$130 million Pontiac redevelopment plan has officials hoping for downtown rebirth

PONTIAC, Mich. (FOX 2) - Not very often do you hear the word transformational when describing a project, but that’s what we’re seeing with regard to what's happening in Pontiac which officials say will be a catalyst for private business.

"We don’t have another city in Oakland County that has the potential to have the urban experience with transportation, jobs and housing like Pontiac," said Oakland County Executive Dave Coulter

We’re getting closer to that reality for the county seat with Oakland County’s purchase of two office towers in downtown Pontiac… between 500 and 600 county employees will soon be working in the heart of the city.

Coulter said that as a result, business owners are optimistic about the amount of foot traffic in the city as a result - and they say they want to be part of it.

The big parking structure - The Phoenix Center which some officials have described as ugly, is going away, and parking will go elsewhere.

Saginaw Street a main drag… can be reconnected instead of broken up into some walkable green space also, to unite instead of divide downtown.

"We’re also excited about correcting some of these horrible city planning mistakes of the past," said Mayor Tim Greimel.

The city’s mayor doesn’t need to mince words  - bad decisions in the past left the downtown bifurcated, disrupting foot traffic instead of embracing it

If you want to understand just how big this project is… let’s just ask the Mayor this way

"On a scale of one to 10, I would rank this development as a 15," Greimel said.

Oakland County officials tell me the project will cost between $120 to $130 million dollars to get the job done. About $50 million is coming from the state, $10 million coming from the American Rescue Plan Act, and $19.2 million - for the county to purchase buildings and other parcels of land.