Today we are on location at Jabal Coffee House on Mason Street in West Dearborn to kick off Dearborn Coffee Week!

Norris, and Devon join me around the table to taste-test Yemeni lattes, Sanani coffee, and tasty cakes while talking about what to know and where to go in Metro Detroit. Topics:

Dearborn Coffee Capital: How coffee shops have officially taken over as Metro Detroit's third space, the rapid rise of Yemeni coffee culture, and why local shops are expanding nationally.

A $30 Million High-Rise Repair Bill: Routine facade work on Detroit's historic Water Board Building revealed serious structural issues. We debate the best future for this iconic 23-story tower.

Expanding the People Mover: A new mobility study lays out three potential routes to expand the transit loop to Corktown, the Riverfront, and Eastern Market. What do you think?

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Got feedback or story tips? Email us at dailydetroit@gmail.com or leave a voicemail at 313-789-3211.

What do you do with millions of square feet of concrete and glass when the world it was built for no longer exists?

Built in the 1970s as a corporate fortress to keep the city out, the Renaissance Center in Detroit stands today as a monument to a mid-century urban planning thesis that has completely collapsed.

RenCen office occupancy sits under 10%, construction costs are up 55% over the last decade, and downtown real estate demands an entirely new model.

My guests are Jennifer Stallings Dewey, the Senior Counsel, Community Engagement at General Motors; and Jake Chidester, Vice President of Strategic Initiatives at Bedrock.

In this episode, we dive into the multi-billion-dollar proposal by General Motors and Bedrock to demolish two 39-story towers, tear down the concrete podium, and turn an isolated corporate island into a connected, walkable riverfront district.

We answer a ton of listener questions, as well.

The process is ongoing for community feedback.

Here's a calendar of events at their East Riverfront Community Hub: https://detroit-riverfront.bedrockdetroit.com/events

And here is a link to the project survey: https://detroit-riverfront.bedrockdetroit.com/survey

If you don't already, be sure to follow Daily Detroit in Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocket Casts, or wherever you listen to shows.

What do you think? Let me know, dailydetroit@gmail.com or 313-789-3211.

Thanks for your support on Patreon! That's how we're able to fund this independent work.

Full Conversation Transcription

This was lightly edited for posting. Please refer to the original audio before quoting.

Jer Staes: Joining me at the studio at TechTown for a very special conversation is a pair of guests. To my left, Jennifer Stallings Dewey, Senior Counsel, Community Engagement at General Motors. Welcome to Daily Detroit.

Jennifer Stallings Dewey: Hi, good afternoon.

Jer Staes: Absolutely. And Jake Chidester, Vice President of Strategic Initiatives over at Bedrock. Welcome.

Jake Chidester: Thank you for having me.

Jer Staes: And I'm guessing, probably because if you've tapped on this podcast episode, I'm guessing you know what we're about to talk about, which is the massive Renaissance Center project, which I think will be possibly one of the most transformative in the city's history. I've taken a number of questions from our listeners over the last month or so, and I have some of my own. But before we get into all of that, I want to talk to both of you, kind of meet you a little bit, and talk about your backgrounds. Not only your backgrounds, but how did you come to work with the project? Jennifer, why don't we start with you?

Jennifer: I'm an attorney, a transactional attorney who's done a lot of work in policy, economic development, and things like that. I started working at GM about six years ago doing just that—working with our dealers, in issues within the dealer network, and have more and more gotten involved with policy, economic development, and now community engagement efforts for GM.

Jer: I can imagine that dealing with dealers is a very wide level of stakeholders there. They all kind of have their own, just from my own experience covering automotive, they all have their own projects and things that they're working on.

Jennifer: Exactly, you're always balancing a lot of different interests, and there's a lot of commonality in the work that happens between GM and its different partners.

Jer: And Jake, how about you?

Jake: My background is in architecture, design, and urban planning, actually. I've had the opportunity to work for a few different firms here in Detroit, really since 2006, which is when I moved to the city. I joined Bedrock in 2015, initially to help guide our in-house design, architecture, and planning teams. I had the opportunity to work on our fantastic adaptive reuse portfolio at that time: the Book Building, the David Stott, the Free Press Building, as well as City Modern in Brush Park. I started working on the Renaissance Center and East Riverfront project with General Motors about two and a half years ago, when we saw a real opportunity to redevelop and reposition this.

Jer: For you in that work, since you've dealt with so many of these buildings that a lot of our listeners are very familiar with or in love with—whether it's the Book Tower, back in the early 2000s, all that kind of stuff—what is something that you feel like you've learned doing this work along the way over the last number of years?

Jake: I would say that place matters. Taking an historic project and repositioning it, but keeping the essential character, nature, and place of it, has real value—not only from a user experience and a Detroit history experience, but from a development standpoint as well. People sense authenticity, and they're drawn to these historic and adaptive reuse projects because of that hyper-local Detroit authenticity.

The History & Current State of the RenCen

Jer: Let's talk about the state of the project as it is today. General Motors, was it 1996 that you all have owned it since then? There's been a lot of story between then and now. A lot of people might not go to the RenCen every day. They might not see everything that's been there over time, or maybe they have some really great memories from high school or prom.

For me, I have always been around the RenCen; it's a place I remember all the way back to the movie theaters, my tailor was in there, that kind of stuff. But I also know that there's been a lot of change with the complex and the company over these last few years. So why don't we talk about how we got here? Because when I've talked to listeners, they'll ask, "How was it not full?" They drive by it, but they don't go to work at it. They see this building, they see the sign on top, and it kind of befuddles listeners. Where are we at, how did we get here, and what is the state of the building right now?

Jennifer: Not to go too far back in history, but the building was built in 1976 by Ford and a coalition of other business and community leaders. It was purchased by GM in 1996. In the 30 years that GM has owned the building, we've spent over a billion dollars in trying to make investments in the building to make it more accessible and usable for the city of Detroit. We took out that concrete berm that existed on Jefferson, we put in the Wintergarden, GM Plaza, and GM Fountain, which is sort of the beginning of this larger project. But over time, it's just become more and more clear that it's not a viable space in its current state. The way that everyone uses office space and commercial space has changed so much over the past few decades, and that's made the situation where occupancy is under 10%. It's just not viable in its current state, so we really had to say as owners, "What do we do so that we can still save the good parts of this building?"

Jer: So to be clear, there are a lot less GM employees working there for various reasons than there used to be, correct?

Jennifer: Like any company, our use of office space has changed over the last few years, but we've concentrated our footprint. We still have employees, and some really big, important functions for the company still exist in the city of Detroit. We've moved our headquarters to the new Hudson's building to a space that just has more flexibility and makes more sense for what we need as a company.

Jer: Over the years, I've seen the shift and how it had begun even before the pandemic in some ways.

Jennifer: Like you, I've spent a lot of time in the RenCen. I'm a native Detroiter, and as a kid, I would come down—my dad had a store in the Millender Center. I lived in those apartments when I started working downtown. We would go to the building, and it has just changed so much over the years.

Jake: From an historic perspective, the Renaissance Center was really facing financial trouble almost immediately after it opened. In 1982, which was six years after it opened, it was already facing insolvency. I think that's a little-known story there. The reason why is because from day one, it was overbuilt, it was on an island, and it was impossible to navigate. General Motors did a fantastic job trying to mitigate some of those baked-in design deficiencies, but ultimately, the original flaws of the Renaissance Center really could not be outrun. It just caught up to General Motors and it caught up to our market. What we have today is a building that, because it's an island, because it's inward-facing, because it is south of Jefferson, has really not experienced any of the benefit of the economic growth that the rest of downtown has seen. It was built as a city within a city in a very different time in Detroit's arc, and now because it's closed off, it has not been able to benefit from what Bedrock and our public partners have done around it on Woodward.

Vision for the Redevelopment

Jer: What's the plan on the table now? What does the vision now look like moving forward as you all see it?

Jake: This project really combines two big projects: the redevelopment and repositioning of the Renaissance Center, and the development of the East Riverfront. The Renaissance Center itself is a 5.3 million-square-foot building. The plan there is to keep what's working, take out what's not working, and add in what's missing.

Keeping what's working would be the hotel and hospitality. The hotel has been very successful there since it opened, and the plan is to keep the hotel as a centerpiece.

Removing what hasn't been working starts with the podium, which is that 1.5 million-square-foot labyrinthine base that is an entire city superblock, is difficult to navigate, and really is a physical and visual barrier between downtown and the riverfront. Getting rid of that podium allows us to open up the entire 12 acres that the complex sits on to be able to connect directly from downtown, through Jefferson, to the waterfront.

Then, the removal of two towers: Towers 300 and 400. Today, that's office. Across all four towers today, there's actually about 2.7 million square feet of office space, and there really is no trajectory in which we're going to be able to fill that with office—not just us as Bedrock, but us as the downtown market.

There's about 17 million square feet of vacant office space across the tri-county area, and last year Detroit leased up, net new, 30,000 square feet.

Jer: Wow, that's a stunning number.

Jake: By that logic, it would take almost 80 years to lease up the 2.7 million square feet of office at the Renaissance Center, assuming nothing else gets leased up across the entire 139 square miles of Detroit. By taking down those two towers, our position is that we can then create more open, highly programmable civic space adjacent to the waterfront.

The three towers that remain—the central tower plus Tower 100 and Tower 200: Tower 100 is converted into mixed-income multifamily (about 400 units), and Tower 200 stays as office. That's about 600,000 square feet of office, which is a lot, but we feel confident that over a 10-year time horizon we have a better chance of filling that than 2.7 million square feet. So: hotel, multifamily, office, civic space, and the whole thing is opened up to better connect the waterfront to downtown.

If you go east, there's about 30 acres of surface lots. You have the Riverwalk, which is continuous from one side of the site to the other, but once you go just past that Riverwalk easement, there are these surface lots that used to be used for General Motors parking a decade ago.

The plan is to transform that 30-plus acres of empty surface parking into a regional, family-friendly entertainment destination. What the Riverwalk is really demanding is commerce and active spaces. You step just outside that easement, and there is no density of family-friendly things to do outside of park space.

Jer: When I've visited other cities like Chicago, I love our Riverwalk, but when I think about activations, I realized we could have more opportunities for entrepreneurship, restaurants, rental things, or place-making. Our riverfront is wonderful, but what's that plus-one to get you to spend more time there?

Jake: Anything that we do here has to be an extension of the Riverwalk. From a user experience, at no point should it feel like you're stepping outside of the Riverwalk onto a Bedrock or GM development. It's all part of the entire district experience that needs to be curated, which will include food, beverage, entertainment, additional multifamily, as well as highly programmed, highly curated year-round civic space.

Jennifer: A place that's really uniquely Detroit, still.

Unpacking the Project Finances

Jer: Let's talk about the finances of this, because that's really what's caught a lot of people's eye. We're talking about an incentive package that has a lot of pieces in it, and it's important to unpack what it looks like and what it actually means. The public sees a summary headline and thinks, "Am I writing a check?" So I want to unpack what both of your organizations are putting in, what you're looking for, and what that would do.

Jake: General Motors is participating to the extent of $250 million.

Jennifer: Yes, as the current owner, we're investing so we will be involved going forward as well.

Jake: 75% of this project, which includes the Renaissance Center and River East, will be financed through Bedrock and General Motors. We have an incentive package on the table that accounts for the remainder of that, using three tools to get this job done.

Development in Detroit has a math problem where construction costs have been increasing by 55% over the past 10 years, but Detroit has the highest property tax of any major city in the U.S., and rents have not risen commensurately with construction costs. It costs as much to build here, pound for pound, as it does in Chicago, Atlanta, or Denver, but there's no channel to get the return on that because of stagnant rental rates on commercial real estate.

Even with incentives, the project is effectively a not-for-profit endeavor. This was presented by the DEGC during one of the community benefits meetings—that even with the incentive package, the cash-on-cash return for this development is 1%. That is less than inflation. When you adjust for IRR (Internal Rate of Return), the project effectively just makes enough money to keep the lights on.

Jer: As someone who runs a business, 1% almost gives me a different kind of fear, because if you're only making 1%, why do a 1% project?

Jake: For us, this is a public commitment and a civic investment. This is the next decade of the work that Bedrock and Dan Gilbert intend to take on in downtown Detroit. Over the last 15 years, Bedrock's focus has really been on the Woodward corridor—densifying it, rehabbing historic architecture, delivering Hudson's, and making sure every block is active and clean.

The next logical opportunity for us and our civic partners is the east-west corridor that is the riverfront. You have to start with the Renaissance Center. If we were to just look at the East Riverfront, it would still be separated from downtown by this massive icon that today is effectively vacant. Even though the returns don't make sense, the Renaissance Center is a critical gateway piece to connect downtown with the waterfront, and that's why we're committed to investing in this project at effectively a zero return.

Jennifer: GM just sees it as the right thing to do. This city has been our home to our headquarters for over 100 years. In the past decade, I believe we've invested over $150 million in charitable contributions. This is a place that we believe in, and this is the next stage of that. We're thinking of it more along the lines of a charitable endeavor than money-making, but it's the right thing to do. Reimagining it is a way to preserve the things that are so great about it and to give Detroit the riverfront that it deserves.

Jake: There are projected downstream economic benefits to the city, even if the developer at face value is not making a return. We believe the city will get a return on this project because it has the opportunity to be another front door to our city, a destination for Detroiters and visitors, and an opportunity to take advantage of our position on an international waterfront.

Exploring Alternative Options: Why Not Mothball? & Structural Challenges

Jer: One of the things listeners keep asking is: why not mothball it? Why not just wash the windows, lock the doors, and do something like that?

Jennifer: Uncertainty is really scary, and that feels too risky. We've seen so many properties sitting vacant in Detroit—who knows who would come or when they'd come, and that's just not a responsible move on our part.

Jake: We looked at every possible redevelopment scenario for the Renaissance Center with two general contractors and two architects. We looked to validate every possible approach:

Demolishing the whole thing: Not the right thing to do, so that's off the table.

Keeping all towers as office: Not viable given the vacancy and absorption numbers.

Mothballing: The challenge there is indefinite vacancy. Michigan Central is a fantastic success story where Ford invested a billion dollars, but it was a blighted eyesore for 35 years before that commitment. That can't happen to the RenCen downtown. This icon cannot become an icon of vacancy or lost opportunity.

Converting everything to residential: Multifamily conversions in these towers are very, very difficult.

Jer: Why is that? Why not just load it up with multifamily?

Jake: Old 1920s or 1950s Art Deco buildings convert nicely from office to multifamily because of narrow floor plates, a central elevator core, and lots of windows. The challenge with the RenCen towers is, first of all, they're octagonal. Eight-sided buildings are very difficult to convert to residential where every bedroom needs a window and you have to address the center core space.

From an MEP (Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing) standpoint, everything in these towers is 50 years old. Every floor plate currently has one men's room and one ladies' room right in the middle. Every apartment wants its own bathroom and kitchen, which involves reworking every single floor plate to distribute that plumbing.

Right now, there's one temperature control system per floor, but every apartment needs to control its own temperature. It's an overhaul of the entire primary and secondary mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems. Because these are 39-story buildings, you have to drill through every single reinforced concrete and steel floor while keeping the structural integrity intact on a building that was not designed for residential use. The cost amounts to a price tag of about $400 million per tower. For the two towers on the waterfront, that's an $800 million price tag. For $800 million, we can add a lot more value to the surrounding area, to the East Riverfront, and to connecting the Renaissance Center to downtown.

Tax Incentives & Public Financing Tools

Jer: I'm most familiar with the Brownfield part of the financing, but can you walk through the three major tools you mentioned? How does this corporate ask work?

Jake: The Transformational Brownfield Plan allows the development team to capture a portion of the tax value generated from the project. There is no check upfront; it is all performance-based on the back end. If we create value through development, we capture a portion of that taxable value to help offset project costs. If we don't deliver, we get zero. If we deliver half, we get 50%. Today, the vacant asset generates very little tax money. When converted to multifamily, entertainment space, and a revamped hotel, it adds increased value, and we only capture a portion of the value we're creating. We get to eat a part of what we grow.

Crucially, we as developers have the opportunity to capture Detroit taxes, but we are opting out of that. We are making sure 100% of the value generated stays in Detroit.

The second tool is the Ren Zone (Renaissance Zone) and the PA 210 (Commercial Rehabilitation Act). The Ren Zone abates some taxes for a period of time and allows us to make a PILOT (Payment in Lieu of Taxes). This ensures that taxing jurisdictions, schools, and libraries are held harmless and made whole. It also allows us to bypass part of the DDA's (Downtown Development Authority) capture. Without these tools, 75 cents of every dollar of value created would be captured by the DDA rather than going to local taxing jurisdictions, schools, libraries, and community colleges.

Keeping The Riverwalk Open & RenCen Deconstruction Methods

Jer: Let's get into listener questions. First: Riverfront access. People are worried that during construction, they're going to lose access to the riverfront.

Jennifer: Our goal is to maintain access to the riverfront and keep as much of it open as we can during the entire process.

Jake: At no point are we going to put up signs saying, "Closed for 10 years, see you in 2037." What we're doing will honor and expand upon the work the Riverfront Conservancy has done. This part of the Riverwalk is actually at capacity—it was delivered around 2000, and with e-bikes and scooters now, there's an opportunity to expand the Riverwalk here to accommodate greater usage.

Safety and environmental impact are the top priorities. During deconstruction, the towers will not be imploded.

Jer: My media career started covering the implosion of the J.L. Hudson building, and that dust went everywhere!

Jake: This won't be that. The towers are proposed to be deconstructed by wrapping them in a metal mesh fabric and working from the top down. We gut the core where the elevators are, start at level 39, and use small pneumatic tools to break down material, dumping it down the center core to the grade level where it's sorted and taken offsite. As it moves down floor by floor, the scaffolding moves down, so you'll see the towers gradually shrink rather than being knocked over all at once. That allows us to keep the Riverwalk open with proper overhead scaffolding and protective barriers. The podium base will be taken down using traditional demolition methodologies.

Timeline, Infrastructure, & Future Uses

Jer: What is the overall timeline, and what will people be able to use sooner than later?

Jennifer: Selective deconstruction is scheduled to start in summer 2027. That's when people will see things happening on site.

Jake: We need to keep the complex open for two major events: the NCAA Final Four and the 2027 Grand Prix, to keep those hotel rooms online. After the Grand Prix in 2027, the project starts in earnest. It will be a phased 10-year project, delivering the revamped hotel, mixed-income housing, waterfront access, food, beverage, and entertainment amenities.

Jer: What about connecting to the rest of downtown across Jefferson?

Jennifer: The RenCen was intentionally designed to be set apart. A big impetus for this project is opening it up and adding a pedestrian walkway to connect downtown to the RenCen and the riverfront.

Jake: This will be done in conjunction with MDOT's work on Jefferson and I-375. Raising I-375 to grade will normalize intersections, allowing pedestrian, car, and bike access directly to the site via a new boulevard. Further studies will look at pedestrian crossing improvements, traffic signalization, and road diets west toward Washington Boulevard.

Jer: What about amenities on the surface lots? Everyone keeps asking for a movie theater.

Jake: If we don't deliver a movie theater, we've failed! People shouldn't have to leave the city for baseline amenities like movie theaters, venues, or water parks. We've received about 3,000 survey responses and had thousands of conversations at our community hub at 521 Atwater to understand what Detroiters want to see built on those surface lots.

Jennifer: We're still collecting that feedback, so there are still opportunities for people to share their input.

Jer: Why no for-sale condos?

Jake: We always start with the rental market, balancing market-rate and affordable housing (with 30% of units targeted at 60% AMI). The condo market typically lags behind a stabilized rental market. We are delivering our first condos at the Hudson's development now, and once the rental market stabilizes here, for-sale housing can be explored.

Jer: Why not just make a zillion hotel rooms?

Jake: To create a true 18-hour neighborhood, you need full-time residents living on the East Riverfront, not just a transient hotel population.

Jennifer: The diversity of uses—residential, hotel, civic, retail—is what sets the project up for long-term success.

Jake: To be successful, this has to be for Detroiters, by Detroiters. It needs an authentic Detroit identity to serve local residents while welcoming out-of-town guests.

Jer: Jennifer Stallings Dewey from General Motors, and Jake Chidester from Bedrock, thank you both for joining us on Daily Detroit.

Jennifer: Thank you so much for having me.

Jake: Anytime.

Hey friends, Jer here.

What makes for the best sandwich? What is a sandwich, anyway?

Recently we set up our mobile studio at the Detroit Sandwich Party, where I asked those questions and more.

Here are three of my favorites:

A sandwich is a delivery mechanism. Like, for me, what I actually want—when I say a sandwich, I don't mean a salad, you know? Yeah. Or, if I'm at a cookout, I'll ask people to make the patty really, really thin, because when it cooks up, I don't want it to turn into a little round spherical meatball rolling all over the hamburger. Like, I want that to be a stable, architectural delivery system to my mouth.
-Matt, Detroit

Is a hot dog a sandwich?

So, a hot dog is not a sandwich. I ascribe to the line of thinking that if it's two pieces of separate bread, that's a sandwich. But if it is one continuous bread, like a hot dog, then it is like a burrito, right? So I think you can categorize sandwiches or hot dogs... one connected bread or bread item, versus two separate ones. And I think that then you have to construct the item differently based on that structural difference, right?
-Zena, Detroit

And, my mind was blown with this one.

My hot take is that a calzone is not a sandwich, it's a dumpling. It's folded, it's crimped, like it's sealed, and it's filled, like a dumpling. I would also argue that a ravioli is a dumpling, obviously. An Uncrustable sandwich, like the one I brought with me today, is a dumpling as well.
-Shelby, Detroit

That's just a sampling of the fun you'll find in today's episode. [Apple Podcasts] [Listen on any app]

We had so many awesome people stop by the table that this will be the first of a small series, because we take sandwiches seriously.

Thanks to Carlos Parisi for having us out, and make sure to put Detroit Sandwich Week in your calendars for between Christmas and New Years.

If you've got your own take — let me know!

If you know of the work of Georgia O’Keeffe, your mind probably jumps straight to her iconic, magnified flowers. Or maybe, the sun-bleached landscapes of the American Southwest. But a new exhibition at the Detroit Institute of Arts is completely reframing how to look at her legacy.

Georgia O’Keeffe: Architecture is a big deal for Detroit. It’s the first time her work has been exhibited here since 1934, according to the DIA.

I checked it out, along with photographer Ryan Southen.

The museum calls it a groundbreaking exhibition, pulling together approximately 35 architectural paintings that highlight her lifelong fascination with built spaces.

The spark for the entire project came directly from the DIA’s own collection.

“The exhibit really grew out of research that I started doing many years ago about a really special painting by the artist — a picture that shows a white barn that she made in the summer of 1932 during a road trip across Canada,” said Ben Colman, curator of American art at the DIA. “It’s the only work by O’Keeffe in the museum’s permanent collection... It really grew into a larger research project about the ways that O’Keeffe was fascinated by architecture across her career.”

Walking through the galleries, you see her scope expand from Lake George barns to the soaring skyscrapers of 1920s Manhattan — including views from the Shelton Hotel — and eventually to the adobe structures of Northern New Mexico.

What makes these paintings so striking isn’t architectural precision. O’Keeffe doesn’t paint every individual brick.

Instead, she strips away clutter to capture a mood, a feeling and an emotion attached to a place.

“There is an incredible clarity to her vision that I find so incredibly powerful in these works,” Colman told us. “I feel quite often walking through these galleries as if I’m looking through O’Keeffe’s eyes and seeing the world as she saw it.”

Seeing these early 20th-century urban scenes here in Detroit feels remarkably fitting, echoing our own city’s history of industrial growth and architectural ambition.

One thing that I like is that the exhibition pairs her paintings alongside photos of her during the same period. It creates a sense of connection and intimacy.

There's also a great section with interactive elements to share your thoughts and feelings on the work.

If you live in Wayne, Oakland or Macomb County, tickets are $20 for adults and $10 for youth and college students. Nonresident tickets are $30 for adults and $15 for youth and college students. General admission to the DIA remains free for tri-county residents.

Special exhibitions like this take years of effort to bring together, and having a world-class experience like this in our backyard is something every Detroiter should consider checking out.

Georgia O’Keeffe: Architecture is on view at the Detroit Institute of Arts through Sunday, Jan. 3, 2027.

Pro Tip: Residents of Wayne, Oakland and Macomb counties can see the exhibition free on September 30, October 25, and December 11.

Photographer Ryan Southen and I shared our impressions on the exhibit on the Daily Detroit podcast, along with a conversation with the curator. [Apple Podcasts] [Listen In Any App Or Online]

👀 A very special edition and episode tomorrow, so keep your eyes peeled on your inbox and ears locked into your podcast app. Make sure you're signed up for future emails, if you're not already.

🫡 This work is made possible by you, our readers and members. Join us on Patreon, and if you do... we have a special little bonus for members from today's edition.

Until next time, remember that you are somebody — and I'll see you around Detroit.

-Jer

Hey friends, Jer here.

Some of you might remember MADtv from the late 1990s. There was a recurring sketch back in the day called "Lowered Expectations," where a low-budget video dating service put absurd character after absurd character in front of you.

And that's how I felt watching the live stream of the press conference for the name change of Comerica Park. I wasn't expecting much.

But somehow, "Fifth Third Park" seems worse than Comerica Park.

For one, we're not unique, even in the sport of baseball. There's a Fifth Third Park for the High-A Affiliate of the Texas Rangers, the Hub City Spartanburgers in Spartanburg, South Carolina. It even has the URL, FifthThirdPark.com.

Then there's Fifth Third Field for our own AAA affiliate, the Toledo Mudhens.

It also doesn't roll off the tongue. As my co-host Norris imagined the call on the podcast today, "Yes, the Tigers go up seven to six after that three-run shot here at Fifth Third Field."

And then there's the blandness of it all. We were told in the press conference that it's "all about the community" in a number of ways.

So why isn't it," Tiger Stadium, brought to you by Fifth Third?" Or imagine the goodwill of maybe tying it to something else in Detroit history or Tigers fandom. There's only 130+ years to pull from, if you count their minor league origins in the 1890s.

Harwell Field? Kaline Park? I could go on.

I get it, it's a money game. Maybe this is just me being frustrated how creativity seems to be dying, squeezed between slop, hyper-optimization, and corporate greige.

Fifth Third Park it is. But it's a foul choice. And I bet the fans can come up with something better that speaks to their hearts.

You can listen to our whole conversation about it on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get shows.

What I'm Reading

🏪 Are we at the end of the bottle return era? A group representing Michigan grocers wants the state to phase out bottle and can returns inside stores, arguing the current setup creates sanitation problems, attracts pests and costs retailers labor, equipment and valuable floor space. [Detroit Free Press]

The Midwest Independent Retailers Association would like to see a two-year transition to a different system, maybe built around standalone redemption centers or curbside recycling. That would be a major change to a Michigan ritual that dates back a half-century.

Before the pandemic, Michigan redeemed more than 95% of eligible containers, but the rate fell to 69% in 2025.

I feel like some practical change is in order, but bottle return feels culturally very Michigan. Darn near 70% of people doing something is still a lot, especially in 2026.

🧑‍⚖️ Wayne County and Detroit are studying whether to consolidate court operations spread across four downtown buildings into one new facility, or possibly two. The proposal could affect about 675,000 square feet of space and more than 1,100 workers, but there is no selected site, price tag or timeline yet. [Crain's Detroit]

📚 Is it worth it? This one isn't written about Detroit specifically, but on a recent episode of the podcast we talked a lot about Detroit's public schools and equity. "In Fighting for Every Black Child, Did I Betray My Own?" is a deep piece that wrestles with whether it was worth it to send their kids to schools that weren't as good to try to benefit the wider community. [New York Times]

That's it for tonight. Thanks for sharing your inbox with me.

📬 If this is your first time here, be sure to sign up for free for future notes.

🌿 Keep us growing! Thanks to our members on Patreon for supporting us, and you can join them here.

Until next time, remember that you are somebody — and I'll see you around Detroit.

-Jer

The Michelin Guide is bringing its Great Lakes ceremony to Detroit next April, and people have a lot of questions. What does a Michelin presence actually mean for our local food scene? How do diners, chefs, and journalists navigate the hype?

To break it down, Detroit News restaurant critic Melody Baetens stopped by the TechTown studio. We talk about what those stars actually represent, what inspectors look for, and why the national spotlight is shifting toward the Great Lakes.

Plus, Melody recently put together a list of 25 new and returning restaurants expected to open across Metro Detroit.

We run through some of the big highlights — from long-awaited returns like Cass Cafe and Highgrade Deli to fresh concepts like Agnes in West Village, Aurora Italiana, Slutty Vegan, Mike's Red Tacos, and Spiedo on West Canfield.

Check out Melody’s full list on The Detroit News: 25 Restaurants Expected to Open Soon in Metro Detroit

Transcription

Hello friends and welcome to your Daily Detroit for Thursday, September 17th, 2026. I am Jer Staes coming to you from our studio at TechTown, and I am very honored to have across the table from me a repeat, return, welcomed guest, Melody Baetens from The Detroit News. We're going to talk about restaurants, food, and so much more. Welcome back to the show, so good to see you!

Melody Baetens: Thanks, Jer. Thanks for having me.

Talking Michelin Guide and Great Lakes Ceremony coming to Detroit

Jer Staes: Well, you've got a couple of things I want to talk about, but before we get into it, you know, a lot of people have been asking me questions about a thing that has gotten a lot of attention, and that thing is the Michelin Guide. And their ceremony is actually going to be coming to Detroit next April. Why don't we talk about that for a little bit and like why Michelin matters, and kind of how it sits in the context of food, how diners make decisions, journalism, all that?

Melody Baetens: Yes, I think to put it plainly, Michelin means money, it means tourism, it means attention, spotlight. It's a French tour guide, basically. They write guides to where to eat. They've done it all over the world; they have not come to Detroit. They are in Detroit and have been in Detroit, as well as I think five other Great Lakes cities. Those cities' kind of tourism boards groups have pooled their money to get Michelin, because you do have to kind of entice them. It's a lot of work, involves a lot of people.

So they announced that I believe in Minneapolis a couple months ago, and this month they announced that Detroit's getting the first ceremony for all of these cities, these six cities that are going to be part of the America Great Lakes Michelin Guide. So we can expect a lot of people coming from other cities, a lot of chefs that are hoping to get Michelin stars, or a Michelin connotation, or a Bib Gourmand, which is kind of like Michelin saying like, "Hey, this place has got great food and is a good value, and you should check it out."

But I think to your point, like people do travel to Michelin-starred restaurants, and when they do come to town, a lot of them think, "Well, is there a Michelin-starred restaurant around here we can check out?" I've done it, you know, and especially in the shadow of Chicago, which has had Michelin for, I think, 20 years now, maybe 15 years. You know, that's why they're not included in this group, which is a big question people ask, "Well, how come Chicago's not in it?" Chicago's had their own guide for many years. So it's exciting that we're hosting it. I hope that means we're getting stars, but I can't say, I have no idea.

Jer Staes: Yeah, no one really knows, because it's not something that you can apply for, right?

Melody Baetens: No, you have to be a great restaurant, you have to be consistent. Michelin has a set of standards that they look for whether the restaurant's in Paris, or LA, or Detroit now. So we're going to be held to those same standards, and I think that expectations should be tempered. I can't get you into the ceremony; people have asked, I'm not even invited yet! Like, I have no idea. You have to be invited to go.

Jer Staes: So, you've been to Michelin-starred restaurants? What in general, like in a wider sense, sets them apart, or gives it that extra layer of, shall I say, je ne sais quoi, since it's French?

Melody Baetens: I think what they're looking for is a lot of consistency. I have not been lucky enough to go to any of the same starred restaurants consistently, you know, maybe once. A lot of them are tasting menus, and we do have a lot of those around here. Michelin does seem to like a restaurant that does a tasting menu, and that does lend to consistency if you're, you know, a chef that's putting your best foot forward with a set menu that you're not really taking an order, and it just gives it more room to be perfect, I think. And I think that's what they look for.

They're also very expensive. They're also in like metropolitan areas—I went to one in Amsterdam and one in Chicago, two in Chicago. And yeah, it's, you know, you have to be really, really, really good, and then there's the immense stress of, you know, when you get a star, is keeping it. Because they'll come back next year and they'll make sure you continue to deserve it, that one- or two-star rating.

Jer Staes: Now, some people, when this news came out, said, "You know, is Detroit a Michelin town? Is the kind of food that we produce... does that vibe with Michelin? Does that resound?" What do you think of that?

Melody Baetens: Of course we are! I think we could get a couple stars. I think there's restaurants around here that could really wow them. You know, Detroit and Paris have always had a little, little bond.

Jer Staes: "Paris of the Midwest."

Melody Baetens: Exactly! I hope they see that. I have high hopes, and yeah, you never know. I don't know what they're going to do. I'm excited to see.

Jer Staes: And I'm excited to see who they select out of it. And you know what might be interesting? It might be something we don't even expect.

Melody Baetens: Exactly.

Jer Staes: Yeah, because they do not disclose their criteria, but I've also listened to podcasts with chefs who talk about getting a Michelin star, what it takes to get one, and then some of them being like, "Hey, just do your thing, and if you happen to get the star, great," which I thought was really interesting as well.

Melody Baetens: Great, yep, exactly.

Upcoming Detroit Restaurant Openings

Jer Staes: So, all right, well, I also want to talk about some of what is coming to Detroit. You have a great article up on The Detroit News, "25 Restaurants Expected to Open Soon in Metro Detroit." We are not going to talk about all 25, but we are going to get into some highlights in a few different categories: favorites—I know you don't have favorites, but I'll call them favorites—and of course, we'll put a link to the full list in the show notes.

Why don't we start with some of the favorite returns? One that I was really excited about: Cass Cafe. As a former resident of the Cultural Center, Cass Cafe was a real standby, and I'm so glad to see that looking like it's going to come back.

Melody Baetens: Yeah, it closed, I think, four years ago, and it's coming back. A non-profit in Detroit called the Chalfonte Foundation is bringing it back. These are people that are within the arts community, and they remember the same Cass Cafe that we remember. They're working on a menu, they're working on drinks, I know they intend to have a full bar, they intend for it to be a community space with lots of artwork, neighborhood meetings, and things like that. It's not, you know, a big business or big corporation bringing something back. Like, I feel like this is like a connective tissue between, you know, Detroit now and Detroit as people knew it when they were in college, or even five years ago, or even pre-pandemic. I'm very excited. I think there's an authenticity behind it, and people are going to be really excited. I know people are really excited.

Jer Staes: Well, I've got to tell you, Cass Cafe was always one of those restaurants where it tasted good and I also always had enough food.

Melody Baetens: Yeah.

Jer Staes: Because that's a thing.

Melody Baetens: Yeah, good portions, good hearty food, and they really want to focus on nutritious food.

Jer Staes: That is good. And then, is it technically Corktown? Is it counted as Corktown, Highgrade?

Melody Baetens: Um, you know, if you're coming from downtown, you pretty much drive through...

Jer Staes: You drive through Corktown to it. But you know what? That's another long-standing establishment that people are going to be excited about.

Melody Baetens: Yes, the gal that bought Mike's Ham Place next door, she bought Highgrade Deli from... it was in receivership, I believe, so she got it, she's going to open it this fall. She remembers how it was; the original—not the original owner, but the man that owned it for a long time, Stew, he's going to come back and, you know, kind of help her set up. So I think people are going to see a lot of the things that they loved there, hopefully, but most importantly is it's going to not be empty. It's going to be open, the lights are going to be on.

Jer Staes: Listen, I am all about sandwiches! I spent an entire afternoon at the Detroit Sandwich Party.

Melody Baetens: Oh, I love it!

Jer Staes: It was so much fun. We've got an episode coming where we actually interviewed nearly a dozen people about sandwiches.

Melody Baetens: That's great.

New Concepts & Regional Expansions

Jer Staes: I'm so excited to share it. Let's talk about some completely brand-new things that are coming.

Melody Baetens: Okay, let's see, where should we start? Agnes in West Village. This is a big deal because it's the folks behind Selden Standard, which is basically, you know, when people say, "What's the best restaurant in Detroit?" I hear Selden Standard a lot.

Jer Staes: One could argue that it's the standard!

Melody Baetens: Yes! So this is where Metropolitan Pizza Kitchen was, right on Agnes. It was Craft Work before Metropolitan Pizza Kitchen. So it's been a restaurant on this block in the neighborhood of West Village for a while, but now you've got Evan Hansen and Andy Hollyday teamed up with Alex Jewell and Paul Swernuck. And they're going to do like a neighborhood thing. Like, I think people are really excited. They don't have a lot of details for me yet...

Jer Staes: I want a neighborhood thing! I live over there, and I remember my grandmother was a regular at what used to be the Harlequin Cafe in that spot, and I remember being taken there by her when I was real little. And I want that there. We need more of those neighborhood spots over there, especially, you know, there's so many residents right in that area, so much energy, not just in Indian Village and West Village, but there's all those new homes over on Fischer, there's the Riverwards Market that's coming near there. There's a lot of energy happening, but I really feel like neighborhood spots are going to be a good thing over there.

Melody Baetens: Yeah, and it's tricky because if they're too good, then people from other neighborhoods want to eat there too, so it's a sticky situation! But I think they'll do well. I know the neighborhood is very excited for them to come in. It'll be open hopefully later in 2026, so later in the fall.

Jer Staes: You know what they should do is they should set up like a little jar, and buy a dinner for somebody in the neighborhood if you're in from outside of the neighborhood! Also, one that I wanted to mention because I don't know much about it: Aurora Italiana.

Melody Baetens: Yeah, so there's an Aurora Italiana restaurant—there's two in Oakland County, and I've been to the one in West Bloomfield, and it's a very nice, very colorful, very hospitality-forward Italian restaurant. This is from the same restaurant group that does Sexy Steak, and this is right around the corner from Sexy Steak. So this is an Aurora Italiana for downtown Detroit, so it's the third one, but the group's already been in the area because they have Sexy Steak. So I would expect a little of both of the vibes, but it's definitely going to be upscale Italian.

Jer Staes: Have you ever eaten at Sexy Steak?

Melody Baetens: I have.

Jer Staes: What makes the steak sexy? I have so many questions!

Melody Baetens: I think that the vibes are definitely sexy, like the... there's a lot of glossiness to the whole decor, and there was a big pair of red lips in the ladies' room like a sculpture, and it's just a... it's very vibe. Like the kids say, it's all vibes, it's the aesthetic. But the food was very good, and it was very expensive, and it was definitely an experience.

Jer Staes: Well, from sexy to slutty, Slutty Vegan is coming!

Melody Baetens: It is! And this is a national brand. They've got locations all over, I believe they started in Atlanta. They're coming to Michigan Central essentially, where Pizzeria Biga was on West Elizabeth. I don't know what makes it slutty, but it's all going to be vegan. I think it's just more of the vibe like, you know, colorful, fun, playful, more of like kind of what Street Beet does where it takes on fast food or comfort food. And I think Street Beet is doing so well that I think the area can definitely sustain another fun and modern vegan restaurant.

Jer Staes: That's really good to hear, too.

Melody Baetens: I'm not worried, I think it's going to be fine.

Jer Staes: There are so many restaurants right in that little set of blocks right there. Like, I think about where that was, remembering picking up pizza there back in the day, and you walk through and it's so different even than like 10 years ago. I remember it used to be kind of flat behind the streets back there, and now you've got all those apartment buildings and everything. Quite a shift.

Melody Baetens: Yeah, it's developing, as they say.

Jer Staes: Yes, as they say. So let's talk about second or multiple locations, maybe something that is new to us.

Melody Baetens: Something that's new to the Metro Detroit area coming in: Mike's Red Tacos is opening in Royal Oak, and that's going to be the first of like 15 locations they want to do in Michigan. This is like birria tacos, so their big thing is the beefy birria tacos with the consommé that you dip in, which we have here, of course. We have all over Southwest, all over the suburbs, we have a lot of great places. But this is more of like a casual chain, and they're coming in. So you'll see a lot of them opening up in the next couple years, but the first one is opening later this year on Woodward between, I think like between 13 and 14. So look out for that, the pictures look really good. Food looks good.

Jer Staes: Listen, anytime there are new tacos, I am there, without a doubt. And that's a good corridor, too. There's a ton of people who live over there, tons of traffic, hospitals, exactly! There's a ton of traffic that goes up and down. Woodward is just crazy busy.

Melody Baetens: Yeah.

Jer Staes: And then there's another one over on Canfield Street, is it West Canfield?

Melody Baetens: Yes, on West Canfield, right by Cass, Spiedio—I think we're going to call it Spiedio.

Jer Staes: You know what, daily-detroit@gmail.com, send in your corrections, we're going to go with Spiedio.

Melody Baetens: Well, I've heard the owner and the chef say it to me, but I still, you know, like I type things, I write things, I'm not always saying them out loud. It's S-P-I-E-D-O. It's opening where Jolly Pumpkin was. There's an Ann Arbor location that's been open, and if you know, you know, because this food is really good. This is Chef Brad Greenhill's project, he's from Takoi, he has roots in Ann Arbor and Detroit.

So he's opening this soon, they say, I've seen some renderings, but expect like Mediterranean-ish, Middle Eastern-ish, lots of grilled vegetables, lots of grilled meats, sandwiches, salads. They're going to be able to do a little bit more than they do at the Ann Arbor location because this is bigger, this is definitely going to be a sit-down restaurant. Think a little bit about if you remember what Brad was doing at Magnet with like a lot of open flame, a lot of wood fire.

Jer Staes: Oh, I have some friends who absolutely loved that place! I mean, it was really good, but I have some friends that would just rave about it.

Melody Baetens: Yeah, so I think this... Jolly Pumpkin closed there a couple months ago and left a hole in this little strip that's like great for shopping, great for people, visitors and locals, to kind of like hang out. There's a dog park, there's City Bird there, Motor City Brewing Works is there, Third Man, Shinola, it's just a fun spot. It's a good honey hole of things to do and things to eat.

Jer Staes: Oh, for sure! That whole corner there, you've got Go! Sy Thai, though I do believe that Cold Truth is leaving...

Melody Baetens: I heard that.

Jer Staes: That is what I heard. And then the other thing, do you have any idea—I've got to ask, I don't know—the old Traffic Jam & Snug space, have you heard anything?

Melody Baetens: No, and I've tried to find out, I should try again. It's my quarterly time to try again!

Jer Staes: You set a reminder to go look for it! See, I just want the fried pickles back.

Melody Baetens: I know, it's one of the places people miss the most.

Outro & Listener Support

Jer Staes: Yeah, well, listen, there are so many great places to check out, and you're going to want to go to The Detroit News to do it. The article is "25 Restaurants Expected to Open Soon in Metro Detroit." We will put a link in the show notes.

Melody Baetens, Detroit News restaurant critic and reporter, thank you so much for your time on Daily Detroit. Come back now, you hear?

Melody Baetens: I will, thank you!

Norris and I sit down with Edmund Gray, CEO of Kissmet Music Group, for a conversation that I found fascinating in the context of today's fast-changing world.

Edmund is the creator behind Zhaion, an AI-hybrid R&B project grounded right here in Detroit, complete with a promotion online, free-to-play 8-bit game based on driving The Lodge. Play it here: https://weonthelodge.net/

Rather than hiding the tech behind a curtain, Edmund is being entirely upfront about using generative tools to bring his music and world-building to life.

We get into the ethics of the music business, the reality of creative tools, and why transparency matters as AI becomes, whether we like it or not, a part of our lives.

This is exactly the kind of smart, nuanced local discussion I love having on the show, and I think you're going to get a lot out of it.

Check out Zhaion's new album No Clearance dropping this Friday. https://zhaion.com/

What do you think? Hit us up, dailydetroit@gmail.com or 313-789-3211.

Transcript

This transcript has been lightly edited for posting. Please refer to the original audio before quoting.

Jer Staes: All right, well today's episode is going to be interesting, because we're going to dive into a new album that's coming out from an artist and a music group. And there's some interesting twists to this one because this artist is created, but let's meet the creator, Edmund Gray. He's the CEO of Kissmet Music Group. Welcome to Daily Detroit.

Edmund Gray: Thank you, thank you, thank you so much.

Introducing Zhaion: The Concept of an AI Hybrid Artist

Jer Staes: Yeah, so we're here to talk about an album that's going to be dropping on Friday...

Edmund Gray: Friday.

Jer Staes: ...but you are the creator of Zhaion. And what is Zhaion?

Edmund Gray: First of all, thanks for having me on the show. I do appreciate it.

Jer Staes: Of course.

Edmund Gray: Zhaion is an AI hybrid artist who combines my physical voice with engineering and AI production, and full written capabilities of my songwriting. So it's a soup of being an AI artist, sort of a comic book style, and a music artist.

Jer Staes: Okay. So how did you come to this point? Because that's a very interesting choice.

Edmund Gray: Well, first of all, I do real music as Grateful Edmund. So like that's on iTunes, so I do that for real. I've always wanted to write pop and R&B songs. I'm a little too old, and I don't have 1% body fat. Okay, to do that, I cannot be Chris Brown at my age, okay?

Jer Staes: I have a lot more than 1% body fat.

Edmund Gray: So I said, okay, I have all of these songs that I've written. I can either try to shop them on the market, but I kind of looked at an artist—are you familiar with Xenia Moonay? This is an AI artist that got a $3 million deal from an entertainment company.

Norris Howard III: Yes, okay, yes.

Edmund Gray: And I said, wow. I was like, what type of music does she do? Turns out she does gospel, she has a following, and they really put a lot of money behind her. I don't necessarily write gospel songs, but I write pop and R&B. I said I would like to do something similar to that, but I think she came out on GMA or something, and she sort of unveiled herself. What I wanted to do was unveil myself in the front end instead of the back end. I want you guys to know that this has partially been created using AI, and I am the creator. So can we go past that so you guys can just listen to the songs and decide whether or not you like the songs?

Norris Howard III: Or not, yeah. So you wanted to go up front street where there was no ifs, ands, or buts. You were very upfront about the fact that there is AI generation used in the creation of Zhaion. But as it says here on the website, the lyrics are written by you, the videos are cut by you. My first question is, where did this conceptualization for you start? What was your starting point on how do you begin to say, "You know what, I think I got to use generation in order to get this vision out"?

Edmund Gray: I do a lot of different things—I do film directing, I do editing, I do real music production, and it's just... I like generative AI because it allows you to get an idea out fast. I notice Detroit, for instance, is like the Tubi capital of the world. I've talked to a lot of film directors that do Tubi movies, and what we have in common is, if you want to make B-roll for something, let's say feet walking across the rain, it used to be a pain to just say, "Hey, I need you to come and walk across some rain so I can get B-roll". So it started with that. I was just kind of playing around with—are you familiar with Seedance?

Norris Howard III: Mm-hmm.

Edmund Gray: So I was going on Seedance and was like, "Oh, I can make real material with this, and I can make it well". That's how it started. It started from me playing around with Seedance to really just using it, and I was using Google Veo 3, and I just kind of liked Seedance better. So I was like, I want to do it. Then I came up with the character. What do I want him to be? I don't want him to sound like anything that's out there. I want him to be a unique individual, but obviously, if he's too weird, you'll lose people. I want to do this, but I want to be like the Michael Jackson of the AI music space.

Norris Howard III: Interesting.

Edmund Gray: Michael's whole thing was, "Yeah, you do videos, but you don't do videos like me". "You do music, but you don't do my type of music". So I wanted to do the same thing in the AI space: okay, we're going to use the same tools, but I'm going to really show y'all how to do this the correct way.

World-Building Detroit: The 8-Bit Lodge Racing Game

Jer Staes: It's interesting to me, too, the ties into the real world. One of the ways you're promoting this album that I thought was kind of brilliant, on WeOnTheLodge.net, is this game where it's about driving on The Lodge with it. What it does to me is unveil a universe of characters: you've got Zhaion, Grateful Edmund, Brick Layne, Growley, and Lisa, where it seems like you're starting to world-build as well as build an album.

Edmund Gray: Well, the reason why we start with Zhaion is because he's the home team, so everything starts with him. I took a year, I came out with his first album called Band, and we ended up charting on iTunes top 5. I used that fan base to start building other characters. Now I have a rapper called Brick Layne. He's a local Detroit rapper, a good Detroit rapper. He has a song called "No Translation". You should see his music video; it's a black-and-white noir video that looks like a Cagney flick. So I really wanted to integrate that. Zhaion's on the hook of that song, so they cross in between.

Jer Staes: What was the idea behind doing the game and putting in all of these Detroit locations? Because you rendered the city basically in 8-bit.

Edmund Gray: I was walking around the city working on the second album, and I wanted to ground Zhaion in Detroit, because he was born in Detroit—if there's such a thing as birth with AI. I was walking around and seeing guys coming from work in Carhartts and Cartier glasses, and I thought, what a contrast—somebody with very expensive Cartiers on looking like he just finished coming from a plant. I just loved that look. I'm originally from Washington, D.C., and my wife is from Detroit. She always used to tell me about this, and when I saw it for myself, I said, that's the look—it's grounded in Detroit. I didn't want it to be disrespectful; I wanted to pay homage. So I made a game for free, named after the viral video from 7-8 years ago where the guys were doing donuts on The Lodge and the girl came out saying, "We on the Lodge with it!"

Norris Howard III: Yeah!

Edmund Gray: That video just forever sticks in my brain. Every time I'm on The Lodge, that is literally your life—the speed limit is 55, and everybody's going 155.

Norris Howard III: The speed limit is how slow you can go on The Lodge!

Edmund Gray: I got a decently fast car, but every time somebody with a Hemi stares me down, I'm like, all right, you got it. I wanted to bring this to life, and I noticed street shootdowns around here during the summer. When you turn the game on, that scene where they were doing donuts is a real scene that got the cops coming downtown about two months ago. I incorporated that into the game.

D.C. vs. Detroit & Local Culture

Jer Staes: So you now stay in the city?

Edmund Gray: I do.

Jer Staes: As far as creative inspiration for you and these characters, what's the difference between D.C. and Detroit, and what helps influence you?

Edmund Gray: When you see that t-shirt that says "Detroit vs Everybody," around here, I feel like when you're in Detroit, you're in the hut. Once you become a part of—I mean, I'm married to a Detroiter, so I was already in the hut.

Norris Howard III: That permeates through us.

Edmund Gray: Exactly. When I went around to businesses like Pie-Sci and Royal Brewery and said I wanted to incorporate them into the game, I was expecting a no. They were like, "I love this, what do you need?" That was so Detroit to me, because it's like, "You got our back, we're going to have your back". I have signs in breweries and pizza places where people can scan the QR code and play the game online. I love the family atmosphere. People not from Detroit take it for granted. I lived in Raleigh for a couple of years after D.C., and all we had was a hockey team. You guys don't understand how great it is to live in Detroit where you can walk to all the sports teams, you've got the QLINE... And the food! Somebody had to remind me, "Baby, we all from the South".

Norris Howard III: We're all from the South!

Edmund Gray: D.C. is more government-centric; you guys are more motor-centric. That's the difference. Beyond that, we have a lot more in common than we do apart.

Navigating Ethics and Industry Backlash in AI Music

Norris Howard III: I got to ask this, because our listeners run the gamut from for-AI to don't-like-AI. How will you deal with or reckon with real-space, flesh-and-blood artists who ask why you didn't just write for a human or reach out to game developers, instead of using procedure-generated AI stuff?

Edmund Gray: There's no walls. If you want me to write you a song, I'll write you a song. What I do for Zhaion and Brick Layne is what I do for that. But if I need to write you a song, I can write you a song. Also, I've—for lack of a better word, I had a development deal many years ago with a major label that I won't name, and a lot of my songs got stolen. As an independent artist, I've had people sell me production from websites with "exclusive rights" that didn't clear the samples, because that's the producer's job to clear the samples. I put the songs out, and they took all of my publishing. So if you're going to have this argument that something is wrong with the AI, I think there's something really more wrong with the music business more than it is just with the AI. So it's just like, I am not condoning stealing. Anybody who has been trained on anything that I've done, they deserve to get paid. But then we start walking a thin line between, okay, how much of this is really your song because I don't know anybody that plays drums, I know maybe you do, I don't know anybody that plays guitar. So a lot of times they're using beat machines that's James Brown's drums most of the time, and your baselines are coming from Chic. So if I owe you a check, I'll give you that check, but make sure you also forward half of your check to James Brown, Chic, and these other people whose music that you didn't make. Now, there is real artists that do make live music, and I think most of them don't crutch on recordings, so I don't really think it's an issue. Plus, we're just not a threat. Name an AI artist you listen to.

Norris Howard III: Oh, I don't. So yeah.

Edmund Gray: Exactly. I can't take Zhaion to Ford Field and sell out 20,000 people. You're a human, you have personality, you have an advantage from the get-go that I just simply don't have. But when you listen to my music, if you go, "You made that using this, that, and the other, and you wrote it, I like it, I think I can mess with it," but I think you lose people with deceiving them.

Norris Howard III: As opposed to coming out and saying upfront that this is AI-generated and if you like it, you like it.

Jer Staes: That's part of what's so fascinating to me, because I heard that first track and I played the game and I didn't realize it at first that it was AI. I went to your site and I'm like, "Oh, you're upfront about it". That's fascinating. And I think about it in the way, because I have my own different thoughts about AI. I'm always wrestling with it, right? Because the world is changing. And as a journalist, there's some things I don't have AI touch. There's other things like, yeah, you know what? Transcriptions? That's hard work, and it makes it a lot easier for me to get things together and also create accessibility. You know, one of the things people have always asked for is transcriptions of our interviews. I wasn't able to afford that before AI, right? So I'm able to provide an additional service with it, but that isn't generative; I don't generally use generative for myself. But I do a different thing—I'm not making art, we're sharing facts. For me, when I looked at the site and looked at We On The Lodge, my first thought was almost like you were a comic book artist.

AI as a Tool vs. AI "Slop"

Edmund Gray: Absolutely. That's exactly what we were going for. I look at myself more like Aaron McGruder from The Boondocks. Like, you know, he was very open—obviously, it's a comic book or a cartoon, but it's like, look, I made these characters and I try to keep it in that world. When you do anything else, like "Oh, I am Bruce whatever, you know, and I'm trying to be a pop star," I just don't think—you're deceiving people. I see a lot of AI artists where what they're really trying to do is they're trying to game Spotify, and they're coming out with 12,000 songs a month and all of that stuff. I have one album that has seven songs on it, Brick Layne has one single, Zhaion has an album coming out Friday that has nine songs—I got 20 songs on the street. I am not flooding the zone.

Norris Howard III: Well, 'cause that's become a big issue for Spotify and the streaming services, because what people have been doing is they've been pumping so many songs, and maybe one or two hit because they put out 50 songs in a week. And then if one hits and gets on the charts, then they get a little bit of cash.

Jer Staes: So do you view it more as a tool to make your vision complete?

Edmund Gray: Absolutely. AI is much better for me getting production like that I really like as opposed to a producer, because a lot of producers a lot of times, they do what they want to do. And then it's like, well, they also sort of hold back beats. I've been with some big artists before. They'll play a production for you—something that's just nice—"Oh, that's for Jay-Z," so-and-so, you know? And they sort of like give you whatever's left over, you know? But when I'm dealing with AI, it's like I can—a lot of times, if I don't get what I want, I get very close. And that's why I love it. I'm like, "Ah, that's what I wanted," and I don't have to deal with that sort of middleman. But even with the artistry, when people think it's like a cheat code, AI is like the hardest music to do. If you were playing the game and you didn't realize that it was AI until after you went to my website, you literally just gave me a low-key compliment.

Jer Staes: Oh, I don't mean it—I'm just stating it as the fact. There's going to be people who listen to me and be like, "You didn't know?" And like, I live in reality a little bit, right? People have a lot of different feelings about this stuff. When AI first kind of came on the scene, there's like a really large contingent that's very loud online—and I respect a lot of their thoughts around like "never AI ever." And then a lot of people hit me up in the emails or on the street and be like, "You know what? I use it every day for this and that." I don't use it in the way that people are afraid of; I use it in a way where it's like...

Norris Howard III: Like "I use it for work," or "I'm a researcher and I use it for research."

Jer Staes: Yeah, exactly. Going through papers, and yeah, I double-check its work, but it's really helpful when—like someone said to me, you know, when there's 400 pages of some historic commission meeting and I need to find the one thing, it works really well to find the one building that I care about and all the references to it. You know, and if it's wrong, whatever, I'll find it again anyway. So I think it's really interesting because for me, I get nervous because on social media, it's black or white. And then what I've realized over time is that there are things definitely to be worried about, but then also, this is a thing that now exists, and there's no way it's going back in Pandora's box.

Edmund Gray: This is why AI slop is so easy to recognize: because a lot of people who are writing AI songs don't know bar sequences. And when I'm listening for stuff, it's over-worded, and it kind of—they don't know meter, they don't know timbre, they don't know. Because I'm a real musician who's using AI, I avoid these things. And when people listen to the songs, they go, "Oh, I just love these songs, they don't sound like other AI songs that I've listened to before," because I'm actually a musician. So the people who get dangerous with any part of AI—because you've been in the news business for 28 years—you don't need AI to write an article. You might need AI to help you with an idea for your already smart brain. You don't need AI for music. But a lot of times, I'll give Suno or whatever I use an idea, and it's totally not what I was looking for, but it was better! I did not think about it from this angle.

Jer Staes: So for you, it's the iterative process. It speeds up the iterative process.

Edmund Gray: Absolutely. So it's like, I just want people to take from that is like, I consider myself a talented person, and this just assisted me. It is not a crutch. If AI goes away tomorrow, I will still make music, and I have real music on Spotify right now.

The Story Behind No Clearance

Jer Staes: So if people are going to meet this album—let's say this is the first time they're hearing about you, No Clearance drops on Friday—where do people start with the album, and kind of what's the story that you're trying to tell with it?

Edmund Gray: Well, the first album—I won't get all the way into it—you'll see him, he has braids, and he's sort of pretty. There's a song on the first record that did very, very well, it's called "On Read." The kids—that's a terminology they use when you text somebody and they read it and they never hit you back. So the whole album, if you go to my Instagram @zhaionmusic, I drop little excerpts about it. He never gets this text back from his girl, which is Lisa, by the way, which is why she's on the game. And they never sort of get to a flatline of what's going on with their situation. It changes him. He grows a beard, he grows an afro, he puts his Carhartts and his Cartiers back on. It's a story to me.

Norris Howard III: It's a heel turn.

Edmund Gray: Yeah, it's a heel turn! So it makes him cold. The first album is very sort of thriller-ish, it's a bop, it's a disco 70s/80s bop. No Clearance is a The Weeknd type of vibe, or a darker R&B, that Aaliyah third album type of stuff. So it's that! So when you look at the track list, there's a song called "New Number (On Read 2)" in parentheses. So like, look, I'm no longer looking for that "On Read" text that I never got, but now she's hitting him up. So the whole album has changed him, and that's what you would expect for a human artist. They don't make a whole bunch of crap and then they just make album after album—they change. Like Nas's first record is very grounded in Queensbridge, that second record is broader...

Norris Howard III: Yeah, it was written as broader.

Edmund Gray: It was definitely written broader. It's the same thing with Zhaion. This record is for my taste, because I was testing the market for Band to see what people liked. They liked "On Read." I said, "Okay, I'm going to give you nine 'On Reads.'"

Norris Howard III: There you go, there you go.

Outro & Listener Discussion

Jer Staes: All right, well if you want to check everything out, you can play the game at WeOnTheLodge.net, and you can also check out Zhaion at zhaion.com.

I'd love your feedback. I'm really glad that you spent the time to come here and talk about your work, because I think this is a fascinating topic wherever you stand on it. And I want you to go check out the music, I want to really—let's have a community conversation about this, because I think it's fascinating because it's here.

Norris Howard III: Yeah, and what I'll say is I think you are braver than a lot of people who've dealt with AI, because as you said before, a lot of folks have tried to hide the fact that they've used AI to assist themselves in making the music, and you put it right out there on front street. I want to first of all just say, I find that brave for a lot of folks, 'cause it can get really—people get real tight about how you using AI and what not.

And so, you know, I think I'm with Jer, let's have a conversation, let me know, let's get everybody's opinion in on it.

Jer Staes: Yeah, and go listen to it. So Edmund Gray, CEO of Kissmet Music Group and creator of a number of characters, thank you so much for your time on Daily Detroit.

Edmund Gray: No, thank you for having me.

Jer Staes: Absolutely. All right, well we are done for today. Feedback as always, dailydetroit@gmail.com or 313-789-3021.

A proposed Wayne and Oakland county millage could reshape access and provide ongoing sustainability to two of Metro Detroit's cornerstone historic institutions.

Me and Norris Howard are joined by Elana Rugh, president and CEO of the Detroit Historical Society, and Neil Barclay, president and CEO of the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History.

The proposal would support free admission for county residents, transportation help for students and seniors, teacher curriculum resources, and funding for smaller public historical museums across the two counties.

We talk about why the museums say they need a long-term funding model, what visitors can expect this fall, and why preserving Detroit's past — while collecting the history being made today — matters.

The measure is listed on the back of the ballot as the Southeast Michigan Historical Museums Authority proposal.

You'll find a full transcript below.

More info: https://www.yestoourstory.com/

Feedback as always, dailydetroit@gmail.com or 313-789-3211.

Transcript

Lightly edited for clarity. Please refer to the original before quoting.

Joining me and Norris Howard at our studio at TechTown are two esteemed guests to talk about a topic that’s near and dear to my heart.

First, I want to introduce Elana Rugh, the president and CEO of the Detroit Historical Society. Welcome.

Elana Rugh: Thanks.

Jer Staes: I have spent many, many hours in your museum.

Elana Rugh: Love that.

Jer Staes: And I’ve got to tell you: When I was a kid, my grandmother lost me in your museum because I’d wandered off with a docent for a tour. I really wanted to learn how the pharmacy worked in the basement.

Elana Rugh: It’s magical.

Jer Staes: Yes, yes.

And to your right — and my right — is Neil Barclay, president and CEO of the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History. Honestly, one of the most important places in the United States. Thank you so much for stopping by Daily Detroit.

Neil Barclay: Pleasure to be here.

Jer Staes: And Norris Howard, good to see you, man.

Norris Howard: You know I’m always here. And I’m really excited to take part in this conversation in two of my favorite places in the entire state of Michigan.

Jer Staes: So, let’s talk about the news. There’s an important reason that you’re here, with a decision ahead. What are you asking for? What’s going on?

Elana Rugh: This is a moment that’s seven years in the making. Our two organizations are partnered together to go before the voters on Nov. 3 to seek a millage that will support our efforts to make sure our institutions are thriving and still here for future generations.

Jer Staes: Why is it so important to go for a millage now? People might be looking at things and saying the cost of goods is going up and there are all kinds of pressures. They also may not know how much the city of Detroit has supported institutions in the past. Why has this been seven years in the making, and why ask for a millage?

Neil Barclay: It’s important now because it has been seven years in the making, frankly. We realized seven years ago that we did not have a sustainable funding model. Since then, we’ve been trying to find a reliable source of income to keep our work current, bring in the people who would appreciate what we do, expand our audiences and programming, and handle the basic blocking and tackling involved in running a museum. It’s not an inexpensive enterprise.

Jer: I’m sure not.

For each of you, why don’t we show off a little bit and talk about the programs you already do that this will help support? Norris and I are kind of museum rats. We’re there all the time.

But I want to be cognizant that not everybody goes by the old Detroit bike shop, gets excited peering through the windows, and remembers the animatronics from back in the day.

Elana: That’s right.

The Detroit Historical Society is very proud to run the Detroit Historical Museum and the Dossin Great Lakes Museum on Belle Isle, which tells the maritime history of our region. A lot of folks don’t know those institutions are connected.

As Detroit storytellers, we are the institution responsible for collecting all the stories. No matter your background or how your family came to Detroit, we are a place that collects those stories.

We also care for a collection of almost 300,000 artifacts, stored at our Collections Resource Center at Historic Fort Wayne. We use those artifacts to tell stories in the museums, but they are also the patrimony of the city. They belong to residents, and it’s very important that they remain available and accessible to the community.

We do that through storytelling. And while I know you’ve been going there a long time, people may not understand how changing and dynamic museums are. This isn’t your grandmother’s dusty museum.

We have plenty of things people remember from childhood, and there is nostalgia, but at the Detroit Historical Society alone, across our two museums, we had 23 different new exhibits come through. Whenever you visit, you can experience something new.

That could be something lighthearted and nostalgic, like Hudson’s Holidays. This year, we’ll be telling the story of the Parade Company’s centennial. Or it could be something more serious, such as the Doorway to Freedom exhibit or the story of the 1967 uprising in Detroit.

We hit it from all angles, and we’re the only ones doing that. That’s at risk right now.

Jer: You both add a lot of context. I think about the whole Chinatown discussion. When we were covering Detroit’s Chinatown, it blew my mind how many Detroiters didn’t even know that we had one.

Elana: There were actually two.

Jer: Yeah. My dad lived near one of them. He was a Plum Street artist.

But it’s one of those things where you go online and realize how many people don’t remember or don’t have that connection. Even though I’m in my upper 40s now, there are legions of people without that memory.

It’s important to remember all those pieces of our history because Detroit and Metro Detroit have been blasted apart into this polycentric region. We’re spread across all these places, and it’s important that we keep the recipes.

Elana: It’s so important that we keep the recipes.

Jer: I also want to get down to brass tacks. One of the most transformative millages we’ve had in Metro Detroit is the DIA millage, which lets Macomb, Wayne and Oakland County residents go to the DIA for free.

Would this millage create that kind of access for the Detroit Historical Museum and the Charles Wright?

Neil: Absolutely. But let me answer the last question as well.

At the Wright Museum, our core exhibit tells the story of African Americans from the shores of Africa through the present day. It was actually the model for the Smithsonian’s exhibition on the same topic. The National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, D.C., took the Wright’s model and created its own. I call it our exhibit on steroids.

Beyond that, we do Wright Conversations, performances and a myriad of public programs in the community. We have programs around Kwanzaa, Juneteenth and other special events. The breadth of the work we do is extensive and touches all kinds of people.

We say African American history is American history because so much of what happened in the African American community, particularly during the civil rights movement, influenced how we think about voting and democracy.

Tomorrow, if I can make a plug, we have Stacey Abrams at the museum to talk about voting and its significance and importance, particularly in this moment.

If the millage passes, we will offer free admission to all residents of Oakland and Wayne counties. There will be busing for students to get to the facilities, because one reason we hear that people do not visit as much as they want is that they cannot get there.

There will also be busing for seniors and curriculum guides for teachers. Teachers tell us they would love to use more of the material they see in these institutions in their classrooms, but they don’t always have the time to do the research required to make it a viable curriculum. We can do that work for them.

And 15% of the millage proceeds will go to other public historical museums in the two counties.

Jer: Incredible.

Neil: In addition to shoring up our two institutions, our sister institutions — smaller organizations that we work with all the time — will benefit, too. They come to us to borrow artifacts or get help with exhibits, and they will be eligible to receive grants from the counties to further their own work.

It’s exciting. We know people love the museums right in their communities, no matter where they live.

Elana: This is different from other millages people have supported because it stretches much further.

Jer: What is the scope of this millage? How do the nuts and bolts work if it passes or doesn’t pass? What counties does it cover?

Elana: It’s Wayne and Oakland counties. It needs to pass in both counties in order to pass at all, so we’re working hard to get the word out.

The polling we’ve done shows that people are very supportive. We know this community loves its arts and culture institutions, and we’ve seen that with the DIA millage, its renewal and the zoo.

We are the last two publicly held institutions, and the cost is about $3 a month for a home valued at $300,000. We think that, even at a time when people are concerned about affordability, it is quite affordable — especially considering what you get in return.

Norris: Absolutely. And especially for me, the exhibits at the Charles Wright are transformative.

Everyone in America who comes to Detroit has to visit the Charles Wright — not just because of the significance of the exhibits as they relate to the triangle trade, but also because of the African American relationship to this region, Detroit and Michigan as a whole.

My next question: We’ve talked about affordability, but what are your favorite parts of working at these museums? We don’t often get many chances to talk with the curators or directors of these institutions. Why do you get up in the morning to do this work?

Neil: My office overlooks the main rotunda of the museum. What thrills me every day is seeing young kids come through the door — the volume of them who come through in a given week, and how diverse those groups are.

Seeing them come in, enjoy the exhibits, then return to their buses afterward with that buzz among them — it’s a thrill for me.

Elana: I agree. It’s really magical work, and for me it’s about the human element, too.

There’s something special about seeing those multigenerational moments: “Let me show you this. I remember when …”

Jer: Like my grandmother losing me with a docent.

Elana: Right. But seeing that interaction between generations is special. A lot of teaching goes on during those times, and museums are special places for families.

The Streets of Old Detroit, where you wandered off, is almost an untouchable part of the museum. If you grew up here, you went there in third grade to learn how Detroit was founded.

We’ve added interpretation and technology to help people dig deeper, but it has essentially stayed the same because it holds a special place in people’s hearts.

Museums are also among the only remaining trusted institutions in the country — probably in the world. We hold spaces for difficult conversations.

I’m looking forward to being at Neil’s event tomorrow to hear Stacey Abrams talk about the importance of voting today. We run the gamut.

History is not old and dusty. We are making history today.

That’s part of what we call contemporary collecting. Our team is always looking for and collecting artifacts, photos and video of history being made today — by important people whose names we all know, but also by everyday people who have that Detroit grit and are hustling and making things happen here.

Norris: So what I’m hearing, Jer, is that Daily Detroit could be in a museum one day.

Jer: You could. You could be one day.

Every time I see that old WXYZ sign, that’s what I’m saying. We should put this big old logo in there. Put Fezzy in there.

Our mascot is this guy, Fezzy. His name is Lucius Vernon Fezgerald III.

Norris: Of course it is. You’ve got to have a government name.

Jer: Yeah, yeah.

For people who are listening and maybe haven’t experienced your places in a while: What’s happening this fall that you’re proud of? Point to a couple exhibits or things people should see if they’ve never been to the museums, or if they haven’t visited in a long time.

Neil: Our core exhibit is always the main draw for people who haven’t seen it before.

In another gallery, we have an exhibit called Who Votes? It’s about the Electoral College and how it works in our electoral system. A lot of people do not realize that we vote for electors, who then vote for president, and why the popular vote doesn’t always translate directly.

It’s a fully interactive exhibit where visitors can work through which states go where and figure out how to get to 270, which is the magic number.

We also have an exhibit from the estate of Elizabeth Catlett, the renowned sculptor, painter and artist.

On the lecture side, we have Stacey Abrams coming in, as we mentioned. Later this year, Abby Phillip and Angela Davis will be with us. Herb Boyd, our own local-hero historian, will be back with us as well.

On the performance side, Jessica Care Moore is reviving one of her best works, Wild Beauty. The Philadelphia Dance Company, Philadanco, will be in the theater, and Michelle and Degi Otello will be with us this year.

It’s an exciting year, with different voices from throughout African and African American culture.

Jer: That’s amazing.

Elana: I’ll pick three examples. We’re always working on something new.

One thing I’d love to highlight is our Hustle Project. We are featuring the stories of 35 Detroit-based entrepreneurs of color who are making history today. That kicks off this fall with the first set of exhibits and will run for a year and a half.

We have lots of programming around that, including resource summits, but it’s really focused on history as it is being made today.

We also have a comic book exhibit. People don’t understand the depth of Detroit’s history in comic books.

Jer: I actually covered that for the show. That was one of my favorite parts. We went down there and talked to them. They’re so cool.

Elana: That exhibit is rotating out, and we’re launching a huge exhibit on the history of the Cass Corridor. Everybody is going to love that.

Then, in our community gallery, we’re going to tell the story of the Parade Company, which turns 100. Detroiters and nostalgia are a beautiful thing.

Those are just a few examples. It really runs the gamut. We invite people to come. These are your museums. We are here for everybody in the region to enjoy, and we’re really excited about the prospect of free admission for residents of Wayne and Oakland counties.

Jer: I’ll say this as a member of the historical museum: One of the great things about having regular access to museums is that they can be a third space that you’ve already paid for.

If you need a moment to chill, hang out with some history, learn about your history or enjoy one of the events, you can do that.

I think it’s going to be great for the region and the city. I don’t always advocate for things, but this is one of the few times I will actually have a lawn sign in my front yard.

Norris: We’re standing on this one.

Jer: Very rarely, as the host of this show, do I put a lawn sign in my front yard. But I will for this, because I think it is important to support spaces like these.

Detroit is a community, a city and a region that has been pulled in so many directions, for so many reasons and in so many ways. Every way we can come together, learn about our past and build our future is important.

Norris: I’m with you, Jer. Support this millage.

As I said before, the DIA’s millage was transformative. Being able to go to the Detroit Historical Museum, go to the Wright and experience these institutions — which have been here for many years and are, in my opinion, significantly under-visited and underutilized by our communities — is important.

That is often because of structural issues around cost and transportation. Knowing the millage would help with those things is fantastic.

The Cultural Center — with all our museums, the library and Wayne State — is one of the last pieces that can bring it all together. You could spend a whole day there, almost a whole weekend there. And if you’re a resident of Wayne or Oakland County, you could do almost all of it for free if this passes.

Think about that. It’s something great to do. Three dollars a month.

Jer: I like it.

Obviously, listeners, the decision is yours. You know where I stand, but I respect your decisions and thoughts.

When people are making their decision, what should they look for on the ballot? What is it labeled?

Elana: It has a long name: the Southeast Michigan Historical Museums Authority. It will be on the back of your ballot.

Jer: Back of your ballot.

Elana: Yes.

Jer: Please flip the ballot over. Look for the long name involving the Historical Museums Authority if you want to evaluate this proposal.

And if you want more information, the website is yes2ourstory.com.

Elana Rugh, president and CEO of the Detroit Historical Society, and Neil Barclay, president and CEO of the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History: Thank you so much for heading up the street and stopping by the studio.

Elana: Thanks, guys.

Neil: Appreciate it. Thank you for having us.

Hi all, Amy here. 

I spent the summer dodging cyclospora. I suspect many of you did, too. 

Every new food recall, every time I side-eyed a blueberry or spinach leaf, I was reminded of something I’ve known for a while: where our food comes from matters. 

It also brought to mind something I’ve been itching to cover – Metro Detroit restaurants that have their own farms or gardens. 

My interest stems from far more than food safety concerns. I’m smitten when I see mouth-watering images of vibrant, just-picked tomatoes, cucumbers, or radishes headed straight to a guest’s plate. 

I wanted to know: Who are they? How do they make it work? Why do they make it work?

The following is an introduction to four restaurants that are “locally sourced” in the most literal sense. 

Roses 

On a sun-battered part of East Jefferson Avenue in Detroit, Roses owner Molly Mitchell has carved out an oasis. 

In what used to be a parking lot, she grows tomatoes, zucchini, cucumber, and a long list of herbs, including sage, thyme, anise, chervil, lemon balm, tarragon, for her restaurant’s Polish-inspired fare. 

“Gardening and farming and making food are so intertwined in my mind,” Mitchell said. “I wanted to have my food as close as possible.”

The bulk of Mitchell’s produce, however, still comes from other local farms, including Sown in Peace Farm, Amalgam Farms, and Fisheye Farms in Detroit, and Country Valley Farm in Ann Arbor. 

“The larger conversation is that our food system is broken,” Mitchell said. “And I don’t worry about that, because I know the people I’m getting my food from, and I know their farming practices.” 

Mitchell installed her first garden beds in 2020, at the same time she set up the space for outdoor dining in response to COVID-19. Turbulent times followed, with the restaurant closing in 2023 and reopening in 2025. 

“I want to grow more and more, so that we are really led by the garden,” Mitchell said. “Right now, we are led by all the amazing local farms and I will always work with them. But it’s so special to come out here and be like, 'OK, I have all these fennel flowers… what can I do with that?'” 

One excellent use of fennel? The herb-covered kielbasa. It also includes garden basil, dill and marigolds. Served with a Calabrian chile Crème fraîche and dill pickle pesto. 

Coriander Kitchen and Farm 

This one’s right in the name. Coriander, the charming, canal-side restaurant on Detroit’s far east side, gets much of its produce from its own farm, located about a mile away.

Farmer and Coriander Co-Owner Gwen Meyer estimates she grows around 190 different crops, including turnips, squash, kale, about 10 different kinds of peppers, and a wide array of herbs and flowers. 

“A lot of people don’t really understand what it takes to be a true farm to table establishment, because there are so many things that vary every day – crop failures, crop bounty – and it’s like, what do you do in either of those scenarios? How do you manage?” she said.  

Meyer works closely with Coriander Co-Owner and Chef Alison Heeres to create dishes that sync with the crops she grows. She also leans on neighboring farms when experiencing a crop shortage. When she has a bounty, the extra goes to the Detroit Produce Club, of which Coriander is a founding member. 

Meyer and Heeres met in the early 2010s through the Detroit urban agriculture community. They launched Coriander in 2015 as a farm-to-table catering company and opened the restaurant in its current location in 2020. 

“I don’t think I would do it with anyone but her,” Meyer said of Heeres.

The pair have faced challenges sustaining their farm-to-table vision, from failed restaurants to failed farm sites. Coriander is in its second full growing season at its current farm site.

Heeres said Coriander has shifted fancier than they originally had in mind, and in turn have become more focused on paying their employees as much as possible. 

“Part of the reason it can’t be as affordable as we would like it to be is because we work with people who treat their land well, treat their employees well, and treat their animals well, and that’s not cheap to do.”

Coriander’s Lemongrass Chicken Salad includes chives, scallions, jalapeño, mint, basil, cilantro and tomatoes from their farm. Cabbage and carrots come from local farm partners. 

Sylvan Table

Sylvan Table owner Nicole Ryan is passionate about seasonal, simple dishes – and making as little waste as possible. 

Located directly behind the restaurant, Sylvan Table’s 3-acre farm is manned by Farmer Rick Rigutto.

Executive Chef Chris Gadulka uses the produce to create the restaurant’s dishes. 

“I wouldn't say I'm an environmentalist, I don't really know the definition of that, but I'm passionate about not being a drain on the environment,” Ryan said. “I just want to make sure we're doing our part.” 

They have two compost piles on-site, totaling 110 cubic yards. Rigutto regularly rotates it using a mini tractor – the only machinery used at the farm.

For an item to even make it to the compost pile means all other avenues have been exhausted. “We use a lot of byproducts,” Ryan said. “It’s like, ‘Okay, why—why are we getting rid of lemon peels? We should dry them, and then make lemon dust.”

Often, things that might have been thrown away become a feature of a dish. 

The green color of the pasta in the Tomato Leaf Pasta, for example, is not from spinach, but leaves from spent tomato plants. The addition gives the pasta an extra kick of the tomato’s acidity, which Gadulka cuts with a dollop of housemade ricotta. 

In the Stuffed Jimmy Nardello Peppers, Gadulka uses trimmings from steak dishes, adding marjoram, parsley and garlic to create the sausage filling.

The dish is available now until the peppers run out later this month.

Takoi / HiO Farm

A Corktown staple, Takoi has served a fusion of modern Thai food and midwest seasonality for more than 10 years. Since 2019, it has grown its own produce on its 1-acre HiO Farm, located about a mile away in the Core City neighborhood. 

Farmer Noelle Stull said Takoi has always embraced sustainable, local ingredients but took the leap into starting their own farm in part to grow ingredients specific to the restaurant’s southeast Asian profile. 

That means a variety of basils – all with strikingly different scent and flavor profiles – unique peppers, and curious looking beans, like the red noodle bean. 

It’s used in several Takoi dishes, including being the centerpiece of their Dry Red Curry Long Beans.

Stull said she’s learned to accept the ups and downs of farming, including crop failures and animal intruders.

“The coolest thing that I’ve learned is just how to let go,” Stull said. “You realize, truly, how little we can control. And how to edge yourself at being more harmonious with the elements. And so every year I fret a little less.” 

📍 If you want to dine at any of these places:

Roses: 10551 East Jefferson Avenue, Detroit, MI 48214 | Website

Coriander Kitchen and Farm: 14601 Riverside Boulevard, Detroit, MI 48215 | Website

Sylvan Table: 1819 Inverness, Sylvan Lake, MI 48320 | Website

Takoi: 2520 Michigan Avenue, Detroit, MI 48216 | Website

📬 If you haven't already, be sure to sign up for future email newsletters for free!

🎧 Remember that we have our Daily Detroit podcast that you can follow on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get shows. I'm going be on soon to talk more about this piece, so send your feedback and questions here.

✅ Special thanks to our members on Patreon who keep this independent, all-local creative work going — join us today!

Until next time, we'll see you around Detroit.

-Amy

After severe storms and a tornado swept through Detroit over the Labor Day weekend, leaving many across the region without electricity for days (including yours truly for a second holiday weekend this year, totaling nearly two weeks without power), Norris Howard and I break down the Detroit City Council's unanimous vote to explore alternatives to DTE Energy.

We discuss the council's decision, look at the broader implications of utility monopolies in Metro Detroit, and share our personal experiences dealing with frequent power grid failures across the area.

Link to report discussed via the Detroit News.

Key Topics & Timestamps

00:45 – Gratitude: Shoutouts to everyone who came out to see us at the Detroit Sandwich Party at Eastern Market, plus a special thanks to new Patreon members!

02:00 – Weekend Highlights: Norris recaps his experience at the Detroit Jazz Fest, highlighting a performance by the Low End Quintet at Dee Dee's / The Valade.

03:45 – News: Detroit City Council vs. DTE: Details on Councilwoman Gabriela Santiago-Romero's unamiously passed measure directing the legal department to research ways to diversify the city's energy sources and reduce dependence on DTE Energy.

05:30 – Monopolies & Utility Accountability: A discussion on rate hikes, service reliability, grid hardening, and a lack of competition.

09:15 – Public Power Alternatives: Looking at how nearby communities like Ann Arbor and Wyandotte's relationship to public utilities and what that might mean for Metro Detroit.

Listen & Connect

• Follow the Show: Listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts , Spotify , or wherever you get your favorite podcasts.
• Support the Show: Join us on Patreon to help keep independent local coverage going at patreon.com/dailydetroit.
• Feedback & Listener Stories: Send me an email at dailydetroit@gmail.com or leave a voicemail on our line at 313-789-3211.

Before we get started, apologies as this episode is about a day behind. My neighborhood was the one in Detroit that was hit by an EF2 tornado, bringing 115 mph winds, downed trees, and damage. Apologies, and we'll talk more about what happened next week.

Main show: As it's Labor Day weekend, we thought we'd bring the fun. Devon O'Reilly joins me as we review Ray's Hometown Bar, the retro-inspired, wood-paneled new spot taking over the former Mr. Dips space in Parker's Alley.

Plus, Devon takes us on a tour of his child-free getaway up north, sharing why he prefers the Little Traverse Bay area — including Petoskey and Bay Harbor — over Traverse City, along with a standout meal at Spring & Porter.

Then, we debate the definitive boundaries of where "up north" actually begins in Michigan.

Finally, Jer did a bit of a staycation with a rare day off at Greenfield Village, getting into what makes its newest additions like the Stand 44 eatery, the Jackson House, and the reconstructed 1860s Detroit Central Market... must-visit add ons to an old favorite.

Support the work on Patreon: https://patreon.com/DailyDetroit

Feedback as always - 313-789-3211 or email us, dailydetroit@gmail.com

Today, we're learning about the massive capital investments heading to Detroit's East Side — specifically around Gratiot, 7 Mile, and Denby-Whittier.

To do it, Norris Howard and I sit down at our TechTown studio with Kala Gibson, Chief Corporate Responsibility Officer for Fifth Third Bank.

Kala shares his personal story growing up in Detroit, how a neighborhood bank closing shaped his career, and why Fifth Third is committing hundreds of millions of dollars to housing, workforce development, and small business grants across the city.

Plus, we talk about straight-talk banking, supporting local entrepreneurs, and a little local debate over Detroit pizza and classic Coney spots.

In this episode:

• The origin story behind Fifth Third's Neighborhood Program and the expansion from G7 (Gratiot and 7 Mile) into Denby-Whittier.
• How $5,300 grants and low-interest loans are helping local neighborhood businesses grow without taking on massive debt.
• Why physical bank branches and community capital are critical to rebuilding neighborhood corridors.
• Kala's favorite homecoming food stops in Detroit (and a hot take on Coney Island spots).

As always, feedback - dailydetroit@gmail.com or leave a voicemail, 313-789-3211. And be sure to follow us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get shows.

Episode transcription

Joining myself and Norris Howard at our TechTown studio is Kala Gibson, the Chief Corporate Responsibility Officer for Fifth Third. We've got a lot of things to talk about in Detroit and the East Side. Welcome to Daily Detroit, sir.

Kala Gibson: Hey, thanks for having me here.

Jer Staes: Glad to have you. So, there's a lot you all are up to on the East Side that I think people might not know about, and we're going to talk about that.

But for me, you know, you're somebody who's from Detroit, who's working in the Midwest doing a lot of things. Coming to Detroit, what about Detroit just makes you want to come back?

Kala Gibson: Oh, that's a great question. And it actually has to start pretty far back, when I was 12 years old.

The only thing that I've ever wanted to be since I was 12 was a banker. And there was only one bank that I wanted to work for, which was Comerica Bank. This came about because I had a paper route, and I was getting my little $35 a week. I took it to a branch that was about 200 feet from my house. When I came back the next day, there was a sign on the branch that said it was closed.

My life savings were in this branch! So I'm crying, I go home, my mom chuckles, and she takes me to her branch that's five miles away. But what I noticed was that when that branch closed, everything else in my neighborhood closed. The grocery store closed—it became a food desert and a finance desert. McDonald's closed, and McDonald's never closes, right? Everything in that neighborhood closed, and it changed over a 10-year period.

I felt that was something that I never wanted to see happen to another neighborhood. As a 12-year-old, you're like, "I'm going to make this commitment to get into banking and put myself in a position where that'll never happen again. If it does happen, I want to be in front of it to try to change that neighborhood back." That's what we're trying to do on the East Side.

Fifth Third's Investment in Gratiot & 7 Mile (G7)

Norris Howard: Right now, you are involved in the G7 neighborhood—that's Gratiot and 7 Mile—and there's a commitment you all have put up to create more improvements around that neighborhood. Explain to us a little bit about what's going on with that project in particular.

Kala Gibson: Yeah, let me start from the beginning. Back in 2018 or 2019, we put $5 million into the Strategic Neighborhood Fund, and the neighborhood that we adopted was G7. We felt like we could come in and make a difference. Over the first two to three years of that program, we started to see some change.

Then we took a step back and said, "What if we did this in nine other neighborhoods across Fifth Third's footprint?"

So then we started what we call the Neighborhood Program, where we made a commitment to nine predominantly historically African American neighborhoods to commit $20 million of capital investment over a three-and-a-half-year period.

I'm proud to say that since then, we've actually invested $400 million into these communities and have been able to catalyze another $200 million. So you're talking about $600 million that has gone into these nine neighborhoods that, for the last 50 to 60 years, had zero investment.

Jer Staes: For somebody at home, what does that capital investment look like? What does that manifest as?

Kala: For a resident living in that community, first and foremost, it's what the residents want in the community. This isn't your typical "we show up with the menu and say we only serve chicken, even though you're a vegetarian."

This actually started with asking: what do the residents want us to focus on? You hear the same things: it's about upward mobility and economic mobility. So it's about housing, small business, financial inclusion and access, and workforce development.

We've been focused on those four tenets, and then we place our focus on what the residents want. If they live in an area where housing is really needed, we're going to put a ton of our capital into housing. In the case of G7, as you all know, we need everything there. So we're going to spread the love: we're going to do housing, small business, financial inclusion and access, and workforce development.

Capital Access for Small Businesses

Norris Howard: On that tip, when we talk to a lot of our listeners, they want to move into these neighborhoods or stay in their neighborhoods. But one of the big reasons why they can't is the lack of access to capital—the lack of access to get the small business loan or the home loan. Explain a little bit of the process on how Detroiters can interface with Fifth Third and get access to some of these funds.

Kala: Let me talk about small business first. It is extremely difficult for anyone to start a small business. I have one of my own in Cincinnati, a coffee shop called Black Coffee, and it's hard to get started.

One of the things that we put together two years ago was what we call our Small Business Catalyst Fund. The Small Business Catalyst Fund provides the ability to distribute $5,300 grants to small businesses, but then also introduces them to low-dollar, low-interest-rate loans with one of our partners, CRF.

The goal is that most small businesses really only need about $5,000, and you don't want to put them in debt with that. The ability to give out these $5,300 grants is going to be transformational for these businesses, particularly in G7 and Denby-Whittier.

Jer: I've had conversations with other people involved in economic development, and there's a real gap in a lot of Detroit neighborhoods. For somebody who has a bit more access and privilege, you might be able to get $5,300 from an uncle, an aunt, a grandparent, or a brother. That's an attainable amount of money.

In a lot of these neighborhoods, because we have so much institutional decline and issues that people are dealing with, that's like a mountain.

Kala: That's right. The main thing was: how do you make this equitable? To your point, in different places—in our city and outside of our city—people have access to $5,300. When you actually give someone in these neighborhoods like G7 $5,300 for their business, that's life-changing. They don't have to pay that back, and it allows them to get that head start that they just haven't had.

It gives them hope, but most importantly, it gives them that start where now they can start building their business. Then the business becomes mainstream, and now they can qualify for your traditional bank loans. But you've got to start somewhere.

Expanding into Denby-Whittier

Jer Staes: G7 is Gratiot and 7 Mile—I'm very familiar, as some of my family is from that area. You're also going to be doing some expansion into Denby-Whittier, and I know personally there's a lot of work that needs to be done in Denby-Whittier on the East Side. What's driving the expansion, and what are your thoughts behind that?

Kala: It's a great story. When we announced the acquisition of Comerica, we had our Legal Day One back in February. We met with the Mayor—she had just been in office a couple of weeks.

Jer: Mayor Sheffield.

Kala: Mayor Sheffield. We said, "Hey, listen, we're going to double down in G7."

She said, "Hey, I need you to do something else. I need you to expand into Denby-Whittier."

For someone who's from the West Side, I hadn't been over to Denby-Whittier. I had no idea!

Norris Howard: We talk about this all the time! There are parts of the city that I know, and to me... I went over to his mom's house over the Fourth of July, and I swear it was like one of those video games where the clouds part and it's like, "I've never been here before."

Jer: Yeah, it was like the new part of the map opened up!

Norris: But we are here on Daily Detroit answering for y'all what is happening on Gratiot and 7 Mile! We are answering the question.

Jer: We literally get that question! Because people can get really frustrated. I think about residents I know in that area, and they want to turn and help be part of the solution with the city, or long-time residents want to do things. What do you have to say to them? What kind of help is coming, and what could this look like?

Kala: Particularly when you think about G7 and Denby-Whittier, these are places where people feel forgotten—that people have forgotten about them. My message to them is that you're not forgotten, and help is on the way.

Our goal, again, is to give everybody access to the American Dream. That's been missing for generations in some of our areas here in Detroit, and we want to bring that back. We want people to get access to housing, access to essential services like food, and access to the financial network. We want them to be a part of our branch that's right there in that neighborhood.

If you're not in the financial system, you have almost zero chance to experience the American Dream. You can't buy a home, you can't send your kids to college or vocational school, and you can't live your dream of maybe being an entrepreneur unless you're in that system. We want to bring that system to G7 and Denby-Whittier.

Why Banks Matter in Neighborhood Revitalization

Jer: So you really look at the bank as being a cornerstone of that. One often asks—having lived in the city a long time—where do you start? Which thread do you pull first? I always go: pull the one you can pull. But for you, the bank is the cornerstone.

Kala: I believe strong banks need strong communities, and strong communities need strong banks. There's a reciprocity that exists between banks and communities. I think it is our responsibility to help those be able to experience that dream.

You're right: where do you start? Well, I start with listening and hearing what the residents want, and then trying to deliver on that versus trying to figure out myself what they want. Everybody's different, and every neighborhood is different here in Detroit. So we start with the residents first.

Jer: What does that engagement process look like?

Kala: That engagement process typically is over a long-term period. This is where we have a head start with G7 because we've been there since 2019. They know who we are. We have established partners there, so now trust has been built. We've done a handful of projects there already.

Now it's our opportunity to put it on steroids, to catalyze more, and do more—particularly around housing and small business.

Norris: Can you give us a few examples of what you've already accomplished in those areas?

Kala: One of the things we were focused on, particularly in G7, was facade improvement and overall improvement of the neighborhood. People are proud of their neighborhoods, and you want to make sure that they can stay in place and feel proud.

So we did facade improvements and murals. We actually did a really innovative project called Mapleridge where we were renovating duplexes where you had two units—you can get rent on one floor and live in the other! That's something innovative because it gives people a chance to not only be a homeowner, but also be an entrepreneur—in the real estate game, as we used to say back in the day.

Those are just a handful of little, innovative things. Again, that was only with $5 million. Now we're talking about $20 million of equity, loans, and philanthropy. That's going to allow us to do even more.

My number one goal, which I'm going to continue to work on, is to try to get more people under the tent. How can we get other organizations, other banks, and other foundations to actually participate in this? All it's going to do is accelerate what we're going to see there.

Jer: The more partners, the more resources and things that can get done. I've seen a lot of that partnership in the city lately, and it has made a lot of progress.

Real Talk: What’s in it for the Bank?

Jer: You're from Detroit, so you know that we keep it real. When somebody's listening to this, I can hear someone in my neighborhood going, "Well, what's in it for the bank? What's in it for you in this?" People might be skeptical, right? Because when you've been dealing with so much being taken away from you, it's trauma, if we're being honest. How would you answer that question?

Kala: Like you said, I'm from Detroit and we keep it real, so I'm going to give it to you straight: we want them to be customers!

At the end of the day, the bank is a for-profit institution. The goal is that we want to develop the community, and we want people to have access to the American Dream. And yeah, we want them to get their mortgages from us, we want to do all their small business loans, and we want them to be customers of the bank.

Jer: I appreciate that! I think people in Detroit respect you a lot more for that.

Norris: We respect the straight talk! But I've got to ask an even tougher question.

Jer: Oh no.

Norris: What are y'all going to rename Comerica Park to, man? Listen, people need to know! Because there's already a Fifth Third Park. So if we have two Fifth Third Parks, they aren't going to know if it's South Carolina or somewhere!

Jer: So if it's a Fifth Third Park, it's not five letters, so it couldn't be an "Arc" or a "Park"...

Norris: Is it Fifth Third Field? You've got the alliteration going on!

Jer: I think there is a Fifth Third Field. So a fifth third of the word "Field" would be a Fifth Third Field?

Norris: Listen, if you take any suggestion, here's how you do it: Tiger Stadium, brought to you by Fifth Third Bank.

Kala: Oh, look at that! Look at that!

Norris: Cut the check, Fifth Third!

Kala: You're bringing it back to the Northwest Activity Center innovation there!

Norris: You ain't got to bring up Northwest Activity Center over here like that!

Jer: For listeners who don't know...

Norris: Full disclosure, I used to work at Northwest Activity Center, and Fifth Third Bank actually did a major renovation and opened up a mini-branch inside. I was the Chief Communications Officer at the time. They also redid the floor for the gym, which was crumbling.

So Fifth Third Bank—and I've got to give a shout-out to Bina Elliot, who was helping us at the time as well—it was a transformative project. I've seen what Fifth Third can do when they put their mind to assisting the community. I'm not just saying that to be a shill; I'm saying it because I was part of one of those projects, and it really revitalized Northwest Activity Center.

Jer: You saw it firsthand! So my personal question is this: since you grew up wanting to work for Comerica Bank, do you collect all the Comerica nostalgia? We're in the studio and I've got all kinds of old Detroit brands and stuff—a New Era Potato Chip can, old streetcar tickets, all that kind of stuff. Do you keep Comerica nostalgia? We did an episode on Vernors with a guy who has a whole basement full of Vernors signs!

Kala: It's funny, I collect everything still. I still have my 1991 ID from Comerica!

When we did the actual acquisition, I was going around with this thing that I've kept since 1991. So yeah, I still have my original pen. I'm one of those homers!

Jer: I appreciate that. That's very cool.

Kala, if people want to know more or get involved, where can they go?

Kala: We have a leader here in town, Tanya Rose, who is our Michigan leader and Community Impact Manager. All questions can go to her.

We also have information on our website if you want to see more about the Neighborhood Program. If you go out towww.53.comand visit our corporate responsibility area, you'll see more information about our Neighborhood Program and see what's coming to G7 and Denby-Whittier.

Jer: My final question is a very important question. Is it more important than the ballpark? When you come back—because you're from the city, but you're living somewhere else now—when you come back, what is the first thing you go see or eat?

Kala: Oh, that's a great question! The first thing I do—and I do this every single time—I go to Buddy's.

Norris: Really?

Kala: I go to Buddy's because Buddy's is traditional Detroit pizza. I live in Cincinnati now, and people try to do Detroit pizza there and it doesn't work.

The second place I go is to a Coney. I'll go to Leo's, National, or L. George's.

Norris: Let's go! He said L. George's!

Jer: This guy is such an L. George's fan!

Kala: I don't hear no American or Lafayette—he said the real deal! That's where you take the tourists, right? We're in the neighborhood!

Jer: I love it. Well, Kala Gibson, Chief Corporate Responsibility Officer for Fifth Third, thank you so much for stopping by Daily Detroit. We appreciate you, and we will be watching the work happening at G7 and Denby-Whittier.

Kala: Thank you both for having me on. It's been great.\

We're kicking off September with our ultimate preview of what's happening and what we're keeping our eyes on across Metro Detroit this month.

Norris Howard joins me to talk about the most interesting events on the calendar, including the month-long Detroit Month of Design, Labor Day festival traditions like the Detroit Jazz Fest and much more.

We also break down the major local stories and trends shaping our region heading into the fall, from last-minute possible mail-in voting changes you need to keep an eye on that could impact Michigan... to food safety recalls... to our upcoming look at the RenCen's future and how national economic shifts impact our city and region.

Plus, thank you for making us the number one podcast in Detroit.

You can listen to Daily Detroit on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, or wherever you get your favorite shows. Feedback as always - dailydetroit@gmail.com or leave a voicemail, 313-789-3211.

While major downtown developments often capture the headlines, neighborhood parks across the city of Detroit's 139 square miles are getting critical investments driven directly by community feedback, with funding support from the philanthropic community.

In this episode, I sit down at our TechTown studio with JJ Vélez, Senior Director of Public Space for the Gilbert Family Foundation.

We dig into how a $1.2 million commitment across neighborhood parks — including Dorais Park, Eliza Howell Park, and Hass Emery Park (currently in the process of being renamed Keith Slappy Park) — is helping bring community-driven visions to life, as well as how they help on the ground with community organizations.

As he says:

"Detroiters just want to be heard... What I've learned in this position is bringing that mentality: underpromise and overdeliver, and just being an opportunity for residents to speak and listen. There's a reason why we have two ears and one mouth. We need to do a lot more listening and a lot less speaking."

Feedback as always by email: dailydetroit@gmail.com or leave a voicemail: 313-789-3211.

Be sure to follow us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, or wherever you listen to shows.

Hey friends, Jer here.

Excellent biscuits are hard to find. So many places haven't perfected the mix of puff, butter, and crisp needed to make it really hit.

One of the best breakfast biscuits you'll find around are at Saturn Coffee.

In fact, they recently celebrated 10,000 biscuits sold since they opened a year ago over at 700 Seward, just north of Detroit's New Center.

I personally enjoy it because it's one of the most "urbanist-vibe" places you'll find in town, located in an apartment block and on a street densely packed with interesting buildings and houses.

🪐 Saturday and Sunday, Saturn Coffee is celebrating its first birthday! The anniversary bash packed with local pop-ups, cake, and plenty of neighborhood friends.

Highlights include a floral bar from We Floral Detroit (opening soon next door to the cafe), small-batch ceramics by Strawberry Milk Ceramics, books from Brooks Book Bike, bagel sandwiches from Daphne's Bagels, live patio jazz by the Harmolodics and an art market from the staff. More details here. [Instagram]

🍺 Also celebrating an anniversary this weekend is Florian East in Hamtramck! Two things there I want to highlight:

🇸🇰 Saturday: Along with the anniversary party, 5 p.m. kicks off the Kôprovâ Slovak Kitchen pop-up, including pierogi (three flavors, including potato/gouda/onion jam, goat cheese/beet jam, and cabbage/horseradish greens/mustard greens), schnitzel sandwiches, and maczanka (Kraków-style pulled-pork sandwiches). [Instagram]

🏡 Sunday: Florian East is among the stops for the inaugural Taste of Hamtramck, an 11 a.m.-2 p.m. walking tasting tour benefiting Detroit Friendship House’s food pantry. Tickets include tastings at participating restaurants and one beer at Florian East for attendees 21 and older. Tickets are required for Sunday's Taste event.

You can find them at 9350 Joseph Campau and online here.

🥃 This weekend, for the first time, Detroit City Distillery’s 100 Proof is opening to the public. The 100-seat bar and event space next to the distillery’s Whiskey Factory in Eastern Market had largely been used for private bookings and special events.

Going forward, 100 Proof will be open Monday through Friday from 11 a.m.-10 p.m., plus Saturdays from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. during its summer schedule.

The venue will also host Lions watch parties for away games and tailgates for home games, with timing still to be announced. Find it at 1000 Gratiot Avenue.

The space will continue to also be available for private bookings.

☕️ Washed Up Coffee has a second location open in time for the weekend, this time in Midtown. It's at 3980 Second Avenue at the corner of West Alexandrine. Open 8 a.m.-2 p.m. [Instagram]

It's been a local favorite since they opened up in West Village. The owners, Amélie Boulanger and Emily Potter, were featured on the cover of Barista Magazine this month. Love to see local people get national attention!

🥊 Also officially open this weekend is the downtown location of Joe Louis Southern Kitchen.

The family-owned restaurant’s third outpost brings its Southern-style comfort food to 1528 Woodward Avenue, joining locations in Midtown and Southfield.

This one has some extras: It’s the first Joe Louis Southern Kitchen with a full bar and an open-air patio, plus the archival photos and other tributes to the Detroit boxing legend.

You'll find an all-day Southern comfort-food menu. This includes shrimp and grits, chicken and waffles, and everything from French toast to fried catfish, Creole gumbo and Cajun-style smoked turkey legs.

The roughly 4,000-square-foot restaurant seats more than 100 and is open daily from 7 a.m.-3 p.m., with Friday and Saturday hours stretching to 1 a.m.

Weekend nights will feature house and R&B DJs — and adds another option before or after events at Comerica Park, Ford Field and Little Caesars Arena.

🎥 Look, it was a heartbreaking week for those of us who loved Dolly Parton, Peter Cullen and Tim Curry. So if you need a little Rocky Horror Picture Show to help you feel better, head to the Aretha Franklin Amphitheatre on Friday night.

The riverfront venue is screening the cult classic under the stars on Aug. 28, just days after Curry — the unforgettable Dr. Frank-N-Furter — died at age 80. Costumes are encouraged, there will be eight bars throughout the venue and secure parking on site. Tickets are $20.

It should be an especially fitting chance to do the Time Warp again.

🤘🏻 Hamtramck’s garage-rock faithful are going all out at Small’s on Saturday for the fifth Detroit All-Star Garage Rock Punk Revue.

The stacked bill includes the All-Star Garage Rock Punk Band, Nikki Corvette, White Shag, Smitt E. Smitty & the Fezztones, Cinecyde, Little Billy Lost, Custodians and Rock & Roll Prep School, plus a special DJ set from Danny Kroha.

Jerry Vile and Paul Zimmerman co-host the night, which also promises appearances from a long list of Detroit music-scene regulars.

The show starts at 7 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 29, at Small’s, 10339 Conant St.

Advance tickets are recommended as organizers say it’s expected to sell out.

🗓️ Mark Your Calendars

🎹 TechTown’s First Thursdays & Coworking Concert Series offers a free after-work networking night and live music on Thursday, Sept. 3.

Stop by the entrepreneurship hub from 5:30-7:30 p.m. to meet people, grab refreshments and light bites, then stick around for live music at 7:30 p.m. It’s free and open to everyone, though registration is encouraged.

🥪 Ain't no party like a Detroit Sandwich Party! Carlos Parisi stopped by the podcast to preview what's happening next Sunday, September 6 at Eastern Market.

“One thing I love to see is when people arrive 5 or 10 deep with a game plan… split up to different vendors before meeting back up to share everything. That’s sweet.” — Carlos Parisi

They will have more than 50 vendors serving small-format sandwiches, plus kid-friendly activities and both alcoholic and nonalcoholic drinks. This year, it expands beyond Shed 5 into the parking lot after drawing about 7,000 people last year. Listen to the whole conversation here on Apple Podcasts or on our website.

Love this newsletter? Here are two ways to pitch in and help:

1) Tell a friend about Daily Detroit. Word of mouth and people forwarding this around is the best way to grow the thing.

2) Consider becoming a member and supporting the work. Our membership starts at $3.13 a month to help keep our independent work going from the 313.

Have fun out there. Thanks for sharing your inbox with me, and I'll see you around Detroit.

-Jer

It's a packed Wednesday edition of Daily Detroit.

We break down the mounting tensions in the U.S.-Canada trade dispute and respond to political rhetoric proposing to rename Lake Ontario to "Lake America."

Plus, we pay tribute to the late, great Dolly Parton.

Then it's a recap of our weekend trip to see Detroit City FC win over Tampa Bay with one of the best keeper saves we've seen in a long time.

In local development news, a long-vacant historic YMCA building in Mexicantown across from Clark Park gets a redevelopment lifeline, Midtown sees progress on West Willis, and local favorite Bev's Bagels sets its sights on Birmingham.

As always, feedback - dailydetroit@gmail.com or 313-789-3211.

And follow Daily Detroit on your favorite podcast app!