Lofts must be completed by December 2013. The agency is a nonprofit heading up the redevelopment in an effort to provide affordable housing and stimulate downtown Lincoln Park.

Lincoln Park Lofts would replace the Park Theatre, which went dark years ago, with 12 residential lofts and two 1,200-square-foot retail spaces. The Art Deco theater marquis and facade will be restored and incorporated into the design. Across the street 24 additional residential lofts will be built, and some will be designated for low-income residents.

Wyandotte-based Sarnacki & Associates is the architect on the project.

There is disagreement whether the project could be more helpful or harmful to the city. But it is mostly viewed as positive as other efforts to revitalize downtown -- a  nearly $1 million streetscape update, several Downtown Development Authority projects and plans to redevelop the old Sears store -- gather steam.

Source: Wayne Metropolitan Community Action Agency, city of Lincoln Park and Lincoln Park Preservation Alliance
Writer: Kim North Shine

About 100 abandoned and foreclosed houses in Pontiac are being demolished and replaced with new or renovated homes as part of a major revitalization program organizers say could become a model of local urban renewal.

More than 100 homes have been demolished and nearly 20 renovated or rebuilt in the Unity Park district and throughout other parts of the city since May. The goal is to sell a record number of foreclosed homes and restore or replace them with homes featuring amenities that "defy the perception of abandoned homes." Prices range from $45,000 to $75,000 to eligible buyers.

Every home is being made energy efficient and true to the style of the city's old neighborhoods.

Home Renewal Systems, a Farmington Hills company that specializes in urban development and revitalization, is part of a broad collaboration on the project that's funded by the Department of Housing and Urban Development's Neighborhood Stabilization Program.

Other players include governmental bodies such as the city of Pontiac, the Michigan State Housing Development Authority and the Oakland County Land Bank. Nonprofits such as the Community Housing Network and Oakland County Habitat for Humanity are also involved, as are the Michigan Association of Home Builders and the Michigan Association of Realtors. It was part of an Open House tour held recently and touted as an unprecedented showcase of homes in the city. A family relocating to Pontiac for one of the homes was part of the media event kicking off the tour.

"The great part of the program is we specifically look for local companies…and engage local developers," says Shannon Morgan, senior vice president of Home Renewal Systems.

Besides acquiring property and working as a developer or finding developers and facilitating the collaborative effort, Home Renewal Systems works to educate and prepare buyers to be lasting homeowners. The company is working on urban renewal projects in 15 other communities, Morgan says.

"There have been blight removal efforts through the years, but never to this level."

She says the extent of cooperation, the speed of the process and the interest from potential buyers has been astounding.
"It really is a model for everyone to follow. You've got a lot of great agencies involved and it is showing which initiatives work and what are the best practices...

"This is truly about a partnership that has worked unbelievably well," she says.

Some homes, including a historic renovation property powered by a geothermal well, were pre-brought, Morgan says.

"We were under a tremendous amount of pressure…We were told by many agencies that we would not be able to find buyers…Pontiac has shown it can be done."

Source: Shannon Morgan, senior vice president, Home Renewal Systems
Writer: Kim North Shine

Every home in Wyandotte is eligible for free energy inspections as well as grants, discounts and low-interest loans to residents interested in making energy efficient changes to their homes.

Just over $4 million in grant money from the U.S. Department of Energy and the state of MIchigan was awarded to Wyandotte's municipal services department to carry out its "Save a Watt" program in Wyandotte.

Franklin Energy Services, a Wisconsin company with an office in Detroit, was hired by the city to carry out the program.

Every single home, whether owned or rented, is eligible for free energy audits. The results of those audits determine what, if any, improvements are needed, and money and discounts are available to help pay for them.

"We're shooting for at least 2,000 homes. That's a good chunk of the homes in the city," says Pam Tierney, who is the energy services program manager for Wyandotte Municipal Services. She calls the grant a jackpot for the city.

"This is a chance for our residents to get a huge helping hand toward making their homes greener and more comfortable while saving money," she says.

Besides saving the city and residents money the program is a job creator, Tierney says.

"We have marketing consultants, quality control people, the five contractors that are doing work and their subcontractors," says Tierney, adding that local merchants are benefiting by selling needed supplies.

Already 600 homes have received audits, she says. Once 1,000 residents participate, the city will be eligible for funding to install a solar panel project on Wyandotte’s Bacon Memorial District Library. The Better Buildings for Michigan program will pay for the library rooftop panels.

“Whether you want to make your home more comfortable, your library more energy efficient or the planet greener---this is a great program to at last get it done!” Mayor Joseph R. Peterson says in a statement. “We’re hoping every resident in our city recognizes this great opportunity and signs up now.”

Sign up by calling 1-855-674-9926.

Source: Pam Tierney, energy services program manager for Wyandotte Municipal Services
Writer: Kim North Shine

Macomb County is seeking out small business owners and entrepreneurs with business ideas as economic development planners work to support businesses seen as the "bread and butter of our downtowns and commercial corridors."

The county is offering a 12-week "Unlock Your Sales Potential" course at the Velocity business incubator in Sterling Heights, starting Feb. 28. The Michigan Small Business Development and Technology Center is teaching the program at Velocity as local and state economic development planners look for ways to increase small business success.

In Macomb County there are 2,855 small retail establishments responsible for supporting 40,590 jobs.

"Unique and interesting retail shops are the bread and butter of our downtowns and commercial corridors," says Don Morandini, deputy director of the Macomb County Department of Planning and Economic Development. "This class is especially for entrepreneurs with a passion for selling what consumers want. We'll help them uncover a deeper understanding of their customer base and provide ideas for keeping their inventory selling."

The benefits of the guidance given by the business development and technology center and courses such as the one coming up are crucial to operating a business, says Debbie Heuchert, owner of Champagne Chocolates in downtown Mount Clemens. She ran the business for 14 years in her basement before opening a store in downtown Mount Clemens eight years ago. She also had a store in Birmingham in 2007.

"This class opened up my eyes on more than just my business. It is an incredible course. It helps you be honest with yourself," says Huechert. "I think it's one of the most important things you can do if you're thinking about a business…I wish I had known about something like this before I started. If I had done my homework…I would have done things differently."

For sign up or to obtain more information, e-mail Denise.Mentzer@MacombCountyMI.gov or call 586-469-5118.

Source: Maria Zardis, Macomb County Department of Planning and Economic Development; Debbie Heuchert, owner Champagne Chocolates.
Writer: Kim North Shine

Construction has begun on a loft and retail project that is the largest construction development in downtown Pontiac in 30 years.

The building of Lafayette Place Lofts, a project of Pontiac-based West Construction Services, began last week at the site of the prominent and shuttered Sears department store on Saginaw, Lafayette and Perry streets, a part of the city's historic commercial district. The completion date is set for December, possibly sooner, says Kyle Westberg, owner of West Construction Services.

The 46 upscale-style, affordably-priced units will be spread over two and three floors taking up 80,000 square feet. They will sit atop two 10,000-square-foot businesses on the ground floor -- Anytime Fitness, a fitness center that will be a first for the city, and, Lafayette Market, a fresh food market and cafe. There will be 31 indoor parking spaces.

The project is a historic preservation and will include energy efficiency measures such as geothermal and photovoltaic power as well as the use of recycled and sustainable materials.

The $19.8-million project is funded in part by the Neighborhood Stabilization Program through the Michigan Land Bank and also through New Markets tax credits from the Michigan Magnet Fund.

"Lafayette Place Lofts multi-use development is a game-changer for downtown Pontiac, bringing great new living, working and shopping opportunities," Oakland County Treasurer and Michigan Land Bank Board Chairman Andy Meisner says in a statement detailing the project.

Magnet Fund Chief Business Development Officer Al Bogdan describes the lofts as "an innovative project that will stimulate Pontiac's downtown with new businesses and new residents."

KeyBank Community Development Lending, which is providing bridge financing, compliments the project for its affordability and plan to improve the health of local residents.

West says he, investors and local officials see this as a great time to invest in downtown Pontiac as dozens of companies from individually-owned to corporate-run have moved in or stepped up business. A number of other programs by local community and business development organizations are seeing success in the city, and investments in mass transit and by local health systems are bringing positive change to a town that's gone broke and been taken over by the state.

He says there's much for potential residents to be attracted to.

"From this location, you can get to about seven counties in a 45 minute-drive…We can hit 3 1/2 to 4 million people," West says. "We love the idea of being so centralized ... not only to the freeways, but the buses, the train from the new transit center, and the bike path ... You can reach hundreds of miles of bike path from downtown if you want…When you add in the architectural fabric we have, the historic nature we have, the walkable downtown … there is a lot here."

An important aspect, he says, was bringing amenities not found in the city to both residents and employees.

"...For the [60,000 residents, and] the employees -- probably 20,000 -- there is no fitness center. And the fresh food market and cafe downtown, that is something we don't have," West says. "We took a healthful, holistic approach to this development. We hope we're building a catalyst for other development to come to town."

Source: Kyle West, owner, West Construction Services
Writer: Kim North Shine

After years of planning and the weeks of political controversy that nearly derailed it, the Troy Transit Center is on track to be built and made into a crucial cog in a regional transportation system for metro Detroit and Michigan.

Michele Hodges, president of the Troy Chamber of Commerce, which has been a leader on the project since the beginning, says the transit center will "be transformative" not only for the city and the neighborhood at Maple and Coolidge where it will be built, but also for the mass transit system as a whole and for the way public projects such as this are maintained using private sector dollars.

The chamber is lining up funding from local businesses to pay for the operation of the center, which will be built with federal dollars. Originally the center was to cost $8.5 million and be paid for through federal department of transportation funds, but after objections were raised, the city council voted to scale it back to a $6.3 million project.

"Of course we feel the bigger project was the better project," Hodges says. "When you limit the building footprint, you limit space for paying tenants or ad space. However, the essence of leadership is compromise.

"Yes, we had to give, but we still feel we are meeting the ultimate goal, which is to produce an asset that will create jobs, enhance the tax base, and keep Troy as a community of choice," she says.

The Troy Transit Center will be located on the southwest corner of Maple and Coolidge roads and will be multi-modal, meaning it will be used for multiple forms of transportation, namely Amtrak's Wolverine Line which travels to Chicago with stops in between. There will be bus service, as well as taxis and shuttle vans. Bike paths will lead to the center, which will also be located across the street from an airport.

"Amtrak's Wolverine line…it's already one of the more successful lines and they intend to make it the premier line west of the Appalachians," Hodges says. "In communities where they've made the investment they've seen a commercial and residential renaissance."

Under federal guidelines the center should be opened by October 2013, but that may be a difficult deadline to meet and an extension may be requested. In Dearborn, where a larger multi-modal transit station is being built, there are delays.

The project, which is part of the Detroit Regional Mass Transit Plan, had the support of Gov. Rick Snyder and Automation Alley.

Support from them and others "made me clearly understand the negative impact this would have had on our peers…if hadn't passed," Hodges says. "Most clearly this has regional impact."

Source: Michele Hodges, president, Troy Chamber of Commerce
Writer: Kim North Shine

The Ferndale Downtown Development Authority held its annual planning meeting Monday, a meeting that goes beyond the city officials and insiders and welcomed anyone who uses or cares about this Oakland County downtown that borders Detroit.

The idea was to let them "put on paper their ideas, dreams and envisioned possibilities" for downtown Ferndale's future.

This year's meeting attracted about 50 guests whose thoughts and ideas contribute to the DDA's "ongoing process of planning ahead --  for tomorrow, next month, next year and beyond," the invitation read.

"The annual meeting gives us a chance to see what we've accomplished and is essential to helping us chart the course for the year ahead, says Cristina Sheppard-Decius, executive director of the Ferndale DDA and a certified Main Street Manager.  "From here, we  develop work plans which give us the ability to track our progress throughout the year and determine what we've completed and what we still need to do."

"This process is also very all-inclusive. It is a great opportunity to have a say in what happens in your downtown," she adds.

Besides local business owners and employees, the DDA board and committee members and directors from other DDAs learned about the planning process that goes in maintaining Ferndale's reputation as a downtown that's eclectic and progressive.

A survey given to the general public prior to the meeting identified a top goal or priority. It was to "educate and engage the community on the need for positive collective action in managing Downtown Ferndale and its need for growth and development," explains Chris Hughes, communications and marketing manager for the Ferndale DDA.

That priority matched the meeting attendees who said the number one challenge for downtown is parking issues. The DDA is trying to work with the city to alleviate some of the parking problems as the spaces are owned by the city.

It comes as the city makes its annual assessment of past goals, sets new ones and refines and identifies new objectives aimed at maintaining Ferndale's success.

Source: Chris Hughes, communications & marketing manager, Ferndale DDA
Writer: Kim North Shine

Go Green! In 2011 metro Detroit municipalities increasingly saw a win-win in implementing energy-saving practices and policies. Businesses, schools and homeowners got in on the alternative energy game too, in large part inspired by grants, tax breaks and incentives offered by the federal and state governments and DTE. The result: saving money and possibly the earth.

It was a year that saw the landscape changed by green rooftops, solar installations, wind farms, geothermal-powered facilities, electric car charging stations and in Auburn Hills, for example, a plan to assist builders in building alternative-energy-based homes and businesses of the future.

Auburn Hills prepares for wave of electric vehicles
http://www.metromodemedia.com/devnews/0721elecvehs0217.aspx

Auburn Hills makes energy efficiency a priority
http://www.metromodemedia.com/devnews/0303auburnhillsenergy0199.aspx

Rochester Fire Department goes solar-powered
http://www.metromodemedia.com/devnews/rfdsolarpanels0195.aspx

DTE adds 16 new electric car-charging stations to growing network
http://www.metromodemedia.com/devnews/0804dteplugins0219.aspx

Macomb County breaks 100-mark in schools state certified as green
http://www.metromodemedia.com/devnews/0414macgreenschools0205.aspx

State grants enable dozens of Michigan schools to turn up solar and wind power
http://www.metromodemedia.com/devnews/0218energyworks0197.aspx

The story at Ferndale library is about going green
http://www.metromodemedia.com/devnews/0303ferndalelibraryaward0199.aspx

Metro Detroit's institutes of greener learning
http://www.metromodemedia.com/features/greenuniversities0207.aspx

Oakland County Airport first LEED-certified terminal in Michigan
http://www.metromodemedia.com/devnews/0818oakcoairport0221.aspx

Propane vehicles deliver for Wright & Fillippis
http://www.metromodemedia.com/devnews/0428propanefleet0207.aspx
Interest in DTE's Solar Currents program so hot it's reached its goal
http://www.metromodemedia.com/devnews/0512solarcurrents0209.aspx

Downtown Royal Oak parking meters go solar
http://www.metromodemedia.com/devnews/solarmeters0193.aspx

Sign of the times: Southgate hotel goes solar
http://www.metromodemedia.com/devnews/0421greenhotel0206.aspx


By Kim North Shine