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Oakland County Executive updates commissioners on Pontiac Redevelopment progress, youth pre‑apprenticeship launch
Summary
County Executive Megan Sellers and project staff reported progress on the Pontiac Redevelopment Project — parking garages under construction (south deck ~40%, north deck ~25%), an approved site‑plan amendment to add three floors to the north deck, continued infrastructure work and a new Pontiac Pathfinders pre‑apprenticeship program that launched with about 15 youth.
County Executive Megan Sellers told the Oakland County finance committee that construction is underway on multiple elements of the Pontiac Redevelopment Project and that the county remains on track for occupancy in late 2027 or early 2028.
"Construction began on both parking garages," Sellers said in her presentation, adding that the "south deck [is] 40% and the north deck 25% complete." She also reported that an amended site plan to add three floors to the north deck has been approved.
Project staff described concurrent infrastructure work: phased road reconstruction, consideration of a new water main to serve adjacent parcels, and multiple bid packages for site work, structural steel and other trades. Staff said the overall Judson Avenue/31 East Judson project has a gross project estimate in the packet of about $174 million and that about $65 million of vendor spend was recorded as of the May summary provided to the committee.
Sellers and the project team emphasized local vendor outreach and workforce development. The team said outreach included more than 100 vendor connections across multiple sessions in Pontiac and Lathrop Village and reported event attendance figures (48 attendees at an April event, 75 at a May trades event and 27 at a May small‑business session). "We saw over a 100 plus connections," Sellers said, calling that outreach "very, very successful."
The presentation also introduced the Pontiac Pathfinders pre‑apprenticeship program, which launched the day of the meeting. Sellers said roughly 15 youth and young adults participated in an on‑site walkthrough and mentorship activities with the developer and contractor partners. "They had the hard hats... they were out there walking and learning," she said, describing the kickoff as a community‑facing component of the project.
Commissioners asked staff to clarify vendor participation and spending categories, including the share of minority‑, women‑ and small‑business participation. Staff said the packet's May snapshot shows awarded/contracted spend on certain categories and noted that the reported current spend and representation data will be refined as additional bids are evaluated. The committee voted to receive and file the presentation materials by voice vote.
What happens next: staff said monthly updates will continue and that further bid evaluations and recommendations will be returned to the board as contract awards are proposed.
