Oakland County and City of Pontiac officials gathered today at Water and Saginaw streets in downtown Pontiac to reveal their plans for the revitalization of the area.
Plans include the demolition of the Phoenix Center, which will begin in May, purchasing and refurbishing two office buildings including the vacant former General Motors building on East Judson, and moving a minimum of 500 county employees into the building by 2027.
“This is a turning point for Pontiac’s future,” says Dave Coulter, Oakland County executive. “For decades, many have disinvested in downtown Pontiac, limiting its potential. Now, we are unlocking the opportunity to attract businesses and bring new energy to our county seat.”
The demolition of the Phoenix Center will be led by Adamo Group, with soft demolition such as utility disconnections already underway. Full structural teardown will start in late May. The process will continue through the end of the year.
“The Phoenix Center has long been a Pontiac icon,” says Angela Powell, the Oakland County commissioner representing Pontiac. “As a lifelong resident of Pontiac, I have fond memories of attending concerts and community events here with family and friends. This building was originally designed as a part of downtown Pontiac’s revitalization in the 1980s. It is only fitting the end of its story marks the beginning of a new chapter of our city’s transformation.”
As part of the project, Orchard Lake Road/Auburn Avenue will be closed for the duration of the demolition. Once the structure is removed, the road will be reconstructed, realigned, and reopened, along with Saginaw Street, which will be reconnected to downtown.
“This is a major moment in the history of our community,” says Tim Greimel, mayor of Pontiac. “The demolition of the long-derelict parking garage is the first step in the rebirth of our downtown. The removal of this aged structure will reunify Saginaw Street, which is Pontiac’s main street, after its obstruction for more than 40 years, and will allow Oakland County to move at least 700 employees into a new county facility in our downtown.
“It clears the way for the construction of a new, modern parking garage to address the central business district’s parking needs, and the creation of new green space at ground level to host concerts and other public events. Today will be known for generations as the day that Pontiac stood up and began to reclaim its rightful place as the heart of Oakland County.”
Traffic will be rerouted as follows:
- Eastbound Orchard Lake Road/Auburn Avenue traffic will be directed onto southbound Woodward Avenue.
- Westbound Auburn Avenue/Orchard Lake Road traffic will be rerouted onto northbound Woodward Avenue.
- East Judson Street within the Woodward Loop will become a temporary one-way street eastbound with angled parking.
With the demolition and construction underway, alternative parking options have been designated for state of Michigan employees and visitors at 51111 Woodward Ave.:
- East Judson Street: 84 angled parking spaces reserved for visitors, employees with accessibility needs and after-hours use.
- Lot 9 (north of the Phoenix Center) for employees.
Other elements of the downtown Pontiac revitalization project include:
- Moving hundreds of Oakland County employees into the former GM building at 31 E. Judson St. by 2027.
- Reopening Saginaw Street to reconnect downtown.
- Constructing a new parking structure to support local businesses, workers, and residents.
- Creating walkable green spaces that make downtown more inviting.
After removing the Phoenix Center, the county has committed to convey a minimum of two acres of land to the city of Pontiac, which will own the property and will determine how it can be best used for the benefit of its residents.
The state of Michigan is contributing $50 million toward the project. Additionally, Oakland County says it intends to invest $10 million in funds received from the federal government through the American Rescue Plan toward this effort.
Other resources are available at the state level, including transformational brownfield redevelopment credits and community revitalization grants and credits, as well as at the federal level through grant programs established by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the Inflation Reduction Act, including the Reconnecting Communities and Neighborhoods Program.
Other partners in the project are Farbman Group, Facilinet Services Inc., HED, Design Workshop, Spalding DeDecker, and Granger.
