5 Updates to the Troy Transit Center

Despite a Michigan Court of Appeals ruling in May which appeared to threaten Troy's ownership of the land on which its transit center is being built, city officials say that construction is progressing smoothly.

1. Construction

Construction is moving along on schedule and within budget, according to a memo provided to the Troy City Council as part of Monday's meeting agenda. Most of the structural and exterior work on the building, bridge and elevator tower is complete with the exception of glass. Reconstruction of Doyle Drive is currently underway.

Next month, work on the interior of the transit center, including elevators, wall and ceiling surfaces, bathroom fixtures, doors and hardware, is scheduled.

2. Opening the transit center

Construction is expected to be completed in August, according to city officials. City Engineer Steve Vandette said on Monday that a grand opening is expected to be scheduled in September.

3. State of the lawsuit

Following the appeals court ruling that the Troy City Council's approved plan to fund the center, contentiously agreed upon in January 2012, was too late to meet the June 2, 2010 deadline, city officials say that not much has changed.

The court denied Troy's motion for reconsideration and also denied a motion for immediate effect made by the land's donors, Grand/Sakwa Properties. City officials plan to file an application for leave to appeal to the Michigan Supreme Court by July 26.

City officials say that they do not expect the suit to be resolved until sometime after the scheduled grand opening, possibly deep into 2013 or 2014.

4. Backup plan

City officials say that while ongoing litigation could not be discussed an open forum, that it has accessed its legal options and has initiated the appraisal process, which would be a necessary component of securing permission to use federal funds if additional legal measures are required. 

However, suspending construction is not an option, Vandette said, due to substantial additional costs which are not expected to be reimbursed by the Federal Railway Administration (FRA).

5. Reimbursements for construction

FRA temporarily suspended reimbursement as a precautionary measure just after the appeals court opinion was released, but city officials are optimistic that it will reverse its position. Meanwhile, construction work has continued in compliance with the federal funding contractual requirements and the center will continue to be owned by the city.