News from the Director Report at the DDA August Board Meeting and beyond…
Downtown Business Updates
- Pumachug, 1 S. Main, had their doors open to the community for a sneak peak during the Open Air Sidewalk Fair and they plan to open for business within the next two weeks.
- We welcome Great Lakes Skate Shop at 38 E. 14 Mile. The shop opened August 1st
- Clawson Center Lofts (new loft housing behind NOAR Technologies) and Noar Technologies have both requested the city vacate the alley dividing their properties. Each property owner would acquire half of the alley space. This was presented to Council on 8-18-20 by the City Attorney and a public hearing will be scheduled as the next step in the process of the vacation of this unused, curbed alley
- Broadway Square is moving forward with the demolition of the PF Galleries now complete
- Frittata has closed and the business has now been leased by Charlie Samson, the current owner of Montage Grill, for a new business venture
- Sabbath Coffee Roasting Company, 24 E. 14 Mile, has begun roasting coffee beans and will be opening soon
- The Burger King property has an interested party for a mixed use development and they presented a concept at the last Planning Commission meeting
- 259 E. 14 Mile is now for lease with the closing of Scoop Vintage
Main Street
Applications are complete for the Tech Visit ( to continue Public Art Projects ) and for the matching Patronicity funds to be transferred to Clawson
Submission of quarterly stats for Main Street were sent on time
Other News
The owners of the Pizza Hut property have reached out regarding a city purchase of the property. This was turned over to the City Attorney for negotiation and consideration by City Council
Organization:
We are in the final draft phases of the TIF plan with Giffels Webster
Design:
Volunteers have weeded the planting beds and a committee has been formed to attend to maintenance going forward
Promotion
The Downtown Clawson Open Air Sidewalk Fair took place on Friday, August 21, 4-7pm, and Saturday, August 22, noon to 6pm. The event featured sidewalk sales, restaurant specials, circus entertainers, balloon artist, henna tattoos, carnival food truck, craft/makers from the Clawson Makers Market, a pig roast and big dinosaurs with free kids masks.
The event was a great success with businesses seeing a bump in sales and interest and the community has given nothing but positive feedback. Every business and attendee were mindful of the COVID restrictions. There were no gatherings, social distancing was practiced and masks were plentiful.