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PAGE 2                                                         ASSOCIATED NEWSPAPERS OF MICHIGAN                                             July 11, 2019


                                                            PLYMOUTH









        Plant to bring 440 jobs





           Elected officials and leaders from  flow of natural light throughout the
        Webasto Roof Systems, Inc, celebrated  entire building, officials said.  Webasto
        the ground breaking for a new plant    plans on creating approximately 440
        recently that is expected to bring 440 jobs  positions for people who will work in the
        to Plymouth                            new facility in addition to current
           Webasto Roof Systems, Inc. is a lead-  employees already based in the greater
        ing global supplier of automotive systems  Plymouth area.  One of the primary goals
        for all types of vehicles, and Hillside  of the workforce expansion is to maxi-
        Investments LLC., a regional developer  mize efficiency between Webasto's many
        specializing in office and industrial  business units by creating a collabora-
        based commercial real estate, hosted the  tion-friendly environment, a spokesman
        ceremony to unveil construction of the  noted.
        new manufacturing facility.               Webasto North America CEO and      Wayne County Business Development Manager David Schreiber,  MEDC Vice
           The new 300,000 square-foot, $40 mil-  President Andre Schoenekaes and    President of Growth & Development Ryan Michael, Plymouth Township Supervisor
        lion state of the art plant, located at 14200  Hillside CEO Jaimey Roth were joined  Kurt Heise, Hillside Investments CEO Jaimey Roth, Webasto President & CEO Andre
        Haggerty Road, features an environmen-  by elected officials and business leaders  Schoenekaes, Webasto Vice President of operations Anthony O'Donovan celebrate the
        tally-friendly design that maximizes the  from throughout metro Detroit.     Plymouth groundbreaking.
        Tire                                   said Frey, a Dearborn Heights resident  during a power wash, as well as a   requirements to take them down. “Some
                                                                                                                           of them left them in place. They had to
                                                                                     December 2018 round banner for a local
                                               who works for a defense contractor. He
                                                                                                                           have legal action taken against them,”
                                               noted Melvindale High School teens
                                                                                     football game affixed to the tire.
        FROM PAGE 1                            have broken into the structure, which he  “It was interesting,” said attendee Dee  said Frey.
                                               describes as allowing light through from  Winter of Plymouth. Her Plymouth     “I have an interest in forgotten history
                                               bullet holes and arrowhead holes.     Questers group has studied the World's  and history hiding in plain sight. I am
        torn down. Frey calls it a Detroit land-  In 1966, the tire pieces of steel were  Columbian Exposition, so Winter  especially interested in things that have
        mark, which ended up here due to fair  shipped on 21 trucks to metro Detroit. He  enjoyed the parallels.           more urban legend associated with them,
        stipulations on removing exhibits.     has a piece of it as a relic, as well as an  Frey noted it costs some $8,000 a year  than the actual facts, then learning the
           “Could you imagine the publicity” if  old light from the top used for aircraft  to maintain the structure, which has no  real story behind the rumors, and then
        the big tire went into a landfill? Frey  safety: “I was there the day they changed  public access and was redone in 1994.  being the one to 'set the record straight'.
        asked. The Uniroyal red and white logo  the light and I snagged it,” he said.  Only the outer panels came from New  Sort of like having bragging rights,” Frey
        was affixed, with Michelin now owning    It's reflective similar to road signs, said  York, and it has newer steel.  said.
        that brand.                            Frey. He recalls an inflatable ArmorAll  At the New York World's Fair, some    Frey's book is available at
           It's well built and bolted to the ground,  large bottle being set up nearby years ago  other exhibits didn't comply with  www.GiantTire.info.
                                                                                  ”
        License                                   The MLCC traditional Class C liquor license quota system limits the      be another 'Hoochie Mama' bar. Do we
                                                                                                                           need a basement bar,” she said. “They

        FROM PAGE 1                                number of new on-premises liquor licenses to one for every 1,500        said, 'We want to put Plymouth on the
                                                                                                                           map,' They don't give a s*** about the peo-
                                                  people living in a municipality. There are a total of 30 liquor licenses  ple who live here,” she said.
        “speakeasy” theme and will be called                                                                                  “We have no reason to recommend
        “Ebenezer.” Stefanakis said the new base-        in Plymouth, a city with a population of just over 9,000.         non-approval.  It's been to all the boards
        ment bar would only be accessible to cus-                                                                          and passed,” Sincock said after the dis-
        tomers from the alley entrance at 305                                                                              cussion.
        Fleet St. and would have a 76-seat capaci-  gone to the planning commission for site  why there's no problems.”       Members of the Plymouth City
        ty after it is completely remodeled.   plan approval, parking was the only open  Twenty-year Adams Street resident  Commission met immediately following
           Stefanakis' plans call for an “upscale  issue on the table. Greek Islands owners  Anita Strach also had some comments  the LLRC meeting and also unanimously
        specialty cocktail and dessert bar...with a  paid the city $35,000 for 3.5 parking spaces  about the new bar venture.   approved the Greek Islands request.
        “small menu with cold cuts and finger  under the provisions of the payment in   “It's more than the traffic, but when  “They applied, they received approval.
        foods…live entertainment consisting of  lieu-of-parking system which requires  the bars close we hear all the noise and  We handled this like we handle any other
        local small combos only on certain week-  business establishments to pay $10,000  motorcycles as the people take the back  liquor approval,” Sincock said after the
        ends…no dance floor, no televisions of  per parking spot.                    streets to avoid the cops.  This is going to  meeting.
        any sort or loud music.”                 Parking is a hot issue with Plymouth
           Greek Islands Eatery has joined the  business owners and residents alike.
        ranks of several other Plymouth establish-  Owners of the Meeting House Grand
        ments that sought “permits” for addition-  Ballroom, 499 S. Main St., raised their
        al bar/restaurant operations rather than  concerns at the committee meeting
        seeking often-expensive new MLCC       explaining the constant problems with
        licenses.  Class C licenses issued under  people parking in their parking lot.
        the traditional quota system are transfer-  The number of bars in the 2-square
        able. One recently listed class C liquor  mile downtown business section is also a
        license in Wayne County was advertised  hot button issue with many residents.
        for $80,000, and the owner offered land  Two long-time downtown residents in
        contract terms by a Michigan liquor    the audience expressed their strong dis-
        license broker.                        pleasure with the new restaurant plan.
           According to the state department of  Delores Davis, who has lived on
        licensing and regulatory affairs,      Penniman for the past 13 years, said she is
        Stefanakis owns eight restaurant corpora-  frustrated. Davis asked the committee
        tions under the name Greek Islands. The  members what was to be done about all
        Plymouth location was incorporated in  the bars in the downtown area. After the
        2011 under the name G. I. Poros, Inc.  meeting she said she was concerned
           The MLCC traditional Class C liquor  they're putting “too many bars in a small
        license quota system limits the number of  area.”
        new on-premises liquor licenses to one   “It's a concept now-just add a bar to a
        for every 1,500 people living in a munici-  license,” she said.  Davis quickly named
        pality. There are a total of 30 liquor licens-  the several downtown bars that operate
        es in Plymouth, a city with a population of  on one license.
        just over 9,000.                          “Now there's going to be five bars on
           Plymouth Police Chief Al Cox said the  Penniman -in one block,” said Davis.
        police department had no issue with the  Davis said she thought the comment by
        restaurant during the 12 months they   the police chief was comical. Responding
        have had a beer, wine and liquor license.  to Cox' remarks about no-problems at
           City Manager Paul Sincock said that  Greek Islands, she laughed, “People don't
        since the business owners had previously  order a beer with their breakfast-that's
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