Howell Downtown Development Authority News

DDA Board Meeting Canceled

Wed, 27 Jul 2011 00:00:00 -0700

The regularly scheduled DDA Board Meeting for tonight, July 27th, has been canceled due to a lack of quorum of members.

Melon Ball to Kick Off Hometown Festival with High Class Fun

Thu, 04 Aug 2011 00:00:00 -0700

Back for a second year of fun, the Melon Ball will come to the McPherson Mansion on August 18. The night of entertainment includes dueling pianos, catering by Jonna’s, cocktails and the crowning of the Melon King & Queen.

“Melon Ball was a blast last year,” says Howell Main Street/DDA Board Chair Stephanie Schlittler. “And it’s going to be even more fun this year. It’s a great opportunity for al the locals to get together and celebrate before the big weekend begins.”

In addition to being a great time, the Melon Ball also raises funds for the Howell Melon Festival. Tickets, which include food, one drink ticket and a commemorative pilsner glass, are $45 in advance and $50 the day of the event. Ball goers will also enjoy complimentary Howell Melon Ice Cream from the Howell Rotary Club. The ball is sponsored by Hubbell, Roth & Clark, Ballard Benefit Group, and the Gronows and Myers.

“Everyone knows how important the Melon Festival is to Howell,” Schlittler says. “We’re so excited to have a new way for the community to support it, as well as have an opportunity to kick off the festival together with style.”

The Melon Ball will take place from 7:00-11:00pm on Thursday, August 18th at the McPherson Mansion. Advance tickets are available at http://www.howellmelonfestival.com/ticketed-events/.

34th Annual Howell Melon Run

Fri, 19 Aug 2011 00:00:00 -0700

34^th Annual Howell Melon Run

Friday, August 19^th

6:00pm

Join the community tradition of the 34th Annual Melon Run on August 19. This is one of the most scenic and beautiful run/walks through residential streets, historic Lakeview Cemetery, and Howell City Park. The race starts and finishes in Downtown Howell. Onsite registrations, post race awards, and refreshments (like melon ice cream) will all take place on State St. Bring the whole family to enjoy all the special events including the Melon Roll, Tot Trot, Melon Dash, and the One Mile Fun Run/Walk. Parking is available at the Barnard Community Center and on residential streets surrounding Downtown. Early entry fee deadline is midnight on 8/18. Mailed applications must be postmarked by 8/15.

Site: Downtown Howell, Corner of State and Clinton Streets

Melon Roll (ages 2-5) $2 per child 6:00pm

Tot Trot (ages 8 & under) Free (1/4 mile) 6:15pm

Melon Dash $2 per person 6:30pm

1 Mile $10 early/$15 late 6:45pm

5 K $25 early/$30 late 7:00pm

10 K $25 early/$30 late 7:00pm

We are also in need of volunteers to help with the run. If you are interested in volunteering, please contact the Howell Area Parks & Recreation Authority.

For more information or to register, please contact the Howell Area Parks & Recreation Authority at 517/ 546-0693 or visit our website at www.howellrecreation.org.

Contact us: parksandrec@howellrecreation.org

517-546-0693 ext. 0

fax: 517-546-6018

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The Howell Area Parks & Recreation Authority was formed in 2006 and serves residents in the City of Howell, Oceola, Genoa and Marion Township. Our mission is to bring communities together to enrich lives by promoting active and healthy lifestyles.

Annabelle Road to Headline Howell Melon Festival, Joined by an Array of Local Acts

Wed, 17 Aug 2011 00:00:00 -0700

HOWELL, MI - The Howell Melon Festival is set to be more musical than ever in 2011 as event organizers add a new live music venue and welcome Michigan's hottest country band, Annabelle Road to the Main Entertainment Stage.

The musical extravaganza will begin on Wednesday evening with a Summer Concert on the Beach featuring local artists Jeff Pianki and Mike Vial. Howell Main Street has partnered with Fusion Shows and the Grand Princess River Boat to bring live music to Thompson Lake.

"The Summer Concert on the Beach is going to be tons of fun," says Howell Main Street/DDA Director Nathan Voght. "Partnering with Fusion Shows helps us bring some really hip, independent acts to a younger crowd."

Saturday's lineup at the Melon Festival Main Entertainment Stage will flood Downtown Howell with great live music from 10 a.m. until the sun goes down. Local performers such as the Lamp Lighter Barbershop Quartet, the Livingston County Concert Band, and previous Livingston Sensation winners The Sundowners.

"Without a doubt, Anabelle Road will be the highlight of the weekend," says Voght. "We're honored to host such a talented, sought-after group. No one is going to want to miss them."

Anabelle Road will take the stage at 7:00pm Saturday. The Main Entertainment Stage will be located on North Michigan Avenue at Clinton Street. Live music will be found in other locations during the Howell Melon Festival as well, including the Festival Tent on S. Walnut, and Concerts at the Courthouse sponsored by the Livingston Arts Council.

To learn more about the Howell Melon Festival and view the entire schedule, visit: http://www.howellmelonfestival.com.

Downtown Pooch Posse

Fri, 02 Sep 2011 00:00:00 -0700

The Howell Area Parks & Recreation Authority, the Humane Society of Livingston County and Gleaners Food Bank invite you to be a part of the 1st Annual Downtown Pooch Posse. The event is a pledge driven, family friendly dog walk. The funds raised at this event will care for and feed homeless animals and animals in need throughout Livingston County. This event will bring hundreds of people with their 4-legged friends to Downtown Howell. Walkers will collect pledges for Humane Society of Livingston County and pet food donations for Gleaners Food Bank.

The Downtown Pooch Posse will honor the memory of Jeannine MacDonald, former owner of Lady Rebecca's of Thistledown. Jeannine was a passionate advocate for Downtown Howell, animal lover, and supporter of GFB. The walk starts at Page Field, winds through Downtown Howell, continues to West Street Park, and back to Page Field. At the finish, the walkers and their animals will enjoy refreshments, entertainment, contests, and be able to browse through merchant booths. All pre-registrants receive a doggie bag of goodies. Pre-register before September 8th.

$50 in pledges: receive a T-shirt
$75 or more in pledges: receive a Dog Tag, a T-Shirt, & a chance to enter for giveaways
$10 per person
$25 per family
($5 late registration fee after September 8th)

Sept. 29th - Carriage House 3rd Annual Witches Night Out!

Wed, 07 Sep 2011 00:00:00 -0700

Come to the Carriage House Designs, 119 N. Michigan Ave., for the 3rd Annual Witches Night Out, on September 29th, from 5:00 to 9:30 p.m. This year enjoy a Masquerade theme! Look for updates on Facebook!

Sept. 15th - Public Meeting: Grand River Avenue Study

Wed, 07 Sep 2011 00:00:00 -0700

Improving traffic flow on Grand River will be the focus of a public meeting hosted by SEMCOG, the Southeast Michigan Council of Governments, MDOT and Livingston County. Together with your local community officials, these organizations are developing a plan to improve the flow of traffic on Grand River from M-59 in Howell Township, east to Kensington Road in Brighton Township. Key issues in the corridor will be discussed, along with techniques for combining/closing certain driveways, improving high crash areas, and more. An open forum will follow, where individuals may discuss specific recommendations with local road agencies and government officials. Please come to tell us about the Grand River corridor and to voice your opinions!

Thursday, September 15, 2011
Doors open from 4:15 p.m. to 7:15 p.m. • Presentations at 4:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m.

Genoa Charter Township Hall Visit: www.semcog.org/Access_Management.aspx
2911 Dorr Road • Brighton, MI 48116 • (810) 227-5225

Merry Tuba Christmas Concert 12-10-11

Fri, 02 Dec 2011 00:00:00 -0800

6th Annual Merry TubaChristmas Concert

Saturday, December 10th at 2 p.m.

Livingston County Courthouse Ampitheatre

Downtown Howell

The Howell Main Street/DDA is please to announce that Howell is one of ten Michigan cities to hose a Merry TubaChristmas concert with Mike Klass as the Conductor. Tuba player registration begins at 10am at the Opera House, 123 W. Grand River Ave.

The concert is scheduled for 2pm at the Livingston County Courthouse Outdoor Ampitheatre...so please dress accordingly!

For more information, or if you are a tuba player interested in participating, please contact us at (517) 545-4240.

Howell Theater to Re-Open October 7th

Wed, 21 Sep 2011 00:00:00 -0700

The Howell Theater in historic downtown Howell is preparing for a grand re-opening on October 7, 2011. A new management company will be taking over operations beginning in September.

The theater will be closed during the month of September while the new management team, led by Holly Gerdom of The Lyon Theatre in South Lyon, completes its testing and general maintenance of all projection equipment and sound, initiates a full cleaning and reorganization of the theater inner-workings, as well as organizing a thrilling fall schedule of movies for all ages and interests to enjoy. "We are very excited about becoming involved in the Howell Community. The Howell is a wonderful movie theater and a key part of the downtown retail and shopping district," says Gerdom. "We are looking forward to a great autumn and holiday schedule of films, including The Muppets, Happy Feet 2, and the latest Sherlock Holmes [coming in December]."

Gerdom has been an integral part in the revival of The Lyon since its renovation and reopening in 2009. A member of the South Lyon DDA and Co-Chairperson of the Pumpkinfest Committee, she has worked very closely with the municipality and business owners in South Lyon to help create a more vibrant downtown, and is eager to immerse herself in the Howell community. During the upcoming school year, The Howell is actively looking to book PTO Fundraiser events with the local schools; Gerdom suggests contacting her through the webpage, www.thehowelltheater.com. "I look forward to meeting our customers and regulars, as well as other business owners in town. We hope that we can continue the success of the Howell Theater and offer a great product to the community. Everyone loves popcorn and a good movie."

The Howell Theater was originally constructed in 1927 and has undergone several renovations, most recently in the mid-2000's and has state-of-the-art digital sound, comfortable seating and our favorite, a full concession stand with fresh, hot popcorn.

Historic Preservation Award Nominations Being Accepted

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 00:00:00 -0800

The Design Committee of the City of Howell Main Street Program and Downtown Development Authority (DDA) is currently seeking nominations for the 6th annual Historic Preservation and Design Awards Program. This Program recognizes outstanding achievements and investments in commercial buildings by property owners that are consistent with standards of historic preservation stewardship and result in significant aesthetic and design improvements to the community.

Eligible Properties

Any property located within the DDA District (See Figure 1/City of Howell DDA Boundary) is eligible for the award. All projects must have been completed in 2011. Large projects may be eligible for more than one award, although no award winner is eligible for another award in the same category for a period of three years. All nominations are due no later than Thursday, March 8, 2012. The awards will be presented during a special reception on the evening of Thursday, May 24^th at the Opera House. If you have any questions regarding the Historic Preservation and Design Awards Program, please contact the Howell Main Street/Downtown Development Authority (Howell Main Street DDA) at 517-545-4240 ext. 1.

Award Categories

Properties may be nominated in the following categories:

Preservation Stewardship: This includes buildings that have been well-maintained over a significant period of time, with special attention to careful maintenance, façade alterations that are sensitive to historic character, and work that is shown to be appropriate for the historic resource. The original use of the building may be changed, but care has been taken to maintain the building’s integrity and changes over time have been compatible with the historic character of the building.

Exterior Restoration or Rehabilitation: Exterior of properties that have undergone significant rehabilitation or been restored to their original style or appearance.

Building Interior: This includes significant investment and renovation in historic building interiors, including general building code upgrades; also ground floor commercial improvements demonstrating excellence in merchandising, customer orientation, and/or business functionality in an office or retail setting. Also eligible are upper story commercial or residential renovation projects resulting in high quality space, all while maintaining or restoring the historical appearance of the building.

Sympathetic Addition: Construction of an addition to an existing structure that is compatible with the original architectural style of the property.

Compatible New Construction or Property Improvement: Any new structure that is compatible with the architectural character of the neighborhood/area in which the new structure is located, and/or site improvement that results in significant aesthetic enhancement to the property.

Judging Criteria

All nominations will be graded by the Design Committee of the Howell Main Street DDA from 1 through 5 in each of the following four judging criteria. This will lead to a score between 4 and 20 points. To be eligible for an award, a nomination must score at least 10 points.

Historical Preservation Excellence: demonstrated compliance with the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Historic Rehabilitation; documented historic research; compliance with the City of Howell ordinances and/or Design Guidelines.

Project’s Level of Difficulty: Affected are; estimated cost. For example, re-roofing a building is a small preservation project, while restoring an original façade of a significant historic building downtown is a larger preservation project.

Impact of the Project on the Community: Number of people immediately affected; visibility; economic benefits to the local economy; and external vs. internal work.

Historic Importance: Structure listed as a significant historic building; structure listed as a contributing historic building, structure is historic within downtown’s National Registered Historic District or structure is not historic. (Please note a property is defined as being historic if it has been at least 50 years since the buildings was constructed).

For full application, click here

Downtown Howell Holiday Window Unveiling & Open House 11-11-11

Fri, 11 Nov 2011 00:00:00 -0800

On Friday, November 11th Downtown Howell will be kicking off the Holiday shopping season with a Holiday Window Unveiling and Open House.

Nearly two dozen downtown merchants will be participating, unveiling their holiday windows during a walking tour of the historic downtown. Please click here for the map, schedule and more information...we look forward to seeing you there!

2011 Downtown Howell Market Study Now Available

Tue, 13 Dec 2011 00:00:00 -0800

2011 Downtown Howell Market Study

is Now Available!

The 2011 Update of the Downtown Howell Market Study Profile is now available (click here to download the document). The Study includes information on the demographics, income, and spending potential in the Howell market area. More updated census in formation will be included in early 2012 after it is released.

For more information, or if you have any questions please contact us at (517) 545-4240.

Main Street Building Basics - Training and Grant Info

Thu, 05 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0800

Downtown Merchants and Building Owners:

We wanted to make you aware of a couple of opportunities available to you if you are thinking about renovating your building (interior or exterior). Click here for the flyer. The first is the Main Street Building Basics webinar put on by the Michigan Main Street program (described below). The webinar is free, and you are required to attend if you are interested in receiving free design services from Michigan Main Street in the future. The second is a group of grants that are available from state and national sources for both exterior and interior renovation projects of historic buildings. These are shown in the matrix on the back of this sheet, and are in addition to the façade incentive program offered by the DDA.

Please let us know if you would like to attend the webinar (we will be hosting a viewing here at our office at 122 State St.), or if you would like assistance pursuing any of the grants. We can be reached at the main office ((517) 545-4240) or via email at info@downtownhowell.org.

Best wishes for a happy and prosperous New Year!

Call to Artists: Howell Public Arts Initiative

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0800

The City of Howell's Downtown Development Authority (DDA) Design Committee is proud to host the first annual Howell Public Arts Initiative Art Project in downtown Howell in the summer of 2012. The Art Project will be an art competition where the winners' original artwork in each of seven different categories will be reproduced and exhibited on an exterior wall of a downtown building during the summer. The art judged Best In Show will also receive a cash prize.

The DDA Design Committee is now calling on artists to submit original, two-dimensional artwork for one of more of the following categories:

Photographs of Livingston County
Masterpiece-Inspired Art
Open Art for students K-12
Open Art for Livingston County artists only
Open Art
Landscapes/Seascapes
People

Click here for application materials and more information.

We need your help to make this initiative a success: Interested in sponsorhip opportunities? We have sponsorships ranging from $100 - $1,000 - check our sponsorship brochure or contact us for more information.

If you have questions or would like details, please contact us at the main DDA office: (517) 545-4240 or via email at info@downtownhowell.org

Historic Tours, Exhibits and Entertainment during 9th Annual Howell History Days on May 19

Wed, 02 May 2012 00:00:00 -0700

Tours of the McPherson Mansion and other historic structures, a multitude of events on the lawn and inside of the Howell Carnegie District Library, musical performers and even an ice cream social, are just some of the events taking place during the 9th Annual Howell History Days on Saturday, May 19th.

The Howell Area Historical Society will partner with the Howell Carnegie District Library for this year's event.

Live entertainment for young and old including performances under the tent by Jerr Grunn, the ever-popular Neil Woodward, the "Michigan Troubadour " and back by popular demand, Fiddlers Restrung. Also on the lawn, Rene Chodkowski, "the Great Foodini" will host Cooking with Kids workshops and artist illustrator, Rick Schlaak will host "Draw with Me", an interactive children's art workshop. These programs as well as the Literary Horse exhibit are sponsored by Dr. Sam Daniels, Orthodontist who will also be on hand to man the ice cream social at the Depot Museum.

Archivists, Duane Zemper and Milt Charboneau will open the Howell Area Archives early for the day at 11am to assist researchers with local history and genealogical questions.

Watch for the Women Suffragettes honoring Women's Right to Vote, visit with the United Daughters of the Confederacy as they churn butter and share samples.

Stop by the farm animal petting zoo, spinning wheel demonstration and Friends of the Library book sale with free children's book giveaway at their booth on the lawn.

Historic Howell photos will grace the library along with a special Art Exhibit, "The Literary Horse: When Legends Come to Life" displayed throughout the library. It provides visitors with a real-life tour of horse-lovers’ favorite classics pairing photos of today’s horses with quotations from the world’s greatest books.

Denise Brennan Nelson, local author of 13 children’s books, will delight the children with stories of her characters and sign books which will be available for purchase. 10am - 12pm

Civil War reenactors, Joyce and Ed Vitez will return to the Depot Museum. Mr. Vitez will present a special display of artillery and Mrs. Vitez will delight the children with old time toys and games. The annual ice cream social will be held in front of the Depot.

For the first time at Howell History Days, crafters will display their wares at the Depot in the Wetmore Street parking lot.

Tractor Alley on Center Street will expand this year to include the 1953 Howell City fire truck and early farm trucks. Vehicles from Operation Desert Storm and Iraq Freedom will be on display in honor of Armed Forces Day.

For the full schedule go to: www.howellhistorydayscelebration.webs.com