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Commission approves 5th Street Plaza concepts, seeks grant funding and swaps concrete seat wall for comfortable seating
Summary
After a DDA presentation, the commission approved conceptual designs for the 5th Street Plaza, endorsed pursuing state and county grants including Main Street Oakland County funds, and amended the plan to replace a planned concrete seat wall with more comfortable seating in final documents.
The Royal Oak City Commission unanimously approved conceptual designs for a redesigned 5th Street Plaza on Jan. 27, directing staff to advance construction documents and pursue grant funding to help pay for the project.
Mister Solomon, the project presenter, described a boardwalk-themed plaza between South Lafayette and South Washington with tabletop intersections for accessible pedestrian crossings, a sod lawn (consultants advised against synthetic turf), festoon lighting, increased bike parking and movable bollards to permit emergency access. "All in all, this is converting, potentially what is a asphalt street with concrete curbs, into green space, level safe access across streets," Solomon told the commission.
Funding notes presented at the meeting: the DDA has $1.5 million budgeted from TIF/design funds, the city already accepted $312,000 from Main Street Oakland County, and the project team is applying for a place-making (RAT/WRAP) grant with a potential $500,000–$1 million award; the wrap grant application was due the week of Jan. 27 and awards were expected by April–May. Solomon said the water fund would cover required underground utility work and the project team aims to be shovel-ready for a 2025 bid and potential construction.
Commissioners raised detailed design questions, notably about seating on the west side. Commissioner Douglas pressed to avoid high, deep concrete seat walls and moved an amendment to replace the West-of-Washington concrete seat wall line-item with an allocation for comfortable site furnishings to be specified in final documents; the motion passed and the conceptual designs were approved unanimously.
Environmental and safety reviews were discussed: the Environmental Advisory Board advised against synthetic turf due to microplastic concerns, and police and fire staff contributed input on lighting and emergency access. Commissioners asked staff to produce clearer executive-summary materials for public outreach during the grant and design phases.
Next steps: staff said they will complete construction documents, pursue the grant timeline and return with bid results and final designs for commission approval before construction spending is authorized.
