Fenton Council Approves Rezoning, Other Agreements for Fenton Fire Hall

Union Joints asked for space for extensions to restaurant, and easements for landscape maintenance and refuse operations.

Fenton City Council has approved a rezoning for the old fire hall property, where the Fenton Fire Hall restaurant will be moving in. Council adopted the planning commission’s recommendation, to change the zoning for 301 S. Leroy St. from Parks/Cemeteries to Central Business District/Planned Unit Development. The new zoning fits in with the rest of the downtown, said Assistant City Manager Michael Burns, also Downtown Development Authority (DDA) director. City council also quit claim deeded two parcels of city property near the old fire hall building that Union Joints needs to construct extensions for its restaurant. In addition, council approved 10-year easement agreements for a refuse station and maintenance of the landscaping east of the…

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Fenton Fire Hall Developers Have Proposal for City's Old Pump House

Union Joints LLC proposes buying the former pump house from the city, to open a custard business near the old fire hall restaurant.

Salted caramel custard, Faygo Rock ‘N’ Rye ice cream and more — on the banks of the Shiawassee River in Fenton. As the Fenton Fire Hall restaurant makes its way through the site plan review process, Curt Catallo from Union Joints has an additional proposal — restoring the city’s old pump house into a frozen custard building. He presented his ideas for The Pump House at Monday’s city council worksession. The proposal resembles Union Joints’ restaurant and ice cream store in Clarkston, where there is the Clarkston Union and his wife, Ann Stevenson’s, Union General for ice cream, Catallo said. The Pump House in Fenton would feature handcrafted all natural custards, by the owners of the Fenton Fire Hall. Fenton’s pump house is a gem by the …

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Fenton Fire Hall Restaurant to Include Added Floor with Retractable Glass Roof

Owners plan to preserve historical building while renovating and celebrating it, Catallo says.

Plans for the Fenton Fire Hall restaurant include the addition of a third floor (on top of the current roof) with a retractable glass roof, long communal tables, its own bar — and a fire pit in the center, said Curt Catallo from Clarkston Union, one of the owners. At Thursday’s meeting, the planning commission held public hearings on a proposed rezoning and special land use for the restaurant, to be located in the old fire hall, and approved a site plan review for it. The proposed rezoning and special land use, which is for outdoor seating, will go to city council for its approval. The rezoning would be from Parks & Cemeteries to Central Business District/Planned Unit Development, like the rest of the downtown, said Fenton planning …

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Clarkston Union Owners Moving Towards Construction at Old Fenton Fire Hall

Site plans will soon go to Fenton's Planning Commission, construction expected to start soon after.

For those waiting to see some progress on the old Fenton Fire Hall, that day is coming soon. Site plans were submitted to city officials Oct. 1 and should be discussed by the Planning Commission in the next couple weeks, according to Fenton Assistant City Manager and Downtown Development Authority Director Michael Burns. Once the plans are approved, Clarkston Union owner Curt Catallo said crews will be ready to start working. “Once the site plan goes through, we will do a little cleaning within and start working on the foundation,” he said. “We are right on schedule.” There is one major change in the plans for the new restaurant.  Catallo said crews will install a low-impact addition in the side of the building to house an elevator and …

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Clarkston Union Owners Excited About Restaurant in Old Fenton Fire Hall

They want to open in seven to eight months; DDA chairman says project will link North LeRoy Street to Dibbleville.

When Fenton officials opened the Clarkston Union owners bids, Fenton Downtown Development Authority Director Michael Burns said it smelled like hickory. "We were convinced they stuck their bids in the smoker before they got here. (Catallo) denies it," Burns said. "Everything they've done has been A-1." The business partners for the planned Fenton Fire Hall restaurant, Ann Stevenson and Curt Catallo, owners of Clarkston Union, greeted the community at a press conference on the site of their future project Tuesday evening. A member of the audience said now they are known as "Curt and Ann of Clarkston Union," but in five years, they'll be "Curt and Ann of the Fenton Fire Hall." Against the backdrop of a 1930 fire engine owned by Fenton's …

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Fenton DDA Selects Clarkston Union Owners for Old Fenton Fire Hall

Plan calls for outdoor seating, 60 beers on tap and and open fire pit in the kitchen.

The old Fenton Fire Hall will change hands, but will not likely change names. The Fenton DDA selected Clarkston Union owners Curt Catallo and Ann Stevenson to renovate the old Fenton Fire Hall Tuesday and Catallo said the  name will likely stick. "The Fenton Fire Hall name was decided when it was carved into the facade nearly 100 years ago," Catallo said. "You do not mess with that. It was decided when the first stone was laid." The Clarkston Union owners were selected over the other finalist Arbor Brewing Company owners Matt and Rene Greff. Fenton's DDA voted unanimously on Tuesday in favor of Clarkston Union. The DDA will provide Clarkston Union with a $100,000 financial incentive for leasehold improvements, said DDA Director Michael …

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shannmeyer@hotmail.com

1:53 pm on Tuesday, October 23, 2012

yeah right...the brewery tried to come to Holly (So I heard) and got rejected. It would be a miracle if Holly let anything like that come to downtown!   more ›

Meet the Old Fenton Fire Hall Candidates: Clarkston Union Owners Curt Catallo and Ann Stevenson

Family still lives above Union General Store, eats nearly every meal at their restaurants and has fun doing it.

The owners of two highly successful restaurants, another that recently opened, a general store and an ad agency surely live in a big house on the lake, right? Well in the case of Clarkston Union owners Curt Catallo and Ann Stevenson, not exactly. The married couple still lives in a loft above the Union General store in downtown Clarkston next door to their award-winning restaurant with their 8 and 9-year-old children. “The kids sit down and order food,” Catallo said. “It’s something that’s very throwback, but it appeals to us. For us, it’s life. There’s something old school about living above store. It’s different to have that sense of pride and ownership in our restaurants.” Catallo and Stevenson have been chosen as a finalist to renovate…

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Meet the Old Fenton Fire Hall Candidates: Arbor Brewing Co. Owners Matt and Rene Greff

Couple loves traveling, fun, beer and community.

Arbor Brewing Company owner Matt Greff said he felt overwhelmed with the construction of the company’s new location, the Corner Brewery before it opened in 2006. So when one of his suppliers called him and wanted to give him a 1967 antique fire truck that had animals living in it and wheels that had sunken into the cement, he wasn’t interested in another project. However, a call to his wife Rene changed his mind. “She said you call him back right now. If someone offers you a fire truck, you take it,” Greff said. So the couple accepted the antique and had a brewery volunteer, who was an antique fire truck aficionado, fix it up with a rebuilt engine and removed the "squirrels from the glove box.” The antique has been a part of the Corner …

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Residents Voice Opinions for Clarkston Union in Old Fenton Fire Hall

Fenton officials to choose between Clarkston Union and Arbor Brewing Company owners next month.

On Tuesday, Fenton officials selected the owners of Clarkston Union or the Arbor Brewing Company as finalist to renovate the Old Fenton Fire Hall. Many Fenton Patch readers have posted their comments on the site and on the Fenton Patch Facebook Page. Here is a "taste" of what they said. "I'm all for The Union, but the Arbor Brewing sounds good too. Will not be disappointed either way!" posted Ginger Kramer. Dustin Lucius said, "Both great choices, glad it isnt someone who only wants to utilize one level of the building." "Love union/woodshop!! Arbor Brewing would be way cool too. So excited! Lining up already!" posted Jen Emmons. Many people showed their support with the simple comment, "Union!" "Union! Lets have something come to Fenton …

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Union Owners Create Website for Old Fenton Fire Hall Proposal

You can view full proposal online.