5/1/24 C & G Special Edition — Macomb/Grosse Pointes

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NEWSPAPERS Special Edition

MAY 1, 2024

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Grosse Pointe and Macomb County papers

ANTON CENTER ANNOUNCES NEW DIRECTOR

MOUNT CLEMENS — The wait is over. Around four months after its prior director left, the Anton Art Center announced on April 5 that Matt Matthews was selected to serve as the new executive director.

“So far it’s been great,” Matthews said, about a week after he began the role on April 2. “(I’m) learning a lot and have a wonderful team to work with.”

Matthews comes to the Anton Art Center after spending the last five years as the associate director of Playworks Michigan, an organization that aims to increase physical activity opportunities for elementary school students.

“After college I worked at Northwest Missouri State University for several years, moved back to Michigan in 2010 and sort of fell into nonprofit work, and that’s what I’ve been doing for the last 14 years,” Matthews said.

The 14 years of nonprofit work was only part of what

See DIRECTOR on page 10A

WERNER SPITZ

‘WHAT AN ICON HE WAS’ COMMUNITY REMEMBERS FORENSIC PATHOLOGIST

METRO DETROIT — From testifying at the O.J. Simpson civil case in 1996 to offering his perspective in the Chappaquiddick incident that involved Ted Kennedy and Mary Jo Kopechne in 1969, Werner Spitz was widely known for providing his expertise on the witness stand.

The prominent forensic pathologist was sought after in the court system for his knowledge in forensic evidence and his testimony regarding many highprofile murders that drew public interest and media attention.

The longtime chief medical examiner — who performed or supervised more than 60,000 autopsies during his career — died April 14 at the age of 97. He was a resident of Grosse Pointe Shores. Many in the community are remembering the well-known fo-

rensic expert.

Warren City Council member Mindy Moore felt “very sad” when she learned Spitz died. Moore, a freelance court reporter, has known Spitz since the late 1970s when he was the chief Wayne County medical examiner. She was present for many depositions he provided over the years.

“What an icon he was. He was quite brilliant and so effective,” she said. “He had a way about him. His whole career was fascinating. When he spoke, all eyes were on him. You knew what he would say would be impactful and very important. He certainly was one of a kind.”

Sometimes the evidence presented in court could be very technical, and Moore said Spitz was always able to explain it “so any lay person could understand him.” One deposition that stands out was the time the forensics expert testified in a case to de-

See SPITZ on page 5A
Dr. Werner Spitz was for many years the chief medical examiner in both Wayne and Macomb counties. He died April 14 at the age of 97. Photo provided by Walter P. Reuther Library, Archives of Labor and Urban Affairs, Wayne State University New Anton Art Center Executive Director Matt Matthews, left, stands with education & community engagement manager Peggy DiMercurio. Photo by Dean Vaglia
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JUNIOR LEAGUE OF DETROIT STAGES 1 FINAL SHOW HOUSE

GROSSE POINTE CITY — Metro Detroiters will have one final chance to see interior designers work their magic on a majestic home when the Junior League of Detroit hosts its 25th — and final — biennial Designers’ Show House in May.

Located at 315 Lakeland Ave. in Grosse Pointe City, the almost 8,500-square-foot Tudor home will be open for tours May 4-19. A ticketed preview party that’s also open to the public will take place from 6:30 to 10 p.m. May 3 and will include cocktails, heavy appetizers, an open bar, a DJ and dancing, a raffle, a silent auction, and valet parking.

Almost 20 designers and artists were chosen to make over the home, which was built in 1929 for Dr. J. Milton Robb and designed by acclaimed architect George D. Mason.

Visitors can get ideas for things they can do in their own homes, from surprising color and pattern mixes to furniture arrangements that are both beautiful and functional.

The living room, as envisioned by Loretta Crenshaw, of Crenshaw & Associates, is an elegant oasis with lots of green and cream, including multiple seating areas, an inviting window seat and an olive green velvet couch.

“Loretta’s specialty really is layering things — textures and colors,” Show House Co-Chair Ann Baxter said.

Although the designers work independently, threads appear each time that tie the whole home together. This year, those threads include tactile fabrics like velvet and boucle; deep, rich colors — especially shades of green — offset by cream and white; gold and bronze accents; and nods to the Scottish and German ancestry of original homeowner Robb and his wife, with plaid in particular popping up repeatedly.

“Every room is going to need some investigation,” Show House Co-Chair Julia Keim said. “There’s so much to see in every room. We’ve got a great roster of designers.”

Laura Zender, of Laura Zender Design, created a sustainable nursery with vintage dressers, organic and sustainable toys, wallpaper using sustainable paper, chil-

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TOP: Pops of color, like olive green, stand out against the cream and off-white furniture chosen by Loretta Crenshaw, of Crenshaw & Associates, for the elegant, expansive living room. ABOVE: Kelly Osten, of Closet Connections, stands in the closet she designed with Aubrey Crawford and Ashlynn Robinson for the show house. LEFT: A sustainable nursery by Laura Zender, of Laura Zender Design, includes a light fixture made with seashells.
See SHOW HOUSE on page 8A
Photos by Patricia O’Blenes

City Council approves grant transfer to help mall redevelop

CITY CONFIRMS LAKESIDE PLANS LAG BEHIND SCHEDULE

STERLING HEIGHTS — In a split 4-3 vote, the Sterling Heights City Council approved deals April 2 that will transfer received grant money to Lakeside Mall’s ownership to resolve real estate negotiations needed to get the Lakeside area’s redevelopment process moving forward.

The council action approved an agreement with the Michigan Economic Development Corp. and a subagreement with Lakeside Out of the Box Ventures LLC — Lakeside’s ownership — so that Lakeside can use a $3 million grant toward acquiring property on the site. City officials said the property acquisition is essential to the mall area’s redevelopment.

When the final vote came, Mayor Michael Taylor, Mayor Pro Tem Liz Sierawski, and councilwomen Barbara Ziarko and Maria Schmidt voted yes. Councilwoman Deanna Koski and councilmen Michael Radtke and Henry Yanez voted no.

Sterling Heights officials have long wanted to see Lakeside Mall redeveloped, due in part to the mall’s decline amid changes in shopping trends. In November 2022, the City Council heard the mall ownership’s plans to demolish the main mall complex and at least some of the department stores in order to create mixed-use neighborhoods with apartments, retail shops, green space, a community center, a hotel and more on an estimated 110 acres.

But during the April 2, 2024, meeting, Sterling Heights Economic Development Adviser Luke Bonner explained that Lakeside’s ownership has reached a roadblock.

According to him, the mall ownership must have control of and have support from all of the real estate on the site before it can submit a planned unit development application and apply for certain state incentives.

Currently, Lakeside’s ownership doesn’t own the vacant Sears and Lord & Taylor properties, and those properties’ owners have reportedly been engaged in unique and prolonged acquisition negotiations, Bonner said.

Bonner said the city asked state Rep. Nate Shannon, D-Sterling Heights, for help to get grant money to create a breakthrough

in the acquisition process for Sears and Lord & Taylor. He said Shannon helped secure a $3 million MEDC economic development grant that was narrowly tailored and limited to redeveloping a shopping center in a city of Sterling Heights’ size.

Bonner said he thinks the grant money will be key to progress.

“This $3 million is going to be used to put deposits down on two parcels to allow Lakeside to go through our PUD process and go through the incentive application process to get everything settled and adopted and approved so that they can move forward with closing on those properties and then eventually moving forward with the redevelopment of Lakeside,” he said.

Bonner added that the $3 million is not enough to actually buy those two properties, which he estimated could cost around $20 million. He emphasized that the city is not buying these properties and that the agreement is “essentially transferring risk of property acquisition to Lakeside.”

During public comment, resident Paul Smith criticized the grant transfer proposal and characterized it as “gambling the people’s money on a losing deal.”

Radtke said he opposed the plan, not because he opposes the Lakeside project or thinks it’s a “bad bet,” but because he wishes that the $3 million could’ve been used toward trees, roads or other needs, instead of transferring the funds “to a private corporation.” He also said the city shouldn’t have asked Shannon for the $3 million and should’ve sought it through another method.

“In my opinion, there are so many more needs that are higher priority than giving Lakeside more money,” Radtke said.

Radtke said he was frustrated by Lakeside’s ownership and the delay over having the PUD ready. Bonner confirmed that the redevelopment plan is about a year behind schedule, but he said the city has been frequently talking to Lakeside and credits them for “keeping the nose to the grindstone and continuing to push forward.” Bonner said he believes they will be ready, “conservatively, in the next 60-90 days” to submit the PUD application.

Schmidt said the timeline had been ambitious and that it’s understandable for it to

C & G NEWSPAPERS GROSSE POINTE/MACOMB COUNTY SPECIAL EDITION • MAY 1, 2024 4A 0278-2417
See LAKESIDE on page 10A

termine whether a man committed suicide or was murdered. With the unloaded firearm in his hand, the pathologist laid on the floor to demonstrate that the deceased man could not have killed himself at the particular angle in which he died.

Despite the gruesome work he did, Moore, at times, saw the medical examiner in another light.

“He had a really good sense of humor,” she said.

According to his resume, Spitz practiced forensic pathology for more than 50 years. He was the chief medical examiner in Wayne County from 1972-88 and in Macomb County from 1972-2004. He also served as a deputy chief medical examiner in Maryland.

He received his medical training at the Geneva University Medical School in Switzerland and the Hebrew University Hadassah Medical School in Jerusalem. His resume states he was an associate professor at the University of Maryland School of Medicine and Johns Hopkins University, and that he worked for the Department of Legal Medicine at the University School of Medicine in West Berlin.

Throughout his lifetime, Spitz served on various committees investigating the assassinations of President John F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King Jr. He testified at various trials in the U.S. and Canada including the “Preppy Murder” in New York, the talk show host Jenny Jones case, the Crown vs. Truscott in Toronto, music producer Phil Spector’s murder trial and the Casey Anthony murder case. He also consulted with the police in Boulder, Colorado, about the death of JonBenét Ramsey.

Steve Bieda, a 37th District Court judge in Warren, recalled how when he was in the Michigan Legislature as a state representative and senator, the elected officials often contacted Spitz for advice regarding criminal justice issues.

“He was highly regarded and would be asked to weigh his opinions based on his expertise,” Bieda said. “He was iconic in the sense of high-profile crime.”

On a personal level, Bieda followed Spitz’s work on the Oakland County child killer case in the 1970s and his work related to President Kennedy’s death.

“He was a fascinating individual and very charismatic,” Bieda said.

Macomb County Executive Mark Hackel met Spitz in 1981 when he worked as a dispatcher on the midnight shift for the

“I am so sad about his loss, but I am fortunate to have known him. He was the forefather of pathology. I don’t know if you will see another like that.”

— Mark Hackel, Macomb County Executive

Macomb County Sheriff’s Office. On his first night, Hackel took a call from a Macomb Township man who reported that his neighbor killed his wife and children. But the caller “was the guy that did it,” Hackel said. “That’s when I first got to know Spitz, who left an impression.”

“He was the guy that could tell you what happened just by looking at the body,” Hackel said. “He tried to put himself in their place. He wanted to know the circumstances of how they died. I don’t know of a time when he wasn’t spot on.”

Hackel said many law enforcement officers he worked with over the years were interested in what Spitz had to offer. Hackel said Spitz was always kind when speaking to families of the victims.

“I am so sad about his loss, but I am fortunate to have known him,” Hackel said. “He was the forefather of pathology. I don’t know if you will see another like that.”

During his career, Spitz taught at different colleges, including pathology at Wayne State University School of Medicine in Detroit.

“He was a great teacher and a huge contributor to the field of pathology and forensics,” said Dr. Wael Sakr, dean of the Wayne State University School of Medicine. “He had a huge presence and was a consultant on many big profile cases across the country. Before I knew him, I had a lot of admiration toward him.”

Spitz returned to the school on occasion to present seminars to students.

“He was interested in human life and, sadly, was trying to solve death, particularly in trauma, accidents, homicides and burns,” Sakr said. “He had a love for the discipline in what he did and was meticulous in his approach.”

Sakr will definitely feel his loss.

“I enjoyed his friendship and his support for the department,” Sakr said.

Spitz’s legacy includes the nearly 100 scientific publications he authored, the Dean’s Award for service to the Medicolegal Community and Wayne State University of Medicine, awards from Wayne County and the Macomb County Board of Commissioners for outstanding service, and from various police departments and the FBI.

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Spitz
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Dr. Werner Spitz testified in many high-profile cases. Photo provided by Walter P. Reuther Library, Archives of Labor and Urban Affairs, Wayne State University
5A

You don’t see many of them around anymore’ DRIVING IN THE ‘CROSSFIRE’

METRO DETROIT — When the neighborhood kids want to take a ride around the block in Mel Kubiak’s 2007 Chrysler Crossfire, he’s always available for a spin.

“They love it,” the Sterling Heights resident said.

As does Kubiak.

“I get a great deal of satisfaction out of doing things for people,” he said.

Since the car is a two-seat coupe, everyone patiently waits his or her turn. Now that the weather is warming up, Kubiak, 85, is ready for car cruising season.

With its silver exterior and orangish/rust interior, the sports car always draws a crowd, and Kubiak makes sure to keep the coupe in tiptop shape.

“With some elbow grease, look how clean it is,” he said when lifting the front hood.

Prior to purchasing the Crossfire, Kubiak owned a 1987 Pontiac Fiero. It was the car he and his wife, Joann Kubiak, zipped around in on a regular basis, taking it to car shows and for leisure drives.

“I had that about 10 years,” Kubiak said.

The Kubiaks were married 52 years. When Joann died 11 years ago, Kubiak felt it was time for a change.

“Because I have a lot of memories in it, I got rid of the Fiero,” he said.

The car enthusiast began looking for a new set of wheels.

“I didn’t know what I wanted to buy,” said Kubiak, who went online to search and eventually found the Crossfire for sale in Clio, Michigan. “The mo-

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6A/ C & G NEWSPAPERS GROSSE POINTE/MACOMB COUNTY SPECIAL EDITION • MAY 1, 2024
THE WHEEL
Sterling Heights resident Mel Kubiak, 85, is ready for cruise season with his 2007 Chrysler Crossfire coupe. The Chrysler Crossfire was only produced from 2004 to 2008.
See
Photos by Patricia O’Blenes
CROSSFIRE on page 10A
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Show House

dren’s books from a book recycler, and low chemicals and volatile organic compounds, or VOCs. With its soft colors and whimsical touches, the room is warm and inviting.

“I wanted to show we could do a room that was beautiful and with a lot of personality,” Zender said.

In a nod to Show House history, the hallway leading to the master bedroom includes framed photos — designed by Michelle Boggess, of Posterity Art & Framing Gallery — of rooms designed by Hudson’s for these houses.

A sleek closet showcasing showstopping shoes and apparel was designed by Kelly Osten, Aubrey Crawford and Ashlynn Robinson, of Closet Connections.

“Our inspiration was designing for a modern woman who was working and traveling quite a bit,” Osten said.

Alexandra Decker, of A Decker Design, brought color and life to a small room she made appear larger by hanging the striped wallpaper horizontally instead of vertically and wallpapering the ceiling.

Unexpected details abound, from wallpaper with fringe to a chandelier made of cobalt blue Murano glass to a painting hung in front of a window. Without the strictures imposed by a client, the designers are free to do whatever they feel best suits the space and their artistic aesthetic.

“The designers are designing for themselves,” Keim said. “It’s never happened (with previous Show Houses) to the degree it’s happened in this house. … One of the beauties of the Show House is a designer can step out

of what they’re known for and do what’s in their head.”

Held every other year since 1976, the Show House has been the JLD’s biggest fundraiser and has raised more than $4.5 million for programs and projects in Detroit. The JLD, which was founded in 1914, also awards community grants and, since 2014, scholarships to young women.

Keim said this last house is “very bittersweet” because a coming generation of JLD members won’t have this experience, which has fostered lifelong friendships because of the time commitment needed to put on a Show House. The challenge of securing numerous volunteers with lots of time available is one of the reasons the Show House tradition is ending.

“We feel this is going to be one of the top (Show Houses) as far as design,” Baxter said. “We want everyone to see this. The designers are going out on a high note with this one.”

JLD leaders said their mission of raising funds for needed initiatives will continue.

“We look forward to everyone joining us to celebrate this beautiful show house and support our mission of doing good in the community,” JLD President Mary Hollens said in a prepared statement. “We have incredible plans that will allow the Junior League of Detroit to more fully invest in projects and programs that continue to change lives.”

Show House tickets cost $35 before May 4 and $40 afterward. A café and gift shop will be open to Show House ticketholders and non-ticketholders alike. For Show House or preview party tickets or more information, visit jldetroit.org or call (313) 881-0040.

Public Budget Hearings will be held for the following Public School Academy: Reach-25275 Chippendale St., Roseville-586-498-9171-May 8, 7am Copies of the budgets for the listed Public School Academies will be available at the school office.

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Crossfire

from page 6A

ment I spotted it, I liked it.”

According to Kubiak’s research, a total of 76,014 Crossfire models were made in the years that they were manufactured from 2004-2008.

“The car is made by Mercedes-Benz in Germany, and some of them were sold in Europe with right-hand drives,” he said. “The car was only made in a coupe and convertible. In 2007, my model, a limited coupe, only 1,063 were manufactured. You

Lakeside

be a year behind. Taylor said he is also frustrated and wishes that the process could’ve moved more quickly. But he said these kinds of business deals are complex, and, “We’re going to get through it.”

Taylor added that while $3 million is big money, he strongly supports Lakeside as a long-term, transformational investment and has “very little doubt” it’ll eventually bear fruit for residents and taxpayers.

“This is going to create a lot of revenue,” Taylor said. “Now the TIF (tax increment financing) is going to take some time to be paid off, but once it is, it’s going to

Director

from page 1A

set him apart from other candidates for the role, according to Peggy DiMercurio, the Anton Art Center’s education & community engagement manager.

“His vibrancy, his energy, all the work he had done with other nonprofits and his ability to be able to transfer what he was doing right to the art center and really hit the ground running and be able to reach out to the community to help us build our presence even further,” DiMercurio said. “He was really looking for a place to call home that was mission-based, and the Anton Art Center is very mission-based.”

It is still early in Matthews’ tenure at the Anton Art Center and much of his time so far has been spent getting used to the center and learning the Mount Clemens community, but he plans to capitalize on opportunities once settled.

don’t see many of them around anymore.”

The Crossfire is also something his daughter, grandson and granddaughter admire. Kubiak is sure Joann would have been a fan as well.

“She would have loved it,” he said. “She was very understanding when it came to me and cars.”

Kubiak has always “been a car guy.”

“I remember when I was 8 or 9 years old getting behind the wheel of my brother’s car and pretending I was driving. He taught me how to drive,” said Kubiak, who grew up in Detroit with five siblings. “I used to sketch cars. I always worked on cars. I love

generate millions and millions and millions of dollars in annual revenue to the city of Sterling Heights.”

During the same meeting, the council voted unanimously via the consent agenda to accept consulting firm Plante Moran Realpoint’s $162,000 proposal to do consulting, financial review and analysis for the mall redevelopment project.

A representative for Lakeside Out of the Box Ventures LLC could not be reached for comment by press time.

Find out more about Lakeside Mall, 14000 Lakeside Circle in Sterling Heights, by visiting shop-lakesidemall.com. To learn about Sterling Heights, visit sterlingheights. gov. Learn more about Lakeside Out of the Box Ventures by visiting ootbventures.com.

“There is so much opportunity for the art center to be a center and a hub of art and culture in Macomb County and in southeastern Michigan, and we’re excited to bring folks in some different ways and share this space in different ways with folks in the community that have not had an opportunity to experience the Anton Art Center,” Matthews said.

The first exhibition Matthews will open is the Macomb County Biennial Primary Student Show, which will showcase the works of Macomb County primary school students until June 1.

Matthews took over the executive director position after Phil Gilchrist left for a similar opportunity at Advancing Macomb in December 2023. Gilchrist worked with the Anton Art Center for 14 years, serving as executive director for eight. DiMercurio served as the interim director while the center’s board of trustees searched for a new executive director.

to drive, even at this age.”

The first automobile Kubiak ever owned was a used 1938 Plymouth Coupe.

“It was green. No radio,” he said. “Nothing on it. I was probably 16 when I bought it.”

He was eventually able to purchase his first new vehicle, a 1956 Plymouth Belvedere. He remembers the details that made the car stand out.

“It had a bubble skirt on it, spinner hubcaps and lights under the front fender wheel,” Kubiak said.

Other cars in his garage over the years

included a Chevy Impala, a Ford Fairlane and an “old” Ford Mustang.

“I drove a Camaro for a while,” he said. “It was probably a 1982 Camaro.” Kubiak also has been the owner of a 1984 Chevrolet Corvette.

“I drove it every day,” he said. One regret was not keeping a photo selection of each vehicle.

“I wish I had taken pictures of each car I owned,” he said.

One car Kubiak dreams about owning someday is a Cadillac XLR, which is a luxury two-seat hardtop convertible.

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Make power outages a thing of the past with a home standby generator.

Trusted Protection During Unpredictable Weather

The frequency in severe weather has led to an increase in power outages. More than ever, you need to be prepared. Without power, your everyday modern essentials are rendered useless. Think about it, you’ll have no lights, heating or cooling, or refrigeration. You can’t even charge your cell phone. But when you have a Generac home standby generator, you will have power when you need it the most. It’s time to get serious about preparing your home.

Trusted Protection During Unpredictable Weather

Call or go online today for more information

Trusted Protection During Unpredictable Weather

The frequency in severe weather has led to an increase in power outages. More than ever, you need to be prepared. Without power, your everyday modern essentials are rendered useless. Think about it, you’ll have no lights, heating or cooling, or refrigeration. You can’t even charge your cell phone. But when you have a Generac home standby generator, you will have power when you need it the most. It’s time to get serious about preparing your home.

The frequency in severe weather has led to an increase in power outages. More than ever, you need to be prepared. Without power, your everyday modern essentials are rendered useless. Think about it, you’ll have no lights, heating or cooling, or refrigeration. You can’t even charge your cell phone. But when you have a Generac home standby generator, you will have power when you need it the most. It’s time to get serious about preparing your home.

Trusted Protection During Unpredictable Weather

Call or go online today for more information

Call or go online today for more information

The frequency in severe weather has led to an increase in power outages. More than ever, you need to be prepared. Without power, your everyday modern essentials are rendered useless. Think about it, you’ll have no lights, heating or cooling, or refrigeration. You can’t even charge your cell phone. But when you have a Generac home standby generator, you will have power when you need it the most. It’s time to get serious about preparing your home.

Call or

go online

today for more information

C & G NEWSPAPERS GROSSE POINTE/MACOMB COUNTY SPECIAL EDITION • MAY 1, 2024 12A
a thing of the past
0299-2408

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