SMART’s Move To Buhl Building Brings shared resources and $2 million savings

September 20, 2007 (Detroit, MI)  After more than a year of searching for a new location, SMART (the Suburban Mobility Authority for Regional Transportation) officials announced they will be moving their Headquarters into the historic Buhl Building in downtown Detroit on October 1, 2007.

“This move will allow us to continue to serve our customers from all three counties, reduce our costs significantly and allocate more dollars to service delivery,” said Hayes Jones, SMART General Manager.  SMART will save more than $2 million on the ten-year lease by downsizing from 38,000 feet in the First National Building to 23,000 square feet. SMART maintains office space and terminals in all three service counties with The Buhl Building and Wayne Terminal in Wayne County; the Pontiac Terminal and Troy Oakland Terminal in Oakland County and the Macomb Terminal in Clinton Township.

In addition to financial savings, SMART will share resources with SEMCOG, a neighboring tenant, through the use of their Executive Board Room and access to their printing press and staff.

"SEMCOG is very involved in improving Southeast Michigan's transportation system. We look forward to having SMART in the Buhl Building. Our proximity will allow us to work together and share resources even more than we have in the past, making the most efficient use of taxpayer dollars," said Paul Tait, Executive Director of SEMCOG.

An additional bonus came from the leasing agent, HDC Partners LLC who offered SMART more than 5,000 square feet of retail lobby space which will house the new Transit Center and Customer Information Offices.

“The relationship between SMART and SEMCOG makes this the perfect use for the space, said Attarah Snapp, Leasing Director for HDC Partners LLC. “The sixth floor was vacant and we always saw a non-profit there.” SMART will occupy the sixth and seventh floors as well as retail frontage on the first floor. SEMCOG will continue its lease on the third and fourth floors.

SMART is the regional bus system in Macomb, Oakland and Wayne Counties and is posting record ridership with more than 11 million passengers using the service annually. SMART is recognized nationally as an innovator in community-based service and for its unique partnerships with more than 70 local communities. For more information go to www.smartbus.org or call 866-962-5515.

SEMCOG is a regional planning partnership of local governmental units serving 4.9 million people in the seven-county region of Southeast Michigan striving to enhance the region's quality of life.

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