Federal Building Objections Result In City-U.S. Talk

Federal Building
Objections Result
In City-U.S. Talk

Mayor James E. Stephenson and City
Administrator Sylvester Murray will
meet with U.S. officials later this month
to try to iron out local objections to the
federal office building scheduled to be
built in downtown Ann Arbor.

The meeting is a result of a letter Ste-
phenson sent to Congressman Marvin L.
Esch, R-Ann Arbor, the day after the
Planning Commission recommended City
Council reject a site plan for the project.

In that letter Stephenson told Esch the
planning staff and commission were
"dealing with technical matters and
procedures only. They should not dis-
suade (the government) from moving
full speed ahead to implement the plans
o build this important building."

The commission based its objection to
i lie building plans on mostly technical
questions, with the biggest being opposi-
tion to the proposed construction of a
marking lot where the Masonic Temple
now stands.

Stephenson announced the meeting to
City Council Monday night after a re-
presentative from the local building in-
dustry urged plans for the new federal
building proceed without delay.

Richard Brunvard, speaking for the
Washtenaw Contractors Association,
warned against any "senseless delays"
of a project he said could be a catalyst
for downtown redevelopment.

Brunvard suggested if alterations in
the design are necessary, the city should
go to its congressmen and even Presi-
dent Ford, instead of meeting with gov-
ernment bureaucrats. "Getting an act

out of Congress may be easier than get-
ting some acts from the Planning Com-
mission,." Brunvand said.

The meeting Stephenson and Murray
have scheduled is with offices n! the
General Service Administratu ;•> is
handling the construction.

(Other Ann Arbor Council news on
Page 3 and 10.) ag