Lisa Robinson, a partner with the Levine Group, says she believes most neighbors approve of the compromise the city helped broker between the Bloomfield Hills developer and the neighborhood. The ones who think it's great don't complain, so they don't say anything. Robinson said the developer was planning to build less expensive homes, but the seven structures agreed upon in the compromise had to be more expensive than the originally planned 10 in order to keep up the property value. Some residents say they worry that condos might attract younger, more transient residents who will care less about their neighborhoods than long-term dwellers. These are luxury condos.
City officials say they want both property values and the tax base to keep increasing.
We just don't want it to be at the expense of the single-family neighborhoods. Commissioner Marie Donigan says a lack of rules leads to lawsuits and puts development decisions in the hands of courts. Change happens Through the eyes of Mariam Elias, the closing Cedar Market is bittersweet. She said she will miss the customers, but not 15-hour workdays preparing falafel, grape leaves and other specialties. You can't live forever.