Holly downtown top winner at Main Street Oakland County gala celebration

Holly and its Downtown Development Authority (DDA) scored big last Thursday night, capturing six awards at the Main Street Oakland County "Main Event" celebration at the Royal Oak Music Theatre.

Downtown development groups from Clawson, Highland Township, Lake Orion, and Rochester each picked up three awards during the 1980s-themed event, which honors members of the Main Street Oakland County (MSOC) program for their economic development efforts. Other Main Street-member communities recognized were Birmingham, Farmington, Ferndale, Franklin, Lathrup Village, Leonard, Oak Park, Oxford, Pontiac, and Wixom.

"Main Street Oakland County is one of the most successful programs of my administration," Oakland County Executive L. Brooks Patterson said. "From job creation to downtown rejuvenation, Main Street Oakland County is an unqualified success."

Patterson was joined at the event by more than 200 people, including many local and county officials. It was sponsored by ITC, SMART, and Michigan Glass Coatings.

MSOC created the awards program in 2004. It recognizes excellence in downtown revitalization in such areas as design, economic restructuring, organization and promotion.

The award winners were:

Design

- Outstanding Public Improvement Project: Placemaking, Lake Orion DDA.

- Outstanding Sign: Clawson Theater Marquee, Mary Liz Curtin.

Economic Vitality

- Outstanding Business: Sniffer Station, Bill and Jean DeHaan, Highland Township and Sullivan's Public House, Jerry and Jamie Cremin, Oxford.

- Outstanding Public Improvement: Parking Expansion and Improvements, Rochester DDA and City of Rochester.

- Outstanding Business Investment: Lockhart BBQ, Drew Ciora, Lake Orion and 47 N. Saginaw, Robert Karazim & Karen Jorgensen, Pontiac.

Promotions

- Outstanding Special Event: Harvest Moon Celebration, Farmington DDA.

- Outstanding Retail Event: Ladies Night Out, Holly DDA.

- Outstanding Unique Event: Downtown Clawson Trick or Treasure, Clawson DDA.

Organization

- Outstanding Public/Private Partnership: Village of Franklin Office Broughton House Grant, Village of Franklin and Main Street Franklin.

- Outstanding Public Relations Effort: Holly Midtown Design Charrette, Holly DDA and Rochester Parking Platform, Rochester DDA.

- Outstanding Downtown Master Plan: Clawson Downtown Master Plan, Clawson DDA.

- Outstanding Organization Transition: Transition of DDA Executive Directors, Oxford DDA and Transition of Executive Directors, Main Street Franklin.

Special

- Board Member of the Year: Robert Renchick, Ortonville.

- Volunteers of the Year: Nick Klempp, Holly and Richard Ax, Ferndale.

- Outstanding Leadership: Andy Potter, Holly DDA executive director.

- Outstanding Diplomacy: Kristi Trevarrow, executive director, Rochester DDA.

- Outstanding Service: Suzanne Perrault, Main Street Holly and Lake Orion executive director.

- Outstanding MSOC Partner: Donna Zalewski, ITC Holdings.

- Outstanding Support: Community Support for Highland Feed, Highland Township and Highland DDA.

Spirit Award

- MSOC Spirit Award: Highland Township DDA.

Associate & Affiliate Level Awards

- Perseverance in Preservation: Leonard Mill, Village of Leonard.

- Outstanding Events: Art Works, Lathrup Village DDA and Winter Market, Birmingham Principal Shopping District.

- Outstanding Progress: Commitment to Downtown Management, Wixom DDA.

- Outstanding Vision: A New Nine Mile Road Congress of New Urbanism) Project, City of Oak Park.

Since 2001, MSOC downtowns have generated nearly $706 million in new public and private investment, created 7,080 jobs and established 971 new businesses.

In 2015, public and private investment totaled $38 million and resulted in 214 net new jobs; 31 net new businesses; the construction of 3.1 million of floor space and volunteer contributions of more than 340,000 hours.

Main Street is a trademarked program of the National Main Street Center in Chicago. Clawson, Farmington, Ferndale, Franklin, Highland Township, Holly, Lake Orion, Ortonville, Oxford, Pontiac, and Rochester are MSOC "Select Level" communities. Birmingham, Wixom, and Lathrup Village are communities in the "Associate Level." Clarkston, Groveland Township, Hazel Park, Holly Township, Leonard, Oak Park, Walled Lake, and Waterford Township are "Affiliate Level" communities.

Oakland County is the first county in the United States to operate a full-service county-wide Main Street program. It is available to the county's 32 historic downtowns, heritage corridors and mixed-use urban centers.

Published: Wed, May 04, 2016