Oakland University will be opening a satellite campus in downtown Mount Clemens next year. This project kick-starts Mount Clemens efforts in developing their Education City Initiative.
Macomb County is America's the third largest county without a four-year institution of higher learning. The Mount Clemens Education City Initiative goal is to make Mount Clemens the county's focal point for higher learning. Macomb County's low college attainment levels are a legacy of great high paying auto-industry jobs. To rectify this problem and assist the county in being competitive in the 21st Century, it will be extremely difficult without a four-year college being located in the county.
The opening of the Oakland University Anton/Frankel Center is an important step in addressing this education access issue and locating institutions of higher learning in Mount Clemens.
Local property owners Gebran Anton and Stuart Frankel donated an office building at 20 S. Main St. to house the Oakland University campus.
Oakland University will be hosting a reception marking the turning over of the building's keys on Wednesday, Sept. 22, from 10 to 11:30 a.m. T
Mount Clemens was chosen for the Education City Initiative for several reasons:
* Its traditional pre-automotive downtown setting.
*Adjacency to a wide array of housing options.
* Proximity to Baker College and Macomb County Community College.
* Location on the county's main public transit route along Gratiot Ave.
Additional efforts continue with the Education City Initiative to attract other four year institutions into buildings in downtown Mount Clemens. Discussions are underway with several universities including a Chinese University to establish program in Mount Clemens.
The Mount Clemens DDA is also developing a listing of residential properties in and adjacent to the downtown as a part of the Education City efforts.
The residential goal is to provide housing options to incoming students that are within walking distance of the downtown and also encourage recent graduates to choose to live in Macomb County's only mid-rise downtown district.
Published: Thu, Sep 16, 2010
