Two new upscale residential developments in the works will bring 30 new residences to downtown Traverse City.

The first, located at the northeast corner of Washington and Cass (behind City Centre Plaza), will be the four-story, 18-unit Washington Place. The development, led by Passageways Travel’s Tom and Sheila McIntyre, will have retail and office space on the ground floor. They hope to start construction this fall.

“It’s going to be our primary residence,” says Sheila McIntyre. With their kids grown, the couple wants to be able to walk downtown to the shops, restaurants and the State Theatre.

Realtors from Real Estate One and Coldwell Banker Schmidt are representing Washington Place; ten units are already spoken for.

The units will range between $180,000 to $670,000, each with 800-2,000 square feet of living space. The higher-priced units will include an indoor parking space.

The McIntyres already own one of the two parking lots now occupying the lot, and have a purchase option for the other from the City of Traverse City.

Just two blocks west on State Street past the post office, developers Tim Burden and Mike Wills are partnering to create Uptown. The $6 million project will overlook the Boardman River and Hannah Park across the water.

“I’ve really been interested in this property for fifteen years and things have just recently come together,” says Burden.

The duo has been working with city, county and brownfield development officials on the project; the site was an edge-of-town dumpsite decades ago, leaving contamination underground.

Burden also developed River’s Edge apartments and Midtown condominiums further upstream on the Boardman. Both projects utilized brownfield redevelopment funds.

Uptown will be brick, townhouse style; each unit will feature three bedrooms and a two-car garage. Prices will range between $500,000 to $700,000.

Burden hopes to have some units sold and occupied by spring 2014, with the entire project finished and occupied the following year.

Following a five-year span that left a divot in most golf courses’ pocketbooks, some reports have the $25 billion industry on the upswing. Can the same be said here in Northern Michigan? We inquired.

For many local courses, last year brought the first signs of a turnaround.

“We have to give a nod to Mother Nature,” says Kate Morris, executive director of the Michigan Golf Course Owners Association, referring to the early arrival of warm weather in 2012. “More buying confidence and an amazing, long season had a huge economic impact.”

Rodger Jabara, general manager of Bay Meadows Golf Course, also credits the weather and an unusually high number of out-of-state visitors in 2012. “When I was able to have a conversation with them [about how they decided to visit], most times Pure Michigan was mentioned,” he says.

This year’s longer winter means a more typical start to the season, but the heavier and later snowfall also means better turf conditions, notes Tom McGee, Director of Golf Operations at the Grand Traverse Resort. He believes that, combined with a predicted strong tourism season, “Northern Michigan golf courses are in a good position to have a good season.”

Boasting a $4.2 billion golfing economy, Michigan leads the nation in public courses. But is the state “over golf coursed?” Nobody knows for sure, and locals point to two key areas for survival: differentiation in the marketplace and price integrity.

“Every golf course will have to pick its own path to appeal to its market,” says Brent Maitland of LochenHeath, which reopened in 2011 after closing operations for a few years.

Many courses and clubs have tried to diversify beyond the traditional golf enthusiasts or emphasize a certain niche. Grand Traverse Resort has seen an increase in golf and resort packages for groups of 12 or more players coming into town. LochenHeath is positioning itself to those seeking a club that preserves some afternoon tee times just for members, with an ambition to someday become private again, while Bay Meadows plays-up the family golf experience.

Morris says courses statewide are also struggling with the proliferation of discount deals, particularly among courses in desperate situations to fill rounds, which “ultimately erode the real price point.” Because maintenance costs remain the same or increase each year, Jabara worries about the long-term effect on the quality of the actual courses, while Maitland asserts that in the long term, such aggressive discounting is just bad for business.

Still, with a relatively high per capita rate of golfers in Michigan and numbers strong in junior golf tournaments and high school events, the future of the state’s “green” industry looks healthy.

Perhaps its best asset? Golfers’ enthusiasm.

“Michigan golfers are hearty participants,” says Morris. “I’ve traveled all over and have never seen the determination and love of the game that our golfers have.”

Traverse City natives and siblings Carter and Todd Oosterhouse received good news from Peninsula Township Tuesday evening – which means good news for fans of Old Mission Peninsula wineries.

Township officials granted the Oosterhouses a special-use permit to build a 6,500 square-foot winery off Center Road, paving the way for the duo to apply for county building permits and begin construction next month. Todd says they hope to have production facilities built in time to begin harvesting this fall on their 20 acres of wine grapes originally planted three years ago.

According to Us Magazine, the winery will be called Bonobo, after a type of chimpanzee.

“If we stay on track, we should be ready to open (the tasting room) in June 2014,” Todd says, noting that planned varietals include Riesling, Chardonnay, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gri, Pinot Noir and Cabernet Franc.

Though the permitting process was a bumpy one for the Oosterhouses – who had to navigate zoning restrictions, land disputes and legal challenges en route to township approval – Todd says the support of other Peninsula winery owners was instrumental in negotiating the red tape.

“Going through this process, everyone has been very helpful,” Todd says. “It's definitely collaborative out here..people are willing to tell you the best steps to take.”

Marie-Chantal Dalese, marketing director at Chateau Chantal, seconds the view of the Wineries of Old Mission Peninsula (WOMP) as a close-knit community. Dalese, who calls the business environment on the Peninsula “friendly and collaborative,” is helping oversee this month's launch of Hawthorne Vineyards, the newest winery to join the organization.

The 86-acre secluded facility, tucked on top of a private drive off Peninsula Road overlooking Grand Traverse Bay, is home to 26 acres of wine grapes, a seasonal tasting room designed by architect Bradley Wheeler, and a wine patio with an outdoor wood-burning fireplace. Hawthorne Vineyards will focus on “super-premium, single varietal wines that reflect their...elevated position on the Peninsula,” according to Dalese.

The business itself is an embodiment of vintner collaboration. While owners Bruce and Cathleen Hawthorne will maintain distinct production facilities, tasting rooms and product lines at Hawthorne, the winery will share a management staff and winemaker Brian Hosmer with Chateau Chantal, which is a joint partner in the venture.

“It’s been an interesting project working with the Hawthornes," Hosmer said in a statement. "They bring a new perspective to the wines being offered from their estate, and it will continue to be an enjoyable challenge to create unique styles of wine for this property.” Dalese notes that the winery – which is planted for Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Merlot, Riesling, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Grigio, Gewurztraminer and Lemberger varietals – currently has 12 wines available to accompany its launch.

Hawthorne Vineyards officially opened on May 1 and will remain open seasonally through October 31. To commemorate its launch, the winery is hosting a grand opening celebration on Saturday, May 25 from 11 a.m.-8 p.m. The event is free and open to the public and will include complimentary wine tastings, live music and light appetizers. For more information, visit www.hawthornevineyards.com.

Traverse City's "big three" festivals are coming soon, each facing its own unique challenge in 2013 and beyond. One needs to appeal to a more upscale audience, another needs more "connections" to locals, and the third is finding its identity among its peers. Here's the lowdown:

NATIONAL CHERRY FESTIVAL – June 29-July 6, 2013
What's in Store for 2013: Now in its 87th year, the National Cherry Festival (NCF) is putting a modern twist on some of its traditional components, introducing the first-ever night air show and ramping up the Bay Side Music Stage with acts like Foreigner and Montgomery Gentry. The Global Wine Pavilion is gone this year, but culinary classic Cherries D'Vine is back.

Can It Go Upscale? Part of NCF's broad community appeal is its endless array of free or inexpensive entertainment, from parades to carnival rides to cheap eats. But for those seeking a more upscale experience, high-end options at the festival have historically been limited.

Cognizant of the opportunity to diversify its customer base, NCF has taken a number of steps in recent years to offer premium experiences for attendees looking to indulge. Special Air Show Galas at the Park Place Hotel, reserved seating at festival concerts, and elegant epicurean events like Cherries D'Vine are all designed to appeal to audiences seeking out more swank offerings.

“Our theme is 'Generations of Fun,' and for us that means appealing to as many different groups of people as possible,” says NCF Executive Director Trevor Tkach. “It's a balancing act. We've got a great lineup already...but we're always looking for ways to bring new demographics into the fold.”

HORSE SHOWS BY THE BAY – July 3-28 and August 2-4, 2013
What's in Store for 2013: The prestigious equestrian festival returns to the 84-acre Flintfields Horse Park in Williamsburg for a nearly five-week series of events, bringing in an estimated 1,500 horses and some 3,000 competitors and support staff. In celebration of the festival's tenth anniversary, organizers have added six new $10,000 awards to this year's event.

How Will It Engage Locals? Horse Shows by the Bay contributes an estimated $12 million annually to the local economy. Yet due to its niche focus, many area residents have never experienced the festival – or are even aware when it's underway.

Show owner and operator Alex Rheinheimer says increasing local engagement is a complex undertaking. While community sponsors underwrite the festival and spectators add to the atmosphere and help sustain the sport, equestrian events – which prize distraction-free environments for competitors – also demand special crowd etiquette. A sudden noise or movement in the stands, even if unintentional, could dangerously throw off an animal or rider.

To help spread awareness of show etiquette and engage more locals with the event, Horse Shows by the Bay is hosting a community Kids Day on July 6 and a Family Day on July 20. The festival is also increasing promotion for its weekend Grand Prix events, where competitors and animals are more acclimated to crowds. “We want people to come out and enjoy the events, but we also have to protect the environment for the competitors,” Rheinheimer explains. “These events are a perfect way for us to do both.”

TRAVERSE CITY FILM FESTIVAL – July 30-August 4, 2013
What's in Store for 2013: Most of the well-known elements of the Traverse City Film Festival (TCFF) will be back in 2013, including the filmmakers panels, festival parties, film school and Open Space movies. One major new addition: TCFF recently received approval to use the City's Con Foster Museum in Clinch Park as a year-round, 150-seat movie theater called Bijou by the Bay, which will open in time for this year's event.

What's Its Identity? TCFF has grown exponentially each of its past nine years, enjoying widespread local support and undeniable success. But how does it rank against other renowned film festivals, such as Sundance and Tribeca? Answering that question (along with key others, such as whether booking celebrities or first-time filmmakers is a bigger priority for the event, and whether staff will continue to hand-pick films or convert to an open submissions process) poses a number of challenges for organizers. But tackling them promises to help TCFF refine its identity in the years ahead – and ensure its long-term sustainability in the process.

“We're coming up on our tenth anniversary (in 2014), which tends to be a time when many festivals come into their own and figure out...what makes them special,” says TCFF Executive Director Deb Lake. She notes that while TCFF will never be an “industry festival,” such as Sundance, organizers are ready to consider new possibilities going forward, including formally assisting films in finding distribution and taking on more submissions.

“It's a special time for us. We're on the brink of self-identifying,” says Lake. “I think our tenth anniversary will be a really big year for us.”