Model D

He is Family: The Fierce, Hot, Messy Times of Adriel Fantastique

Tue, 30 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The timeless face behind many of Detroit's best anything goes dance parties since the early 1990s, Adriel Fantastique is the master of ceremonies for Skintight, Fierce Hot Mess and Family.

Microloans Bring Macro-Benefit to Detroit

Tue, 30 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

When the banks won't answer the door, the smallest of small businesses can go knocking on the doors of Detroit's microloan programs, which are changing the face of the city one coffee shop or high tech start up at a time.

FilterD: This week's picks

Tue, 30 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The Comerica Cityfest is Detroit's premiere street party, spanning five days in New Center. Among the dozens of live acts are dangerously cute Aussie twin sister electro-pop duo the Veronicas (pictured).

There's great food, much more entertainment and all the happy details in FilterD, which is packed with nine other hot happenings this week in metro Detroit. Come inside for the scoop on all the yummy summery fun.

While Model D is Away, Get Out and Play

Tue, 30 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Summer's here in the city. We're taking some time off to get out there in the heat and play in Detroit. Check in with FilterD for hot tips on what to do in the D during the next two weeks. We'll be back refreshed and ready to roll July 14. See you then.

Three New Projects Approved Under Jefferson Avenue Retail Readiness Program

Wed, 24 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The Detroit Economic Growth Association Finance Committee has approved up to $283,000 in grants for two new restaurants as well as headquarters for a development company relocating to the City, under its Jefferson Avenue Retail Readiness Program. The grants are expected to leverage more than $600,000 in new private investment along East Jefferson.

George W. Jackson: Brownfield Opportunities Driving Redevelopment of Key Neighborhoods

Wed, 24 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

For years, the building on Second Avenue just north of the Fisher Theatre and former General Motors headquarters was home to a CBS-affiliated radio and television station. When the commercial station left, Detroit's public television station moved in. Now, thanks to some help from brownfield tax incentives, redevelopment opportunities are presenting themselves.

International Investment Magazine Ranks Detroit Fourth for Economic Potential

Wed, 24 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

When you look at the data that really count for certain kinds of business investments, Detroit more than holds its own with comparable cities. That was the conclusion recently reached by fDi Magazine, a London publication of the Financial Times.

Connecting the Dequindre Cut Greenway to the Detroit RiverWalk

Wed, 24 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The Economic Development Corporation of the City of Detroit and the Michigan Department of Resources announced today that construction will begin this summer on two greenways that will connect the Dequindre Cut Greenway to the Detroit RiverWalk, just east of downtown Detroit.

Model D Radio: Detroit-Coventry Connections Part II

Tue, 23 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Skank to that 2 Tone beat, people. Ska music was a byproduct and is now a driver of the local economy in former car town Coventry, England. Model D Radio's Chris McCarus brings us this report in Part II of his series looking at Detroit's connections to this post-industrial city in the UK.

Model D TV: Atlas Global Bistro

Tue, 23 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

White linen service, eclectic bistro menu and a lively bar make Atlas Global Bistro one of our favorite places to nosh and drink up. In its sixth year lighting up Woodward in Midtown, Atlas is now a Cultural Center mainstay.

Speaker Series Tonight at the Magic Stick

Tue, 23 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

How do we keep our communities intact in the face of a mortgage crisis? Development groups, real estate agents, nonprofits and neighbors will talk about their strategies with Model D and Detroit's WDET radio station at our June 24 event. Come on out and be a part of it.

Selling Homes in Detroit: It's About More Than Just the Benjamins

Tue, 23 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Are out-of-state speculators the only people buying and dilapidated homes the only thing selling in Detroit? Are Detroit real estate agents' fortunes all but lost? Nope.

Model D TV: Traffic Jam & Snug

Tue, 23 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Four reasons to love Traffic Jam & Snug: Homemade beer, cheese, ice cream, baked goods. It's our stop this week on the Model D TV tour of all that's good in Detroit.

Model D Radio: Coventry-Detroit Connections, Part I

Tue, 16 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Michiganâs economy is rooted in the last century. So for clues on how to modernize, we travel to an even older industrialized place that's seen the auto industry disappear. Michigan Nowâs Chris McCarus reports from the English Midlands.

Detroit's a Beach: Swimming in the River

Tue, 16 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Need a little beach time? Head to the city. Just last weekend, hundreds of people splashed through the Detroit River from Belle Isle's beach as part of the Motor City Triathlon. And lots more people take to the island for its clean and clear H2O and sandy shoreline.

Construction to begin on Dequindre Cut trail extension in July

Tue, 30 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Construction on the Dequindre Trail Extension, which will connect the first phase of the Dequindre Cut from Woodbridge south to Atwater, will begin in July and be complete by the end of the year.

The Dequindre Trail will look much the same as the Dequindre Cut in terms of lighting, benches and landscaping -- but will be at-grade, rather than below. The trail is a mere 800 feet, but it will make it easier for roller bladers and cyclists going between the Cut and the RiverWalk. Now, they are forced to rumble over the East Riverfront district's often-rough roads.

Over at Tricentennial Park, work continues and a bike trail-RiverWalk extension also will be constructed this summer. This pathway will connect Rivard Plaza to the Dequindre Cut Trail Extension. The expansion of Tricentennial Park is nearly complete, but will not open until the fall to allow for the native landscaping to mature.

Construction contract approval that will allow this work to proceed was announced last week by the Economic Development Corp. of the City of Detroit and the Michigan Department of Resources.

Read more about the Dequindre Cut here and the expansion of Tricentennial Park here.

Source: Detroit Economic Growth Corporation
Writer: Kelli B. Kavanaugh

Five units of Midtown housing born from two burned out homes

Tue, 30 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

On Second Ave. just north of Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd., a remarkable transformation is occurring: two dilapidated homes are being transformed into five market-rate apartments through the efforts of owner Jeff Malmsten.

The vacant homes are being fully restored, inside and out. The first, located at 3525 Second, will have three units -- a studio; a two-bedroom, 2-bath unit; and a three-bedroom, two-bath, two-story apartment. Malmsten hopes to attain occupancy in July.

Exterior work has begun on the second home, located at 3531 Second, which was severely fire-damaged. The two-unit should be ready in about a year.

Malmsten caught the Midtown bug while helping his son rehab a home near the Detroit Science Center. "It doesn't matter about politics and the economy, this thing has been going like a steamroller since the Super Bowl," he says. "I'm excited to see what's going on, this transformation (has been) overdue."

Malmsten was awarded a low-interest loan from the Detroit Investment Fund for the project.

Source: Jeff Malmsten
Writer: Kelli B. Kavanaugh

Wayne State adds to retail mix with new salad shop

Tue, 30 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

A new restaurant featuring soups, sandwiches and salads -- cleverly named Salad 101 -- will open in Wayne State University's Atkinson Hall on Anthony Wayne Drive in July. The building's commercial spaces are now completely occupied

Nabelah Ghareeb, the university's associate vice-president of business and auxiliary operation, handles all of WSU's commercial leases. She attributes its success in the commercial realm to three primary reasons: "the reputation of the university," the fact that faculty, staff and students are a "captured audience," and that "we work at it -- we absolutely go out and recruit people."

Ghareeb says the family-owned restaurant will be one-of-a-kind.

Source: Nabelah Ghareeb, WSU
Writer: Kelli B. Kavanaugh

D-Biz: Avanti Press designs creative cards downtown

Tue, 30 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

When Rick Ruffner founded greeting card company Avanti Press in 1980, the naysayers came from all corners. They told him Detroit was a bad idea, that photography and greeting cards didn't mix and that dogs wouldn't sell.

Almost 30 years later, it's clear that something worked right: Avanti cards, distinctive for their full-color photographs (many of dogs, natch) and humorous messages, can be found in 20,000 retail outlets in North America alone, in all 50 states and nearly 25 countries.

The company shuffled around a few downtown offices before settling into its current location in the Murphy-Telegraph Building on Congress in 2000. Avanti occupies the entire second floor -- Ruffner cites the bright, open floor plan designed by Gensler as a big selling point for employees, both current and prospective. "It's been a been a great place to recruit people, and Detroit is full of talent," he says. "(A lot of our people) really like being downtown."

Avanti employs 50 downtown, and also operates a distribution and storage facility in Taylor and creative offices in New York City and the United Kingdom.

Check out Avanti's work on the ground floor exterior of their offices, located at 155 W. Congress. Call 800-228-2684.

Source: Rick Ruffner, Avanti Press
Writer: Kelli B. Kavanaugh

Round-up: I-75 re-opens, Compuware launches downtown farmers market, Lager House adds food to menu

Tue, 30 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

A few tidbits to tide you over until Model D returns on July 14:

A pain in the you-know-what since February 2008 is about be rectified: I-75 between Rosa Parks Blvd. and Clark St. will re-open on July 2. Read more about the overall progress at the $240 million Gateway Project -- of which the freeway reconstruction is part -- here.

Compuware launched an Eastern Market AM Fresh Farm Stand in its building's atrium that will run every Thursday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. through October. Expect locally-grown fruits and vegetables as well as those sourced from further away. Organic oatmeal, wheat and other grains, dried peas and beans, honey, and maple syrup, all from Michigan sources, will also be available.

Compuware is also working with Eastern Market to explore the possibility of opening up a small grocery store in the building. They are asking people that live and/or work downtown to take this survey to determine product mix and demographic information of potential customers. Do it today -- it goes off-line on July 1.

PJ's Lager House in Corktown has added food to its mix of booze and music. Gilmore's Grill operates from the back patio on Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights until close. The menu includes botanas, hamburgers and veggie burgers, chicken wings and hot dogs.

The Lager House is at 1254 Michigan Ave. Call 313-961-4668.

Sources: Michigan Department of Transportation, Compuware and PJ Ryder, PJ's Lager House
Writer: Kelli B. Kavanaugh

LISC invests $3M over 3 years into Detroit community development orgs

Tue, 23 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Detroit Local Initiatives Support Corporation will invest $1 million annually for three years into the city's community development organizations. Its motivation? The current economic situation and its impact on the community development industry.

LISC wil offer $25,000 in operating support grants to over a dozen organizations. Several of the organizations will then receive additional financial support, technical organizational assistance and business planning assistance.

LISC hopes to help CDCs become recession-proof by strengthening, adapting, changing or merging -- whatever it takes.

For one of the grantees, Greater Corktown Development Corporation the grant has been a welcome infusion, but it has also meant they've had to evolve. "LISC offered up technical assistance, (helped us look at things in an) entrepreneurial approach to sustainability," says executive director Tim McKay. "We got included in their $3 million initiative to help us reorganize our office, to sustain us through this kind of difficult time, to give us a business plan and to strategize to develop a revenue stream -- which was much needed and much welcome."

Other community development organizations awarded operational funds are Bagley Housing Association, Southwest Detroit Business Association and Urban Neighborhood Initiatives (formerly Neighborhood Centers, Inc.) in Mexicantown and Southwest Detroit; Grandmont Rosedale Development Corporation; Creekside CDC and Jefferson East Business Association on the lower Eastside; Messiah Housing Corporation in The Villages; Warren Conner Development Coalition and U SNAP BAC on the East Side; Vanguard CDC, Central Detroit Christian CDC and New Center Council in the New Center/Central Woodward area; Detroit Community Initiative in the Van Dyke/Eight Mile area and citywide agencies Focus: HOPE and Wayne County Child Care Coordinating Council.

Source: LISC and Tim McKay, GCDC
Writer: Kelli B. Kavanaugh

3 grants go to E. Jefferson businesses, including new Tim Horton's opening across MacArthur Bridge

Tue, 23 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The Detroit Economic Growth Association approved up to $283,000 in grants for three businesses -- Tim Hortons, Passport Pizza and office headquarters for Shelborne Development -- under the auspices of its Jefferson Avenue Retail Readiness Program. The grants are expected to leverage more than $600,000 in new private investment along E. Jefferson Ave.

Tim Hortons will open this August at 7201 E. Jefferson Ave. at East Grand Boulevard in the former Starbuck's Coffee across from the MacArthur Bridge to Belle Isle. It will create approximately 25 new jobs and will be Tim Hortons' second location in Detroit. The grant funds will defray half of the cost of remodeling the interior, installing awnings and making other exterior improvements.

Passport Pizza will open its second franchise in the city at 2636 E. Jefferson Ave., just east of Chene. The grant funds will be used for an interior build-out for the 1,500-square-foot restaurant. The pizzeria is expected to hire 10.

Last but not least, the Book House Building at 8443-45 E. Jefferson Ave. will be rehabbed for the offices of Shelborne Development. The DEGA monies will fund half the cost of making interior and exterior repairs to the vacant building; parking lot and site improvements are also part of the project. Shelborne plans to relocate to the ground floor of the building in late 2009 and rent second floor office space out to an additional tenant.

Read more about the Jefferson Avenue Retail Readiness Program here and previous program grantees here and here.

Source: Detroit Economic Growth Corporation
Writer: Kelli B. Kavanaugh

Midtown starts spreading its 'Where Life is Art' message

Tue, 23 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

University Cultural Center Association has teamed with Lovio George to create a comprehensive district brand for Midtown.

Meeting with stakeholders, visitors and business owners led the branding team down a path that works to emphasize the cohesiveness of the neighborhood -- and what makes it unique. "We got a sense of what core values [are here], what makes Midtown different that anywhere in the region, or anywhere in Detroit, for that matter," says Jim Boyle, vice president of integrated marketing for Lovio George. "We are developing a language for how Midtown talks about itself -- the major message is 'Where Life is Art.'"

The branding package will include brochures, area guides, window stickers and information packages to give to perspective and new investors in the area.

A major aspect to the campaign is getting individual stakeholders to look at the neighborhood assets as a whole, rather than their own individual characteristics. He cites the Detroit Institute of Arts, where he worked until recently, as an example. "There is value to the DIA to market themselves within the context of a vibrant neighborhood," he says. "This way, we all kind of rise."

Source: Jim Boyle, Lovio George
Writer: Kelli B. Kavanaugh

D-Biz: Tuffy hangs tough on 8 Mile

Tue, 23 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Tuffy Auto Service Center on Eight Mile just west of Livernois is many "onlies." It's the only African-American-owned Tuffy in the state of Michigan. It's the only Tuffy in the city of Detroit. And its owners, Nicole and Gerald Huffman, might be the only auto shop owners looking to give away free service.

The couple is offering two free tune-ups -- up to $500 in value -- to Detroiters that need work done on their car but just can't afford it at the moment. "We have a lot of people supporting us, and this is our way of giving back to the community," says Nicole. "We've been noticing a lot of people haven't been able to get their car repaired and, before we purchased this facility, we were in the same boat."

Anyone in need of car repair that they cannot afford should send a letter to Tuffy's at 7411 W. Eight Mile Rd. explaining their current situation and naming the year, make and model of the vehicle needing repair, an outline of any concerns with the vehicle and any previously written estimates. Two letters will be drawn at random on June 30, 2009.

The Huffmans were offered the Detroit Tuffy franchise in 2007 after Gerald, who has been a mechanic and technician for 26 years, had worked there six months. Nicole, who has a background in customer services, says, "It was such a blessing, of course. It was a perfect fit for us." Their purchase was financed in part by ShoreBank Enterprise Detroit, a nonprofit affiliate of ShoreBank Corporation.

Tuffy Auto Service Center can be reached at 313-862-2886.

Source: Nicole Huffman, Tuffy Auto Service Center Detroit
Writer: Kelli B. Kavanaugh

Carola Building to be graced by Jen Quigley mural

Tue, 23 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Weather permitting, artist and College for Creative Studies instructor Jennifer Quigley will begin painting a mural on the side of the Carola Building -- in which she resides -- on June 28. Quigley, in partnership with the building's association, recently completed the permit approval process through the city and is ready to get started.

The mural is 50 feet tall by about 8 feet wide -- and, because of the large size, Quigley decided to keep the design relatively simple. "I wanted to paint something that I know, within myself, that I can paint in a week," she says. It will consist of colorful squares in a geometric pattern that resembles a "D."

The Carola building association is funding the mural, but Quigley hopes to make that money back with an ambitious unveiling party later this summer that will also benefit nonprofit organizations. "We actually are hopeful that this mural becomes this template of how to go about this ... how much fun it can be ... how much money we raised for everyone," she says. "We want to show other neighborhood associations, other businesses that say, 'I don't know if we should really do art right now,' that this is how art will make money."

The Carola is located at 78 Watson in Brush Park. Read more about Quigley here .

Source: Jennifer Quigley
Writer: Kelli B. Kavanaugh

Textures by Nefertiti moves into expanded Cass space as nearby W. Willis businesses hold annual fete

Tue, 16 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Textures By Nefertiti, a seven-year staple of Midtown's The Spiral Collective, has launched into its own shop just a block south at 4147 Cass. In her previous space, proprietor Nefertiti had just enough room to work on dreadlocks. In her new home, she has expanded her offerings to include manicures and pedicures, waxing, lashes, facials, a variety of massage types and aromatherapy.

The 1,100-square-foot ground floor space has large windows, into which Nefertiti says, "the sun just kind of rolls in."

Textures by Nefertiti will celebrate its grand opening on June 20 in conjunction with the Second Annual Willis Village Celebration. Neighboring businesses -- including Avalon International Breads, Re:View Contemporary Gallery, Curl Up and Dye, Goodwells Health Food Store/Cafe, Dell Pryor Gallery, Revolution Books, Source Booksellers and Tulani Rose Gifts -- are joining together to celebrate their growing business district with music, acrobatics, childrenâs activities and food.

Festivities run from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Find a full schedule of events here.

The Willis Village Celebration exemplifies Nefertiti's feelings about the area -- and why she moved only steps away from the Spiral when she saw a need to expand. "I like this neighborhood. I'm around the corner from the DIA, around the corner from the hospitals," she says. "I still have the advantage of being across the street from Avalon, and I am still in a partnership with other businesses in the area."

Textures by Nefertiti is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Call 313-831-4771.

Source: Nefertiti, Textures by Nefertiti
Writer: Kelli B. Kavanaugh

Van Dyke brightened by new facade at Nortown CDC's offices

Tue, 16 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Nortown CDC has redone the facade of its offices, located at 20245 Van Dyke -- and so has its neighbor, Van Dyke Dental. Both projects were funded by ReFresh Detroit! and the V-8 Gateway Collaborative. The completion of construction will be celebrated with a ribbon cutting on June 25 at 10 a.m.

Nortown replaced thin, security-fenced windows with energy-efficient ones and a white bubble awning with a tasteful striped one. Executive director Pat Bosch says it is important for her organization to lead by example when it comes to its appearance. "It is critical -- if we are doing the work of commercial revitalization, we need to send a strong message to the community that there are design guidelines that we are adopting," she says. "This is a pilot model [to show] what could be done with older storefronts that's also affordable, thanks to these incentive grants that help get the job done."

Nortown moved into its offices on January 1, so Bosch says they "are still trying to unpack boxes." Now that the building's exterior is improved, she hopes to tackle the interior next. "We are really looking to do green-building tech on the inside," she says.

Source: Pat Bosch, Nortown CDC
Writer: Kelli B. Kavanaugh

State of Michigan invests $7M into Cadillac Place upgrades in New Center

Tue, 16 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The State of Michigan has invested $7 million into New Center's Cadillac Place. The improvements run the gamut, from boiler and elevator upgrades to flooring and facade repairs. The work was funded through maintenance allowances in the state's lease agreement.

Additionally, employees from three departments -- Department of Human Services, Department of Labor and Economic Growth and Gaming Control Board -- have been consolidated into Cadillac Place. These moves increased the total number of employees in the building from 1,650 to more than 1,800.

Department of Management and Budget director Lisa Webb Sharpe says the investment and consolidation are meant to live up to a governor-issued 2003 directive that instructed DMB to move personnel into urban areas whenever possible and to move from leased to owned space whenever possible. "We are trying to make urban areas more vibrant," she says.

Webb Sharpe also notes that the boiler upgrade will allow for significant utilities savings and that Gaming Control's relocation to Detroit from Lansing moves that department "closer to the casinos that they regulate."

Source: Lisa Webb Sharpe, State of Michigan DMB
Writer: Kelli B. Kavanaugh

Comprehensive planning for E. Jefferson corridor improvements begins

Tue, 16 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Giffel Webster Engineers and ASTI Environmental hosted a breakfast on June 5 to begin moving towards a comprehensive vision for Jefferson Avenue in Detroit. Invitees included neighborhood stakeholders, such as Jefferson East Business Association and The Villages CDC, and other interested parties such as Michigan Trails and Greenways Alliance and Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan (CFSEM).

Scott Clein, an associate at GWE, was motivated to start the conversation after participating in charettes for the area that CFSEM hosted with noted transportation planner Ian Lockwood. "He came up with high level concepts, ideas of what Jefferson could be," says Clein. "I wanted to see if we could do something to keep those ideas that the Community Foundation helped foster from remaining just ideas."

Clein is hoping the breakfast is a first step in creating an action plan for the entire corridor from downtown to Grosse Pointe. "It's a very wide roadway, some of it has a boulevard and some of it is not a very people-friendly place," he says. "It suffers from the ills that other major streets that developed in Detroit [are suffering from]."

From a transportation perspective, Clein explains that the street's width is no longer necessary because of the freeway system, and could be used in other ways such as for non-motorized transportation and increased on-street parking.

The studies necessary to effect this type of wholesale change are most efficiently and economically performed at once for the whole corridor rather than in pieces, and collaboration would also provide an opportunity ensure that all individual efforts are cohesive. Unique needs for different neighborhoods -- such as wider sidewalks in a business district -- would also be taken into consideration in the planning process.

Clein says the short-term goal will be to obtain funding for a Jefferson Avenue Framework Plan so that the City of Detroit and MDOT will have hard engineering to consider when each organization tries to move forward on their own improvement plans. "This will make the lives of individual groups 100 times easier," he says. "The debate is then simply, 'How do we find money?'"

Source: Scott Clein, GWE
Writer: Kelli B. Kavanaugh

Clean Downtown, 2-1-1 On the Go get $1.69M grant

Tue, 16 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

A $1.69 million grant will help keep the Clean Downtown crews sweeping the streets in Detroit's downtown.

The grant, part of which also goes to help the United Way's 2-1-1 On The Go! program, comes from the Michigan State Housing Development Authority. 2-1-1 On The Go! is a mobile United Way service that helps homeless people get off the streets and into full-time employment and permanent housing, and sometimes helps people find work via Goodwill Industries and Clean Downtown.

Clean Downtown has been operating for three years. So far in 2009, the crews have removed 75 tons of trash. Last year, they hauled away 257 tons of trash from Downtown alone. Each year, they power wash 39 miles of downtown sidewalks at least three times, and sweep them at least 18 times.

Clean Downtown has an operating budget of $2.8 million, plus significant in-kind contributions, and employs 60 Goodwill Industries workers -- a total of 266 trainees since start-up. Clean Downtown is a program of the Downtown Detroit Partnership, in collaboration with the City of Detroit, the Detroit Economic Growth Corp, Wayne County, the State of Michigan, the Detroit Riverfront Conservancy and the University Cultural Center Association.

Source: Downtown Detroit Partnership
Writer: Clare Pfeiffer Ramsey

fDi Magazine names Detroit a city of the future

Tue, 30 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

fDi Magazine, an investment mag produced by the Financial Times, released their cities of the future list and Detroit fell in at No. 10 for the largest cities of the future.

Excerpt:

fDi Magazineâs North American Cities of the Future 2009/10 shortlists, which took more than six months to research and involved the data collection of nearly 400 North American cities, ranks San Francisco, California, as the top large city of the future, followed closely by Austin, Texas. Of the large cities surveyed, San Luis Potosí in Mexico ranks top for cost effectiveness, while Charlotte, North Carolina, ranks top for FDI strategy according to the judging panel.

Read the entire article here .

Detroit News blog making a difference in neighborhood

Tue, 30 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

A Detroit News writer and online news editor Michael Happy blogs about the City Airport neighborhood where he grew up and how it's helping change the area.

Excerpt:

But over the past almost two years, the Going Home blog has pumped new life into the neighborhood by connecting and energizing hundreds of former black and white residents. It also has helped heal racial tensions and build bridges between the city and the suburbs.

The blog is an example of how news organizations can use social media to build community, empower citizens and bring journalists closer to their sources. As with any blog, Going Home connects people who have common interests. Ordinary folks air their opinions and influence news coverage by contributing comments and writing for the blog, as well as talking to Happy. For the News, the popular blog attracts online readers, boosting page views and ad revenue.

Read the entire article here .

Tweet of the Week: MonCon, MJ and a heat wave

Tue, 30 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

There was a lot of stuff going on last week, and so it followed that there would be a lot of tweeting.

Monica Conyers' admission of guilt in the Synagro Sludge scandal caused a lot of chirping. The best of which comes courtesy of @rumblestrip:

Well MonCon we did pray for you, and our prayers were answered!! Enjoy that orange jump suit!!

Instead of shame, Conyers' guilty plea seemed to make a lot of tweeters optimistic.

@DougZuba: Yes Sir....last piece of trash to go...hopefully Detroit will be clean again...back to business not nonsense!!!

@Rpsawyer shared a similar sentiment: The detroit corruption MUST come to an end once and for all...I believe it can!

TinaMarie1155 summed up all these feelings in the week's best tweet about Detroit:

What can I say about Detroit, I do have hope.

So simple, so to the point, yet so true; if it's one thing Detroiters have in common, it's hope that the city will one day reclaim its greatness.

However, the week did take a more somber turn with the passing of music icon Michael Jackson. Many Detroiters offered their farewells to the "Gloved One", who got his start in the city.

@ Ramiere took the opportunity to reaffirm Jackson's royalty: The King of Pop is dead. Long live the king.

@ DonnieCash found that the weather paralleled the emotion felt throughout the city:
it is raining in Detroit right now...Tears Falling For Michael Jackson...R.I.P.

Though the heat may have been oppressive, it proved beneficial to green thumbs, like @ Rhertz: My vegetable garden is loving all this heat!

But our winner? The heat caused @Missive to start some job creation: I think I need a production assistant. Detroit film students who know how to get me a cold lemonade, STAT, please apply.

Anything that'll get those kids working is worth supporting, in our book. But are they paid by the hour or paid to scale?

Until next time, check out Model D's updates on Twitter; keep readin' and tweetin'.

Grocery store may fill empty Borders location

Tue, 30 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The Eastern Market Corp. may fill the empty Borders location in the Compuware Building with a grocery store.

Excerpt:

Downtown Detroit workers and residents may soon have a new place to shop for fresh groceries in the heart of downtown.

The Eastern Market Corp., the nonprofit entity that operates the city-owned Eastern Market, is exploring the idea of opening a small grocery store offering fresh fruits and vegetables and prepared foods in the space previously occupied by a Borders Books in the Compuware Building.

Dan Carmody, president of the Eastern Market Corp., said a decision will be made by mid-July or so whether to go ahead with the plan.

Read the entire article here .

Bloggers look at social innovation and urban farming in Detroit

Tue, 30 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The two students from the Grinnell Detroit Social Innovation Project blog a bit about Detroit's urban farming and social innovation.

Excerpt:

Many suggest that the best way that Detroiters can access healthier foods, live healthier lives, and reduce the number of vacant buildings is through urban farming.

Since coming to Detroit, I have learned to some degree what urban farming entails.

In its simplest definition, it is growing and harvesting crops in an urban community. However, urban agriculture includes much more than this basic definition. It allows for job creation, access to fresh and healthy foods, beautification of the city, and a greener environment.

Read the entire article here .

The political spirit of Detroit seems to be shifting

Tue, 30 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Detroit's political atmosphere is on a shift.

Excerpt:

There is a different atmosphere in Detroit these days, a city that not long ago seemed to be on another planet. Four years ago, the city was led by a "hip-hop" mayor famous for extravagant living, wild parties, and behaviour so outrageous that one out-of-town police force said it would no longer take responsibility for protecting him.

Today, there is a new spirit of something like sobriety. After Kwame Kilpatrick went off to prison in October, there seemed to be a collective sign of relief. Suddenly, Detroiters seemed to want sane, competent, grown-up leadership. Dave Bing, a sports hero turned successful businessman, was elected to replace Kilpatrick.

When he won a special election in May, most of the other major candidates bowed out of challenging the new mayor for the full four-year term that will be decided this November.

Read the entire article here
.

DPS student's portrait of President Barack Obama gets her to D.C. for a second time

Tue, 30 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Detroit Public School student Tangela Frazier gets a second trip to Washington D.C. because of the portrait of President Barack Obama she painted.

Excerpt:

A Detroit student's portrait of President Barack Obama has earned her a second trip to Washington, D.C.

The Detroit Public Schools district says Tangela Frazier's portrait is a winner in the 2009 Congressional Artistic Discovery Competition. The 17-year-old Pershing High School 11th grader and other winners will spend Wednesday in Washington.

Their work will be judged again at a reception, with the winner receiving a scholarship to the Savannah College of Art and Design in Georgia.

Read the entire article here .

The bottom-up process is the key to renewal, revival, Richard Florida says

Tue, 23 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Richard Florida is that creative class guy. Some agree with him, some don't. Wherever you fall on Florida, he does make some good points in his piece in the Atlantic that Detroit should pay attention to.

Excerpt:

The most successful shrinking strategies, like Pittsburgh's, are not top-down affairs driven by all-knowing governments, but organic, bottom-up, community-based efforts. While Pittsburgh government and business leadership pressed for large-scale urban renewal - stadium-building, convention centers, and more far-fetched schemes for local mag-lev trains - its real turnaround was driven by organic, bottom-up initiatives. Community groups, local foundations, and non-profits - not city hall or business-led economic development groups - were the driving forces behind neighborhood stabilization and redevelopment, university-based economic development, water-front revitalization, park improvements, and green building among others. This kind of bottom-up process takes considerable time and perseverance. In Pittsburgh's case, it took the better part of a generation to achieve stability and the potential for longer-term revival.

All of which brings us back to a big question: What about people versus place strategies? I agree with Glaeser: people must be the priority. Especially in tough economic times, public investment should flow toward people. Early childhood investments, as James Heckman has shown, are the most important, longest-running and highest-paying investments we make.

Read the entire article here .

Hamtramck ice cream trucks are like snowflakes, no two are alike

Tue, 23 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The Hamtramck ice cream trucks are just one of the many reasons this 2.2 square-mile city is such an interesting little place.

Excerpt:

But that hardly matters, because it's so delightful to listen to "Do Your Ears Hang Low?" again and again that such trifles as needing to pull one's car out would hardly matter. Besides, you get a better look at the truck, appreciating its hand-painted charm. No two are alike, and there are even a few old New York City-area Mr. Softee trucks in the fleet, all creatively decorated and patched up like it's Havana. Watch long enough, and you may even see an unusual ice cream motorcycle putter along â complete with sidecar and rear-mounted freezer case. You'll certainly be tempted to snap a photo or record the delicate warble of the prerecorded ditty, if you can hear it clearly. Sometimes it will be drowned out by motor noise, as all of the trucks seem to use the very latest in loud-engine technology to keep the ice cream cool.

Once the vehicle stops, the driver and the excited young children begin their gentle negotiations. You might worry that the driver will cut off the music or switch the coolers over to battery power for a couple minutes, but, thankfully, he's sure to keep everything running, not wanting to spoil anybody's pleasure. Over the din, you'll often hear at least one of the children ask, "Hey, you won't make a deal?" over and over again before the calorie-jitney finally buzzes off.

Read the entire article here .

Artist Village on Detroit's Northwest side offering summer programs

Tue, 23 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

On the Northwest side of Detroit a neighborhood organization called Artist Village is promoting and supporting art education. They are now offering summer programs for kids.

Excerpt:

Artist Village is a multi-faceted organization that supports art education for local youth. The Village offers summer art programs for children ages 8-18 looking to grow creatively and expand their knowledge of the arts. The summer art programs include writing, poetry, graphic arts, etiquette and arts & crafts. The course offerings begin in July and are 6 to 8 weeks in duration.

Alicia Marion is the general manager of Artist Village. Alicia passionately and tirelessly shares her efforts to help impact those who come to Artist Village. âThe energy and the magic that is here comes from teachers, poets, artists and all the people who are a part of Artist Village,â she said.

Read the entire article here .

Tweet of the Week: Boats and dinosaurs... sorta

Tue, 23 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

We'll start our list of the week's best Detroit-centric tweet with first-place winner @onslowlovesme, who wowed us with this awesome little cryptic bit: "Detroitosaurus wrecks"

Not sure exactly what you meant, but something about it sounds just right.

On to the runners up:

@JViniece: In recovery mode. Relay for Life detroit was a success. Over $71,000 raised. I stayed up the entire night. It was really great!

We're hard pressed to find a better reason to stay up all night than to raise $71,000 to fight cancer. Congratulations and thanks to all Detroiters who participated in this wonderful charity event.

@JMoneyRed: Detroiters : we have hella fresh lettuce grown @ TheYesFarm on E Farnsworth St 2 give-away ASAP! Hit me!

Free veggies! We can't argue with that.

@cassetto: First row of the season at the DETROIT boat club! A-ma-zing!

That's awesome! Was T-Pain there? Any chance we can get ON A BOAT with you?

@Newwaycorktown: extremely excited about the Roosevelt Park revitalization. This was one of our first targets upon moving to Corktown!!!

We're excited about this too, and looking forward to hearing more about all of the ways Detroiter's are making the city's summer more beautiful. Keep us posted!

Keep reading. Keep tweeting. And follow us on Twitter here.

NY Post does lengthy piece on Michigan, Detroit, pizza

Tue, 23 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

New York Post writer devotes six Internet pages to Michigan, Detroit, and the city's pizzerias.

Excerpt:

It has now been nearly ten years since I first laid eyes on Detroit, and the one thing I learned almost immediately is that you never know who you are going to meet, where you are going to meet them, how it's all going to play out and how many other people you will be introduced to before the day is over. In other words, don't make a lot of plans.

Detroiters, quite simply, are people people. No visitor ever need be a stranger here, unless they want it that way. Stick around and, pretty quickly, you'll be longing for the day when you could just sneak around without being recognized.

Most of the time, you don't even need introductions -- simply showing up makes you part of the gang. Everyone wants to know how you got there. At times, you feel like you're in a small town in Japan, except there are fewer schoolgirls pointing at you and giggling.

Read the entire article here .

Movie News: Val Kilmer's in town, reality show on Belle Isle, comedy legend Garret Morris

Tue, 23 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Detroit's been in front of the camera lately with multiple film projects under way in the city.

Excerpt:

A new mobster flick staring Val Kilmer and Christopher Walken is filming in Detroit for the next several weeks. "The Irishman" will be released in 2010 and takes place in Cleveland, but will be shot entirely in the Motor City. They even shot what are likely some of the last moving pictures of Tiger Stadium.

Read the entire article here .

Excerpt:

The 72-year-old comic is in Detroit filming the comedy "Pawn Shop," in which he plays a pawnshop owner whose son, played by WJLB-FM (97.9) radio personality Robert "Foolish" Spearman Jr., acquires a gangster's (Joe Torry) gold chain. Rounding out the cast is Detroit native London "Deelishis" Charles, winner of VH1's "Flavor of Love 2."

While waiting Wednesday night for the film crew to turn a Detroit auto glass and trim shop on Schoolcraft Road into a pawnshop, Morris took some time to reflect.

Read the entire article here.

Excerpt:

Filming of ABCâs reality series âCrash Courseâ is scheduled June 30-July 12 on Belle Isle.

The production crew for the series will set up on the islandâs large concrete paddock.

Read the entire article here .

Solar, hydrogen powered train through Detroit may be crazy but why not, says infrastructure blog

Tue, 23 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The Detroit MagLev train, powered by solar and hydrogen technologies, would connect Lansing, Detroit, and Ann Arbor. The Infrastructurist, an American infrastructure blog, says that on one hand it's a bit of a crazy idea, but on the other, why not.

Excerpt:

On one hand, itâs a solar- and hydrogen-powered levitating pod train being built to a half empty city. On the other handâ¦ well, who isnât rooting for stuff to happen Michigan at this point. If they can get someone to cough up $2.3 billion for this mad contraption, more power to them.

People do seem to be treating the proposalâwhich would link Lansing, Detroit, and Ann Arborâwith some degree of seriousness though. The company behind it claims they have enough loot to build a prototype by next year and that if the state will grant easements for the tracks alongside three highway routes, then they can secure the rest of the funding. The plan apparently is to get it done with private capital (as the proposed Desert Xpress linking Vegas to West Coast meth capital Victorville would do).

Read the entire article here .

Toronto web site talks Detroit's return to light rail

Tue, 23 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Detroit's continued push toward light rapid transit seems to be in step with the mindset of the nation. Could a kind of streetcar renaissance begin right here in Detroit?

Excerpt:

The proposed site for the light rail line along Woodward Avenue was actually the route of Detroitâs last streetcar, which was removed in 1956 only to be replaced by diesel buses. That ended 93 years of streetcar service that at one point was operating over 2,800 vehicles.

Detroit transit hit its peak annual ridership of 492 million rides in 1945. Sixty-five years later, that number is now reduced to less than one hundred million. In this context, Detroitâs renewed interest in rail-based public transportation follows a nationwide trend that is emblematic of what one American blogger has called âAmericaâs Streetcar Renaissance.â

Read the entire article here.

Realtyme Productions opens up production studio, art gallery in southwest

Tue, 30 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Realtyme Productions was more of a nomadic firm before finding its home in 25,000 square feet on Fort Street in southwest Detroit.

The 6-year-old company is opening a film production studio in the second floor of 1915 Fort St.'s five stories. It's also opening an art gallery in the front of that space. The two spaces are meant to complement each other's creative sides.

"The film industry is taking off here so we're going to throw our hat in the ring," says Kenneth Eaddy, director and CEO of Realtyme Productions, which is a division of Abundant Harvest Holdings.

The company got its start producing music popular in urban areas, such as gospel, R&B and hip hop. One job led to another and the next thing Realtyme Productions knew it was employing 50 people and producing everything from music to film. It plans to use its new space for productions of everything from music videos to low-budget films.

It hopes to one day buy the building its renting space in and continue to hire to accommodate its steady growth.

Source: Kenneth Eaddy, director and CEO of Realtyme Productions
Writer: Jon Zemke

Michigan invests $14.5 million into Detroitâs Peninsula Capital Partners

Tue, 30 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Michigan's 21st Century Investment Fund just sent out $35.5 million in investment to some large mezzanine funds with the largest chunk coming to a Detroit firm.

Downtown-based Peninsula Capital Partners took in $14.5 million from the fund. The firm focuses on unconventional transactions, such as growth capital and strategic acquisitions.

Peninsula Capital Partners is the state's biggest mezzanine fund and the only Michigan-headquartered firm to receive cash from Michigan's 21st Century Investment Fund. The other two companies that received money last week have decided to open offices in Michigan in places like Ann Arbor.

The 21st Century Investment Fund is part of the 21st Century Jobs Fund. The initiative is working to invest $2 billion over a decade to help diversify the stateâs economy and grow jobs.

Source: State of Michigan
Writer: Jon Zemke

Fast Company: James Canning of Canning Communications

Tue, 30 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Detroiters may know James Canning from his days as mayoral spokesman for Kwame Kilpatrick, but it's starting to discover James Canning, entrepreneur.

The Warrendale resident started Canning Communications last year and worked for a number of recognizable organizations in the city, such as Vision IT and Paxahau, as an independent consultant.

The 29-year-old Detroit native and Wayne State University graduate regularly works with a team of graphic designers, web designers, writers, editors and event planners. Canning hopes to hire a part-time employee next year and is in ongoing discussions with another Metro Detroit communications and event planning company about forming a collaborative partnership.

Describe your business in two sentences or less?
Canning Communications is a full-service communications firm that specializes in media relations, event planning and management, crisis communications, government relations, community and social media outreach. We develop specialized communications strategies to help our clients share their story with targeted stakeholders.

Why did you decide to set up shop in Detroit?
I am a Detroiter through and through. I have lived in the city limits my entire life. While in high school I realized my passion for Detroit. Ever since then I have taken a career path and community involvement route that have been focused on making a positive impact on the city, which made it an even easier decision for me to start my business here.

It is important for me to work on things and for people that are contributing to the greater good of the city. I believe by having Canning Communications located in the city, I will be able to connect with like-minded people and organizations that need assistance communicating their story to the residents of our community.

What are some of the advantages to doing business here?
Access to existing leadership. Decision makers in Detroit are always willing to listen to your idea; especially if it fills a void in the community.

Detroit has a great entrepreneur support network. Entrepreneurs here are always willing to help each other out because they understand they need one another to become successful. And the city is ripe for new ideas, products and services.

What do you see in Detroit that other people who live outside the city don't?
If you strip away Detroitâs poor public image and the rough exterior of its landscape to take a close look at those who live in its neighborhoods, you will find good people. That is why I choose to stay in the city.

What advice would you give to someone who was thinking about opening a business in Detroit?
Get to understand the Detroit community. If you prove to have a genuine interest in Detroit stakeholders; then the community will embrace your organization and it will become successful.

If you could change one thing about Detroit, what would it be?
If I had a magic wand to wave over the city, I would change the negative attitude that exists in our community.

Here are two attitudes I would want people who live and work here to adopt:

1. Acknowledge the problems and work to address them, but don't dwell on them.
2. News stories such as the changes in the auto industry and recent developments with our elected officials dominate the headlines, but they don't define the people.

If everyone in our community thought this way, I believe it would help to change the way we portray ourselves and our city to others.

Source: James Canning, founder of Canning Communications
Writer: Jon Zemke

Hamtramck welcomes new newspaper with Review

Tue, 30 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

It didn't take long for an entrepreneur to step up to fill the void left by the closure of The Citizen newspaper in Hamtramck. The newspaper had been one of the longest-running publications in the state, launching in 1934 and shutting down this spring.

Mike Wilcox, a former publisher of the The Citizen, has started The Hamtramck Review. It looks a lot like The Citizen on the surface, focusing almost entirely on local news and advertising.

He believes his newspaper will succeed because his team of five employees and a couple of interns will help bring in more revenue through advertising.

"I think I know how to make a newspaper work, even a printed paper," Wilcox says. "I still believe the Hamtramck community is very viable."

Source: Mike Wilcox, publisher of The Hamtramck Review
Writer: Jon Zemke

WSU forms partnership with Michigan Technology & Research Institute

Tue, 23 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Wayne State University is partnering with the Michigan Technology & Research Institute to create a drug-development company focused on a key molecule that could help treat depression and possibly other ailments.

The Ann Arbor-based institute is taking advantage of research developed by Dr. Aloke Dutta , a professor of pharmaceutical sciences at Wayne State's College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences. The idea is to help create drugs and therapies that can combat ailments like depression and more, such as obesity and neuropathic pain.

"It can be used in a number of ways," Dutta says. "We still don't know the full potential of this molecule."

He points out that current treatments for depression donât address dopamine component and how it targets relevant parts of the brain. His recently-discovered polyfunctional molecules interact simultaneously with norepinephrine, serotonin and dopamine systems in the brain and exhibit activity in animal models that indicate antidepressant activity.

He expects it will take 6-8 years of research and clinical trails to bring the molecule to commercialization and FDA approval.

Source: Aloke Dutta, professor of pharmaceutical sciences at Wayne State University
Writer: Jon Zemke

'Pawn Shop' sets up movie set in Detroit, creates 50 jobs

Tue, 23 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Not all of the movies being shot in Detroit are big-budget productions that employ everyone and their cousin. Smaller productions are also having a significant impact, such as "Pawn Shop."

The movie is bringing in some recognizable Hollywood talent while employing dozens of people and giving some up-and-coming Detroit talent a place to shine. The independent movie has a budget of $525,000 and is employing about 50 people.

"Detroit is a good backdrop city for urban films," says Parrish Redd, co-writer, co-producer and director of "Pawn Shop." "There is a lot of landscapes and talent."

"Pawn Shop" is bringing in nationally-known talents, such as Garret Morris (member of the original "Saturday Night Live" cast) and Joe Torry ("Poetic Justice" and "Russell Simmon's Def Comedy Jam"). Itâs also shining the spotlight on some well-known local talent, like Robert "Foolish" Spearman Jr. (WJLB 97.9 FM radio personality) and Chandra "Deelishis" Davis (Flavor of Love 2).

The budget for "Pawn Shop" is $525,000. It is being funded by Paris Deior Studios of West Bloomfield and a group of private investors. When filming is done 50 people will have been employed during the 15-day shoot, including local actors; caterers; hair stylists; interns; acting coaches; security personal and crew members. The majority of the "Pawn Shop" budget has been spent locally.

"This feature film is giving a lot of local talent an opportunity to expand on their careers," Redd says.

Source: Parrish Redd, co-writer, co-producer and director of "Pawn Shop"
Writer: Jon Zemke

Russell continues growth, now houses 285 businesses

Tue, 23 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Small businesses continue to flock to the Russell Industrial Center and Bazaar, making the old Rustbelt factory turned creative enclave arguably the most successful business incubator in Michigan.

Today more than 285 fledgling firms call the structure home. Six new tenants joined the complex in May, including a photographer, artist and lighting company. So far another four have signed up for space in June, including a web and graphic design firms.

The Russell Bazaar, a flea-market-style retail center, continues to attract more clients, too. Occupied by independent retailers, the Bazaar's tenants range from clothing makers to computer repair shops. With 125 businesses, it is now 70 percent full and continues to grow.

"We're seeing people coming in asking for more square footage," says Eric Novak, the Russell Industrial Center's leasing agent, adding that recent square footage requests he has seen have started at 10,000 square feet and up.

The Russell Industrial Center is a circa-1915 factory sprawling over several levels, wings and acres on the northeast corner of I-75 and I-94. It originally made chassis for the Murray Body Company and wings for B-29 bombers during World War II. It had shrunk to about 10 businesses and artists when Boydell Development Co. (the Nikki's Pizza folks) took it over in 2003.

Boydell decided to continue to rent out 600-1,000-square-foot spaces to artists and small business at rock-bottom prices instead of going after quickly vanishing industrial tenants. Now large, growing sections of the factory are occupied by these artists in a beehive of eclecticism and creativity allowed to flourish with low costs and a few, basic rules of respecting the building and each other.

Source: Eric Novack, leasing agent for the Russell Industrial Center
Writer: Jon Zemke

Alt energy investment could mean 23,880 jobs in Detroit, study says

Tue, 23 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Two new reports show that green jobs could be the employment wave of the future in Michigan, and they're touting big numbers to support this claim.

These reports show that a $2.3 billion investment in alternative energy in Detroit would create 23,880 jobs. A similar investment of $4.8 billion in the state of Michigan would create 54,000 jobs. Those jobs would range from high-tech research positions to manufacturing jobs.

"That goes all the way to manufacturing the batteries of hybrid cars to making windmill parts and installing solar panels," says Roshani Dantas, a spokeswoman for the Detroiters Working for Environmental Justice .

Those are the easy to name green jobs, but there are others that aren't so obvious. These positions include weatherizing homes to make them more energy efficient. Such jobs not only create the economic opportunity of new income but also help create energy cost savings that free up more money in the economy.

The reports were prepared by the Political Economy Research Institute at the University of Massachusetts, Center for American Progress , Green For All and the Natural Resources Defense Council .

Source: Roshani Dantas, spokeswoman for the Detroiters Working for Environmental Justice
Writer: Jon Zemke

Green Space: Food Med conference hits Detroit June 30

Tue, 23 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Ann Arbor's Ecology Center is hosting a conference in Detroit that will tackle the role that health care can play in supporting sustainable agriculture, showing how health can be improved by increasing the consumption of local, good-for-you food. FoodMed's goal is to help hospitals purchase more local, sustainable food which will, in turn, support the development of local, sustainable agriculture and food processing in the state.

Presentations will be geared towards healthcare providers, dieticians, food service directors, food procurement and distribution professionals and others interested in healthy food. There are two keynote speakers: Dr. Preston Maring, MD, associate physician-in-chief at the Kaiser Permanente Medical Center in Oakland, California and Tyrone Hayes, PhD, professor of developmental endocrinology at the University of California, Berkeley.

Preston started a farmers' market in his hospital for the benefit of staff, members, visitors and the community and Hayes is renowned for his groundbreaking work on the herbicide atrazine 's effects on frogs and the implications for human health.

Breakout sessions will focus on obesity, sustainable meat food waste management, farmers markets and onsite gardens, understanding food certification ecolabels, seasonal menu planning and local procurement.

The conference is being held at MGM Grand June 30 to July 1. For more information, visit FoodMed.org.

Source: Ecology Center
Writer: Kelli B. Kavanaugh

Young people tune in to last week's National Summit

Tue, 23 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The gray hairs weren't the only people talking economics at the National Summit in Detroit last week.

Excerpt:

Detroit -- It wasn't Alex Zelinski's idea to attend the National Summit, a gathering of leaders from across the country to set an agenda for America's future.

The senior at Brother Rice High School said his parents thought it would be a good for him to go. But after a day of speeches, the 16-year-old Rochester resident said he was impressed and glad he went.

"It's a privilege to listen to all these successful business people and what they think about the economic times," Zelinski said. "It's inspiring."

Read the rest of The Detroit News story here .

Contemporary architecture, entrepreneur meetings focus on urbanism, biz opportunities

Tue, 23 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Business opportunities big and small will be the topic of discussions this week, ranging from macro visions of urbanism to micro loans for small companies.

Downtown-based Hamilton Anderson Associates will host the first of a series of lectures this Tuesday evening called lecturesHAA. Hamtramck-based Design 99 designers Gina Reichert and Mitch Cope will talk about contemporary architecture, its impact and audience. Design 99 has worked on projects such as the Power House and MOCADâs Shrinking Cities Exhibit .

The lecture series is focused on establishing a dialogue about issues that impact big cities, such as urbanism, sustainability and innovation. The idea is to create strategies around these issues that spur reinvestment and redevelopment.

âItâs a tool to open up some dialogue,â says Christina Hansen, designer with Hamilton Anderson .

The first lecture will be held at 6 p.m., Tuesday, June 23, in the Johanson Charles Gallery, 1345 Division St. in Eastern Market.

Later this week the Center for Empowerment and Economic Development will host an Entrepreneurâs Roundtable for Contractors on Thursday. The roundtable will feature information on financing, resources and business opportunities. It will be held between 8:30 a.m. and noon at the Odd Fellows Hall, 8701 W. Vernor St. in Mexicantown. For information, call (313) 255-1020.

Source: Christina Hansen, designer with Hamilton Anderson and Center for Empowerment and Economic Development
Writer: Jon Zemke

Fast company: Michael Beauregard of Huron Capital Partners in Downtown Detroit

Tue, 16 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Detroit-Pittsburgh connections go beyond hockey. For Michael Beauregard, a partner of Huron Capital Partners, the connections are personal and professional.

He has degrees from the universities of Michigan and Pittsburgh. And the 44-year-old's downtown Detroit-based firm also has an office in Pittsburgh.

Huron Capital Partners employs 14 people and two interns who oversee 20 businesses with combined revenues of $500 million that employ more than 2,200 people. Huron Capital Partners has invested in 42 businesses since it opened in 1999.

Describe your business in two sentences or less?
Huron Capital is a leading private equity firm investing in control equity positions in manufacturing and service businesses in the U.S. and Canada. The firm invests equity to lead management buyouts, corporate spin-offs, recapitalizations, family successions and buy-and-build strategies of well-positioned companies having revenues between $20 million and $200 million.

Why did you decide to set up shop in Detroit?
Michigan, in general, has a large density of middle-market service and manufacturing businesses. At the time of our founding in 1999, there were very few equity capital resources that entrepreneurs could turn to for investment capital to grow organically or through add-on acquisitions to their businesses. We continue to be a unique capital resource for these business owners.

What are some of the advantages to doing business here?
With $600 million in equity capital under management, Huron is the largest private equity firm based in Detroit. We are able to be more responsive to the needs of local business owners seeking growth capital than other capital sources on the coasts.

What do you see in Detroit that other people who live outside the city don't?
In the 10 years that we have had our headquarters in Detroit (in 3 different buildings), we have seen the city invest significantly in the Woodward and Washington street corridors in tandem with the new stadiums, theaters and corporate headquarters. The profile of the city and the amenities it offers to businesses today are significantly improved in their scope and appeal than in the prior decade. Whether you are hosting a board meeting or dinner at The Whitney or hosting a small group at the Detroit Breakfast House & Grill, there are several venues that will have your guests leaving with a freshened view of Detroit's unique style.

What advice would you give to someone who was thinking about opening a business in the Motor City?
Be sure to research and focus on the demand drivers for products and services that are scalable and which can leverage the necessary investment in fixed assets to serve regions inside and outside of Michigan from a central location here in Detroit.

If you could change one thing about Detroit, what would it be?
Detroit, and Southeast Michigan in general, needs to recover from the contraction in the demand for light vehicles in the U.S. and hedge the impact from any recurrence of such a profound economic issue. This balance can occur by advancing the strengths of our region's educational and health care research foundations, much like Pittsburgh did as it recovered from the contraction in the U.S. steel industry.

Source: Michael Beauregard, partner of Huron Capital Partners
Writer: Jon Zemke

U-D Mercy Robotics Team brings home the big hardware

Tue, 16 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The University of Detroit Mercy Robotics Team's win at the Intelligent Ground Vehicle Competition could have bigger potential implications than bragging rights over the likes of Princeton, Georgia Tech and Cornell.

The types of robots competing at the event in Rochester earlier this month are used in developing a variety of technologies in everything from military to prosthetics. This is the fourth time U-D Mercy's team has placed, and the second time it took the top prize. This year 50 teams from 43 schools from across North America competed.

"It's nice to show what kind of talent we have in Detroit," says Mark Paulik, a professor of electrical engineering at the University of Detroit-Mercy.

The competition consists of autonomous robots that the students design, create and operate. The idea is to get these "intelligent vehicles" to do simple tasks. Think the Mars Rover.

Today the military is developing these sorts of autonomous vehicles for a number of tasks, including detection and removal of IEDs in war zones like Iraq. They are also used in search-and-rescue situations. Companies that develop prosthetics take advantage of the technology, too, to improve mobility of their products.

Source: Mark Paulik, a professor of electrical engineering at the University of Detroit-Mercy
Writer: Jon Zemke

Nextek adds 6 employees at TechTown office, expects to hire more

Tue, 16 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Sustainability has become a cornerstone for TechTown's Nextek Power Systems, allowing the company to hire six people at the business incubator this year.

Nextek Power Systems specializes in developing DC (direct current) power systems for commercial buildings. The New York-based company opened up its TechTown-based office so it could be closer to the region's automotive supplier base and its voracious appetite for energy.

"There has been an increased interest in higher energy efficiency and renewable energy," says Paul Savage, CEO of Nextek Power Systems .

That increased interest in turning sustainability into profitability has allowed the firm to expand its presence in Detroit. Of the company's 15 employees, 10 of them are in TechTown . It hopes to add a few more to its Detroit presence within the next year as the company consolidates and continues its growth.

Source: Paul Savage, CEO of Nextek Power Systems
Writer: Jon Zemke

National Summit bringing together CEOs, media in Detroit

Tue, 16 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Some of the elite of the business world are converging in downtown this week to talk economics. Of course that means there is a gaggle of reporters downtown covering the National Summit.

According to Crain's Detroit Business, more than 250 media credentials have been give out to follow meetings, to be attended by Citigroup Inc. CEO Vikram Pandit, Microsoft Corp. CEO Steve Ballmer, Ford Motor Co. Executive Chairman William Clay Ford Jr. and U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gary Locke.

Here are some links to help follow the coverage:

Crain's Detroit Business here.
Detroit Free Press has a live blog here.
The Detroit News here and here.
Great Lakes IT Report here.

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DPS student's portrait of President Barack Obama gets her to D.C. for a second time

The bottom-up process is the key to renewal, revival, Richard Florida says

Hamtramck ice cream trucks are like snowflakes, no two are alike

Artist Village on Detroit's Northwest side offering summer programs

Tweet of the Week: Boats and dinosaurs... sorta

NY Post does lengthy piece on Michigan, Detroit, pizza

Movie News: Val Kilmer's in town, reality show on Belle Isle, comedy legend Garret Morris

Solar, hydrogen powered train through Detroit may be crazy but why not, says infrastructure blog

Toronto web site talks Detroit's return to light rail

Realtyme Productions opens up production studio, art gallery in southwest

Michigan invests $14.5 million into Detroitâs Peninsula Capital Partners

Fast Company: James Canning of Canning Communications

Hamtramck welcomes new newspaper with Review

WSU forms partnership with Michigan Technology & Research Institute

'Pawn Shop' sets up movie set in Detroit, creates 50 jobs

Russell continues growth, now houses 285 businesses

Alt energy investment could mean 23,880 jobs in Detroit, study says

Green Space: Food Med conference hits Detroit June 30

Young people tune in to last week's National Summit

Contemporary architecture, entrepreneur meetings focus on urbanism, biz opportunities

Fast company: Michael Beauregard of Huron Capital Partners in Downtown Detroit

U-D Mercy Robotics Team brings home the big hardware

Nextek adds 6 employees at TechTown office, expects to hire more

National Summit bringing together CEOs, media in Detroit

Michigan invests $14.5 million into Detroitâs Peninsula Capital Partners