M-1 Rail informational meeting held to get city Black businesses on board.
Michigan Chronicle
February, 2014
The weather was bitterly cold, but not frigid enough to prevent approximately 90 Detroit Black business owners from attending an M-1 Rail Streetcar Project informational meeting, held at the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History.
Hosted by the Detroit Black Chamber of Commerce on Thursday, Jan. 30, the meeting served as a provocative forum to help Black entrepreneurs in the city learn more about subcontracting opportunities with the much anticipated M-1 Rail Streetcar Project.
Several members of Stacy and Witbeck, the general transit contracting company hired to build the light rail system, were on hand to give a presentation of what the company was seeking in terms of subcontractors and scope of services.
The presenters from the California-based company included Mike Sander (project engineer), Travis Galvin (project engineer) and Randy Olmstead (construction manager).
The goal of Stacy and Witbeck is to help develop a local workforce of Detroit-based businesses, said Olmstead. We will not bring in all of the operators and all of the laborers for the project. We will just bring in some key supervisors who know how to build our transit system. We will then go to local unions and local labor forces to pick the right people to help us build the project.
According to Lori M. Ballard, Disadvantage Business Enterprise (DBA) team leader, 11 percent of the federal dollars earmarked for the project must go to certified minority businesses, women business enterprises and Detroit-based certified businesses.
I am here to help Stacy and Witbeck achieve their goals, as well as help certified minority, women and Detroit-based businesses,? said Ballard. We want to make sure that Detroit minority companies are working on this project.
Stacy and Witbeck, according to its representatives, is looking for subcontractors who can deliver on anticipated scopes of work, to include, but not limited to, asphalt milling, asphalt roadway, concrete roadway, construction material testing, electrical conduit, flagging, on-site equipment fueling, security, surveying, traffic control device, trucking, video inspection, and more.
The bidding solicitation period runs through February 2014. Construction on the M-1 project is slated to begin next month, with completion projected for November 2015.
Teaming with Stacy and Witbeck as a subcontractor is Detroit-base and Black-owned White Construction.
On behalf of my company, we are excited to be a part of this historic and valuable M-1 Rail project, said W. Bernard White, president of White Construction, which will celebrate its 25th year anniversary later this year. Our role is to work on the 20 stations up and down Woodward, which will include construction of concrete footing, concrete slab on grade, detectable warning surface, pre-cast benches, glass panels, fencing and railing, signage and landscaping.
Following the formal presentations, attending business owners had an opportunity to converse one-on-one with Stacy and Witbeck representatives.
When completed, the 3.3-mile M-1 Rail Streetcar Project will run along Woodward Ave., between Congress St. in downtown Detroit and W. Grand Blvd. in Midtown. There will be 11 stop locations. A one-way trip on the streetcar will take approximately 15 minutes.
MDOT will invest $20 million to reconstruct Woodward where the rail streetcar has a presence. The reconstruction of Woodward will happen during the same time as construction of the M-1 Streetcar Project. It is believed that more than 2,000 workers will be employed, along with dozens of subcontractors. It is also estimated that more than $300 million in economic impact will be felt locally.
Tony Stovall, president emeritus of the Detroit Black Chamber of Commerce, was ecstatic with the afternoon meeting.
Detroit is the comeback city of America, he said. Any business that is to be conducted in Detroit, whether its downtown, Midtown, west side or east side, we as African-American business owners in the city, need to be sitting at the table. For there to be a better Detroit, it must involve the talents and skills that we have here in this room and throughout Detroit. It?s imperative that Black businesses in this city be in intricate part of the billions of dollars that will be spent to rebuild our Detroit.
Attending representatives from Black Detroit companies were equally pleased and encouraged.
This was a very informative meeting that has given me great insight into what it will take for my company to be a part of the M-1 Rail project construction, said Maurice Evans, president of Aquaklink Business & Professional Services, LLC., a company specializes in the application, acquisition and maintenance of construction permits of all types during the duration of the construction.
This is an outstanding opportunity for Black businesses in Detroit that want to work on the M-1 Rail project.
Every major city in America has some type of rail system, said John S. Williams, who was present to gather information for a Black-owned company in Detroit. While the rail system is only 3.3.miles, I believe this to be a giant step as to what is still to come as it relates to expanding rail services throughout Detroit and the region.
For more information about the Disadvantage Business Enterprise (DBE), please call 313.399.5627 or send e-mail ballard.associatesllc@gmail.com. For more information about solicitation procedures and vendor database, please visit http://www.stacywitbeck.box.com/m1rail or http://www.stacywitbeck.box.com/m1rail-register. Email enquiries can be sent to stacy.witbeck@m1rail.org.
DEGC President and CEO George W. Jackson, Jr. resigning to form Detroit-based private consulting and development firm
Jackson will remain at helm of DEGC until March 31 to assist with transition, and will continue to serve as board and Executive Committee member Rod Gillum, chairman of the board of Detroit Economic Growth Corporation (DEGC), announced that its president and CEO, George W. Jackson, Jr., is resigning, effective March 31, 2014. Jackson is leaving Detroit’s primary non-profit economic development organization to form a Detroit-based private consulting and development firm. Jackson will continue to serve as a member of DEGC’s Board of Directors and its Executive Committee after March 31. The DEGC board has begun the search for Jackson’s successor.
George Jackson is an exceptional leader, and we will miss him tremendously at DEGC, said Gillum. We are very pleased to know that he intends to continue accelerating economic development in Detroit, but in a new and different role.
With Jackson at the helm, DEGC has had a remarkable track record of success, even through incredibly challenging times. I have no doubt he will continue his success, and the city of Detroit will see the benefits of that as well.
I love this city, said Jackson. I see tremendous opportunities here, and will continue to support its revitalization, but in a new role. I had a tremendous run at DEGC working with great companies here and from around the world, and solid partners in the private and foundation communities. Now it’s time to return to my roots in the private sector, which I have been thinking about for at least five years, and further accelerate the development in Detroit. I look forward to working with great partners as we continue to transform Detroit into a leader of innovative urban redevelopment.
Mayor Mike Duggan said, George and I have been good friends for many years. I have enormous respect for the work he has done. His leadership over the years at DEGC has helped lay the groundwork for a very bright future for Detroit. I wish him well as he begins the next chapter of his life.
Former mayor Dave Bing said, George has been in the forefront of most of the positive business activity in Detroit since he came to DEGC. He has had his hand on all the economic development successes we see around us. He brings credibility to developers because he knows the nuances of financial packages, and has the ability to put together a first rate project. George has been a personal friend for 30 years, and I am glad he’s not leaving the area because he is going to be personally successful, and the city of Detroit will benefit from that.
Cindy Pasky, president and CEO of Strategic Staffing Solutions and board chair of the Downtown Detroit Partnership said, George Jackson has been an engine of economic growth in Detroit. He has steered big and small projects into our city, enticing big businesses, small business and budding entrepreneurs to set down roots here. That commitment has strengthened the city, created jobs, improved the quality of life for our residents and has made investing in Detroit a full, rich experience.
Among the accomplishments of DEGC under Jackson’s leadership have been:
Removing cement silos along the Detroit River and leading the transformation of the Detroit riverfront from industrial to mixed use, featuring recreational access to the river, infrastructure improvements and private development.
The transformation of downtown with street and building improvements and new development that started before Super Bowl XXL, have continued ever since.
The $190 million restoration and reopening of the Book Cadillac as the Westin Book Cadillac Hotel.
The deal that kept General Motors, world headquarters in Detroit.
Innovative programs and incentives that relocated Quicken Loans to Detroit, consolidated operations of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan here and led to the reconcentration of technology and creative companies in downtown and in Midtown, bringing in well over 10,000 new employees.
A lead role in transformational residential development projects downtown and in Midtown.
Negotiations that created the Detroit Regional Convention Center Authority and facilitated a $279 million renovation of Cobo Center.
Negotiating a $650 million private-public partnership deal to develop a world class entertainment and sports district in the heart of downtown.
The largest retail development in more than 40 years, anchored by a Meijer superstore.
Innovative programs to support local retailers, especially grocery stores and other companies in the food industry.
The opening of Whole Foods Market, the first national grocery chain to open in Detroit in decades.
Maintaining and revitalizing manufacturing investments by General Motors, Chrysler and other suppliers from around the world.
Steering the development and beginning implementation of Detroit Future City, a comprehensive 50-year framework to help guide decision makers as they revitalize the city with innovative approaches.
An impeccable record of fiscal and ethical responsibility, maintaining balanced budgets and clean auditing reports for DEGC and the public authorities it administers.
Jackson has served as president and CEO of DEGC since February, 2002. Prior to his appointment, he worked for 27 years at DTE Energy, rising to the position of director of Customer Marketing. He has worked in the field of economic development since 1984, and has played an influential role in the city of Detroit, southeastern Michigan and state of Michigan economic development programs, initiatives and organizations. He has also served as an advisor to corporate, political, government, community, civic and educational executives and leaders on economic development issues.