UpStairs Downtown Workshop

April 30, 2008

Thank you to our Sponsors and Partners!  (279 kb)

Workshop Location:  30 North Saginaw, Pontiac, MI (on northeast corner of Saginaw and Lawrence Streets)

Parking:  Surface lot parking is available within a couple blocks of 30 North and directly across the Crofoot on the southwest corner of South Saginaw and West Pike Streets for $3 / day. Enter/exit the lot from West Pike Street. 

Please click to see map and registration information 

There are thousands of buildings in America's older downtowns with vacant upper floors. These spaces have a central location, high visibility, complete community infrastructure, and are prime candidates for redevelopment. Upstairs Downtown is an award-winning initiative by the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency, created to help owners reclaim and reuse these vacant upper floors and turn them into income-producing properties.

8 - 9 am:  Registration / Continental Breakfast

9 am:  Welcome and Introductions

9:10 am:  Introduction to UPSTAIRS DOWNTOWN - by Mike Jackson, FAIA, Chief Architect of the Preservation Services Division of the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency. Using his years of experience in historic preservation, he will highlight how both preservation and development goals are being successfully integrated into upper-story building projects and what can happen when towns choose to Grown Up instead of Out.

9:30 am:  Sustainable, Viable, and Feasible: Building the Case for Greater Density on Main Street, Part 1 - by Dan Carmody, Carmody Consulting, Ft. Wayne, IN.
During Part 1 of this two-part presentation, Dan will discuss the emerging needs for our cities to grow up and fill in the missing gaps in the urban fabric. He will also address how current market trends positively affecting downtowns.  Dan is the President of Detroit's Eastern Market Corporation and is nationally known for his work in downtown redevelopment.  He is also a national board member of the International Downtown Association.

10:30 am:  Break

10:45 am:  Architectural Assessments - Before deciding on a use for an upper-floor space, it is important to take a coordinated look at the site, the building, and the applicable building codes that apply.  Mike Jackson will discuss what factors are essential for the new uses and the standards that should be taken into account for a historic rehabilitation.
        
11:45 am: Q & A Session followed by Lunch (on site)
Michigan Historic Preservation Network (MHPN) Announcements by Nancy Finegood, MHPN Executive Director

1 pm:  Sustainable, Viable, and Feasible: Building the Case for Greater Density on Main Street, Part 2 - This concluding portion of Dan Carmody's presentation covers financial aspects of upper floor rehabilitation.  Learn the amount of net operating income and debt service that your upper floors require in order to have a positive cash flow.  Dan will parse out the benefits of upper floor rehabilitation and give you insight into the real return on your investment.

2 pm:  Tax Credits & Other Financial Incentives - Tax-related incentives can play an important role in financing building rehabilitations. Carol J. Dyson, AIA, is an architect with the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency and has worked with both federal, state, income-tax and property-tax incentives. She will discuss the benefits and requirements of both historic preservation and accessibility incentives and how they have been successfully used for upper story rehabs.

2:45 pm:  Break

3 pm:  Case Studies and Local Incentives - With challenging code issues and varied building conditions, redeveloping the upper floors of Main Street buildings can sometimes seem like an impossible task. Yet countless buildings in Illinois have been successfully rehabilitated. Anna Margaret Borntrager, a project designer for the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency, will showcase a variety of uses, budgets and programs for the typical Main Street building and discuss the incentives communities are using to help building owners fill the gap.

3:45 pm:  Panel of Experienced Professionals

4:45 - 6:30 pm:  Tour of Upstairs Downtown Pontiac (tour locations are located within a few blocks of the workshop and reception venues and include:  Terebus Building (a mixed use building owned by Ed and Jim Terebus), Old Waldron Hotel (Morgan - Heller & Associates Architect offices, with upper floor residential spaces), 18 W. Lawrence (distinctly renovated building with loft-style office suites), 30 North and the Waterman Building (mixed use spaces owned by Leon Jukowski)

5:30 - 7:30 pm:  Reception at the (newly restored)  Crofoot, 1 South Saginaw, Pontiac, MI

For more information on the program and speakers visit:
www.UpStairsDowntown.org

Continuing Education Credits Approved:
APA-CM:  6 credits

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