Lifestyle : Detroit Development News

Movement, Detroit's electronic music festival happening this weekend at Hart Plaza, is about more than just the music. Movement is about creating and promoting the full Detroit city experience for tens of thousands of out-of-town guests, and that includes highlighting Detroit's tremendous creative community.
 
Sam Fotias, Director of Operations for festival producers Paxahau, says that they are always thinking of ways to create a more fully comprehensive Detroit experience and promote other Detroit subcultures at the festival every single year.
 
The arts community and the music community seem to have a natural overlap in Detroit. Exhibit openings at the Red Bull House of Art and the newly-opened Inner State Gallery attract a lot of the same audience members as Movement, and the two communities – street/pop/contemporary art and techno/electronic music – have matured in tandem over the last couple of decades.
 
CAMP (Community Arts Moving Projects) Detroit is the final evolution of several years of growing art installations and exhibits displayed at Movement since Paxahau took over in 2006. Now in its third year, CAMP Detroit brings in six teams of Detroit artists to create installations to be displayed on the festival grounds all weekend long.
 
There are certain constraints: materials used must be able to withstand the weather and the inevitable man-handling. Designs must suit the topography of Hart Plaza and not require special machinery to be transported. Teams must also be able to work within a $1,500 budget, awarded to them through Paxahau's nonprofit organization Detroit Techno Foundation in partnership with the Detroit Creative Corridor Center and, as of this year, Opportunity Detroit. But the project doesn't end there: when the festival is over, teams are challenged to find permanent homes in the city for their works, a lasting gift to the community and an arts legacy for the Detroit Techno Foundation.
 
"I know of no other festival that is doing this – commissioning pieces for the festival from local artists to be permanently displayed in the community after the festival is over," Fotias says.
 
Projects range from the crafty to large-scale steel sculptures. This year's projects include light and color sculptures and a vertical garden "bloom box."
 
Source: Sam Fotias, Director of Operations for Paxahau
Writer: Nicole Rupersburg

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You already know that the popular Royal Oak art gallery 323 East, which is behind the game-changing 1xRUN limited edition time-released online art "store" with an international audience, is moving to Detroit in a space adjacent to Eastern Market at 1410 Gratiot. What you might not know yet is that with the new space comes a new name.
 
"We're in a new space and have a new identity," says Jesse Cory, founder of 323 East. "We needed a fresh new approach to it."
 
That new approach is called Inner State, a name which can be seen as both a semantic play on the extensive interstate systems that criss-cross the Motor City as well as an acknowledgement of the work of the exhibiting artists reflecting their "inner states."
 
After outgrowing their small space in Royal Oak, the 323 team began looking for spaces in the city. "The art world in Detroit is exploding right now," Cory says. "There's a consolidation (that's happening)," mentioning the Butcher's Daughter in Midtown and the Red Bull House of Art, Inner State's new neighbors located in the market district.
 
The three-story, 10,000-square-foot space has a more refined look designed by architect Tadd Heidgerken for et al. Collaborative, who also designed Astro Coffee and the House of Art. "(We knew he) designs spaces that are very comfortable and dynamic. I don’t know where else in town you'd look to get someone with that kind of aesthetic." Cory describes it as being less of a boutique and more of a traditional gallery – cleaner, much larger, and a fitting utilization of the building without "going overboard."
 
Inner State will be open Thursdays through Saturdays and will be more exhibit-oriented with private receptions as well as the grand opening fetes for each new exhibit that they became known for at 323.

"We definitely want to celebrate the efforts people put into these works and have a party," he says. "It's really a coming-of-age of the art world in Detroit. The stigma of galleries in the past has been removed. (Places like) 323 and the House of Art have really made the experience inclusive."
 
The new gallery opens May 17.
 
Source: Jesse Cory, founder of 323 East/Inner State
Writer: Nicole Rupersburg

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Global Detroit Human will open inside the Auburn in the coming weeks, joining retailers Hugh, Nora, and Source Booksellers in what is fast becoming Midtown's de facto shopping district at the intersection of Cass and Canfield (on the other side of Cass, Run Detroit and Shinola will both open soon, while Nest and City Bird already anchor West Canfield).
 
Global Detroit Human (GDH) is clothing design collective, a boutique that exclusively carries lines from metro Detroit designers. Some of the local labels that can be found inside include Homeslice Clothing, Emily Thornhill's line of classic fashion pieces for day or evening made from eco-sustainable materials; Lavinia Curves, which produces fashionable dresses for curvy women sizes 12-22; SIX LUXE, a line of reversible resort wear for multiple looks in one for those who like to travel light; and Corrosive Clothing, a line of men's T-shirts designed with custom print injection technology that injects the ink directly into the threads for longer-lasting designs.
 
GDH was envisioned by owner Jill Drnek about a year ago. She wanted to have a collection of metro Detroit designers to show off to the world, and traveled the fashion capitals of Europe to speak with store owners, do some research, and start building excitement for Detroit designers. After hosting a pop-up in Livonia and participating as a vendor at events like Dally in the Alley, Drnek decided it was time to open a store in the city. A space inside the Auburn unexpectedly became available in November, and she jumped at the opportunity to open in a viable retail district near other design-focused stores.
 
"The goal is really to take the Detroit design community into a storefront," says Drnek. "This will help designers better understand their market and continue to build their brand and contribute to the growth of the Detroit design community," ultimately with the goal of shopping these designers to the European market.
 
Buildout of the space is near completion. Drnek hopes to open in early May.
 
Source: Jill Drnek, owner and curator/buyer of Global Detroit Human
Writer: Nicole Rupersburg

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Another iconic Detroit building, the former Pontchartrain Hotel, will breathe new life later this spring after sitting vacant since 2009.
 
The Pontchartrain will soon re-open as a Crowne Plaza, an upscale hotel property owned by the Intercontinental Hotels Group (IHG). Ohio-based Stephen Berry Architectural Design is the design firm working on the project. The firm specializes in hotel projects nationwide, many of which are IHG properties. The firm has also worked with the previous two owners of the Pontchartrain.
 
Stephen Berry says that the new design concept for the 25-story, 371-room hotel will be sensitive to the building's 1965 modernist design. The vaulted ceiling of the lobby will be completely re-finished with gold and silver leaf. The restaurant and lounge spaces will be totally re-imagined with copper leaf accents, new fixtures and décor.
 
"The lobby and lounge will be very modern and striking. We're really changing the look," says Berry. "(The new design) really gets away from the darkness of the past."
 
The exterior of the building will also see significant aesthetic changes with a whole new color scheme. The face of the building will be neutral beige with green glass. One of the biggest changes includes a new auto-access entrance on Jefferson in IHG's signature plum color, with a white custom-built backlit canopy arcing over it. "It's very colorful. The building was always a monochromatic black and dark gray. Now it will have a whole new look."
 
Significant work is also being done to the second-floor exterior terrace, which Berry describes as a "key feature of the building."
 
Other plans include added ground-floor retail along Jefferson, including a new gift shop concept that internationally-known hotel developer Gabriel Ruiz (who is behind this development) has branded in his hotel chain through North America.
 
Source: Stephen Berry, owner of Stephen Berry Architectural Design
Writer: Nicole Rupersburg

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After barely seven months of construction, the Sherbrooke Manor apartments in Midtown are hosting a grand re-opening open house this Wednesday (March 13) and are currently in the process of leasing.
 
"We expect (units) to go very quickly," says Lis Knibbe, a principal at Quinn Evans Architects and the developer of the Sherbrooke Manor apartments. "We are so proud of how it came out. It exceeded our hopes."
 
The 100-year-old building was initially opened as six luxury units and was later renovated into 24 low-cost units. Knibbe looked into the building in August 2011 and purchased it in July 2012. She praises the work of the Monahan Company, which handled all of the renovation work. "They worked their butts off, even on weekends."
 
Sherbrooke now has 14 upscale units featuring granite countertops, energy efficient stainless steel appliances and washer/dryer units in each apartment, refinished original hardwood floors, and historic trim. Common areas feature a sunroom, a central wooden staircase, and leaded glass windows. Six of the units have plaza balconies. Each unit has windows on three sides.
 
"We were able the salvage the whole building," says Knibbe. "You always have high hopes for every building you work on but this one just exceeded everything we could have hoped." Because it was originally built as high-end housing, the building retained its bare bones structure to enable the development team to bring it back to its former glory. "It's such an elegant space and we were able to recapture that elegance of the building."
 
For leasing inquiries, contact leasing agent Michael Martorelli of Center City Properties at 313-782-4056.
 
Source: Lis Knibbe, developer of the Sherbrooke Manor apartments
Writer: Nicole Rupersburg

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Detroit has lots of runners. The annual Free Press marathon drew in about 24,000 last year, the annual Corktown Race (held before the Corktown Parade, coming up this Sunday) attracts over 5,000, and even smaller races attract a big crowd. Yes, Detroit has lots of runners, but the one thing it doesn’t have is a running store.
 
Until now.
 
Run Detroit is set to open this spring inside Willys Overland Lofts in Midtown. Owners Justin Craig and Alia Polsgrove are both runners themselves (which is how the couple met) and recognized the needs for a running store in the city.
 
"There are just a lot of runners in Detroit," says Craig. "There are a lot of people who live here and work here but there’s nowhere to shop. We kept hearing the same thing from people (about the lack of retail options)."
 
Craig, a Seattle native, managed a running store out there. He and Polsgrove, who is originally from Michigan, visited Detroit last summer for a race. They had been kicking around the idea of opening a running store and saw the space at Willys, so they made contact with the DeMattia Group (the developers of the building) and from there things moved quickly. They sold their house and moved to Detroit.
 
The store will act as a community hub for runners offering apparel (fashionable brands that "look good but also perform well"), accessories, and expertise. "We will make sure you get the best shoe for you," Craig says. "We will offer superior customer care to get people comfortable, with a lot of advice and tips to help people along the way to reach their goals but stay healthy while doing it."
 
The 1,300-square-foot space will be an open space with hardwood floors, exposed brick, comfortable seating, and plenty of natural lighting. Buildout is on schedule and they expect to open in April.
 
Source: Justin Craig, co-owner of Run Detroit
Writer: Nicole Rupersburg

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Detroit certainly seems to have a yoga jones of late. There’s a new sign up at 55 Canfield: Bikram Yoga Detroit will be opening on the ground floor of the 55 West Canfield Lofts this spring.
 
Sarah Weckerle is a certified Bikram Yoga instructor and is a partner in this new studio with her sister Sue Weckerle and Sue’s husband Paul Howard (the couple are also partners in Midtown’s Bronx Bar and Cliff Bell’s in Foxtown).
 
Bikram Yoga is the original hot yoga developed by Bikram Choudhury in the 1970s. It consists of a series of 26 postures that never change. "Any class you go to will be exactly the same," says Weckerle. The repetition and consistency also makes it easier to learn the postures and learn your own body. "You can see your improvement a little faster."
 
Weckerle has been practicing yoga since 2000 and attended a nine-week teacher training with Choudhury in 2004. She taught in California for four years before moving back to Michigan and attending Eastern Michigan University while teaching yoga in local studios in the western suburbs. "When I finished my graduate degree I realized I really did just want to keep teaching yoga." Because her sister and brother-in-law already had the business background and Midtown footing, the pieces all fit together for her to open her own studio.
 
Despite the recent surge of yoga studios and yoga pop-ups in Detroit, Bikram Yoga Detroit will be the first Bikram Yoga studio in the city. The room will be kept at 105 degrees with 35 percent humidity. They will offer a variety of packages, from drop-in class pricing to packages to blocks of time up to one year unlimited.
 
Construction has already started on the space, and they are hoping for a mid-April opening.
 
Source: Sarah Weckerle, co-owner of Bikram Yoga Detroit
Writer: Nicole Rupersburg

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The Grand River Station in Woodbriidge, built in 1901 and formerly used as a police station, boys' home and bomb squad headquarters at different points in time, will now be the home of the Castle Lofts, a new mixed-use commercial and residential property operated by the Detroit Legacy Group.
 
According to Brittany Washington, co-founder of the Detroit Legacy Group, renovations have more or less ongoing for the past 20 years. They are now putting on the finishing touches and readying the property for future residents.
 
The first floor will be dedicated to commercial space for small "virtual" corporations and start-up companies. The companies will share common areas including a conference area, office center (with copy and fax machines), restrooms, a common entrance, and a reception area that services them all.
 
The remaining floors will be the Castle Lofts, which range from one to four bedrooms and can be one, two, or three levels (multi-level units feature spiral staircases).
 
"There are 15 units and all are different models with no set floorplan," says Washington. Units feature a variety of features including Jacuzzi tubs (in some), hardwood floors, exposed brick walls, stainless steel GE appliances, recessed lighting, and a heated parking garage (for an additional cost).
 
Renovations on the rental units are almost complete and tours to prospective renters start this week. They hope to start moving people in by mid-March.
 
The Detroit Legacy Group, a youth-oriented development group, took control of the property in January and hope to use this property to serve their mission to "provide luxury housing, entertainment (options), and business (opportunities) in the heart of the Creative Corridor" in the Midtown and Woodbridge neighborhoods.
 
Source: Brittany Washington, Co-Founder of Detroit Legacy Group
Writer: Nicole Rupersburg

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We certainly aren't lacking for more "traditional" social clubs – i.e., bars – in the city of Detroit, but Drive is a whole new kind of social hub.
 
Drive: Table Tennis Social Club is a ping-pong palace, recently opened on the ground floor level of the Lofts at Merchants Row on Woodward Avenue in the space formerly occupied by City Loft, the pop-up retail space operated by the Somerset Collection.
 
Owner Diallo Smith has lived in cities all over the country but moved back home to Detroit with his wife Jameel in 2008. "Part of that was hearing about some of the exciting things happening in Detroit, the resurgence and renaissance," he says. "We felt like it was a great time for us to move back and be a part of that in some way."
 
Drive was born out of their desire to be entrepreneurs and contribute to the growing number of lively, unique businesses that will ultimately be the backbone of a new Detroit. They chose table tennis because of its world-wide popularity and its familiarity on an everyday level. "Everybody has played (ping-pong) in a basement growing up, or at a friend’s house in the summer."
 
It was also something Detroit didn’t already have.
 
The 4,000-square-foot space is designed to have an upscale look, and they are currently working on obtaining a liquor license and plan on carrying international beers and wines you don’t see in every bar in keeping with the international nature of the sport and their upscale environment. They will also introduce a small food menu of "funky" sandwiches and melts once they start serving beer, wine and cocktails.
 
Drive is currently open 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Saturday but will extend their hours once their liquor license is approved, which they hope will happen this spring.
 
Souce: Diallo Smith, owner of Drive: Table Tennis Social Club
Writer: Nicole Rupersburg

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When the Department of Alternatives holds its first open house on Thursday it won't just be showing off downtown Detroit's newest co-working space, but the latest renovation at a big building in the Motor City's Central Business District.

The Department of Alternatives is occupying the second floor of 1514 Washington Blvd., at the corner of Clifford in the shadow of the David Whitney Building. The founders behind LOVELAND Technologies, The Detroit Bus Co, Dandelion Detroit and Evidence-Based Literacy Instruction (four up-and-coming companies) came together to form the core of the Department of Alternatives by moving their headquarters to 1514 Washington. The idea was to form a cluster of entrepreneurs tackling social change and civic innovation.

"There is power in bringing people within a close proximity to each other," says Jordan Wolfe, a partner with Evidence-Based Literacy Instruction and one of the founding members of the Department of Alternatives. "We saw the need for people to come together and work on civic and social issues."

Those four founding companies are now occupying about 3,500 square feet of the 10,000 square feet available at the Department of Alternatives. They hope to attract some more similar-minded companies and organizations (they are looking for established firms and nonprofits as opposed to brand-new startups) at the open house on Thursday. The companies occupying the co-working space will collectively help pay for the overhead, however, Wolfe says the formula for paying for those costs is still being refined. Wolfe expects the cluster of innovating, socially aware organizations and the events it holds will emerge as a strong voice in the public conversation about Detroit's future.

"A big piece of what we're going to roll out over time is to create conversations about important issues," Wolfe says.

The 7-story structure, also known as the Claridge House Apartments, was in the news last year as a potential acquisition target for Quicken Loans Chaiman Dan Gilbert's downtown buying spree. Wolfe says he and some partners have acquired the building and that it is not part of Gilbert's property portfolio.

Wolfe and his partners are also working on renovating the entire structure. Work is being done on the 45 apartments in the third floor and above. Wolfe describes the layout of those apartments as some of the best he has seen downtown.

The building also has four ground-floor retail spaces that are in the process of filling up. Two existing business (a book importer and a hair salon) will remain. A new fitness studio, Come Play Detroit, is also opening in one of the spaces. Wolfe and his partners are also eyeing another new business, like a dry cleaner, for the last space. They expect the mixed-use nature of the building and its proximity to things like the newly renovated Broderick Tower and M@dison Building will make it an attractive place for years to come.

"It's kind of perfectly located between the Whitney, Broderick and Capitol Park so it will be easy to create walkability," Wolfe says.

The Department of Alternatives open house will be held 7-10 p.m. Thursday at 1514 Washington, Suite 200. For information, click here.

Source: Jordan Wolfe, founding member of Department of Alternatives
Writer: Jon Zemke

Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.

Lately it seems that there's a new fitness center or yoga studio opening every week in Detroit. CrossFit BMW (which stands for "Benchmark Workouts"), on Cass between Charlotte and Peterboro in Midtown, is among the more recent openings. It offers something a little different than a traditional gym.
 
CrossFit is a national brand that achieves health and fitness through an interdisciplinary approach, incorporating weight-lifting, gymnastics, sprinting, rope-climbing, and other high-intensity exercises with an emphasis on cardio, strengthening, and conditioning. It's ideal for professional athletes and WSU students (and they get both).
 
Different elements are combined daily to create a unique "Workout of the Day" (WOD), and no two are ever the same. The result of the physically exerting hour-long WOD is similar to that of a one-hour session of personal training, only in a group class format and at a fraction of the cost.
 
"(CrossFit BMW) is membership-based and open to everyone," says owner Jarrod Bell. He started a CrossFit affiliate in metro Detroit six years ago and has wanted to open a gym in the city from the beginning. When the building on Cass (owned by Midtown developer Joel Landy) became available, Bell jumped at the opportunity. "As long as I’ve been (doing this) I’ve been eyeing that building."
 
In addition to the WODs, CrossFit BMW offers power-lifting classes and will be adding additional classes in the future, which will likely include gymnastics, yoga, kickboxing, and kids' CrossFit. Bell also hopes to put together an Olympic lifting team.
 
A monthly membership costs $185 and includes unlimited classes, personal training and fitness coaching. (Students, law enforcement, military personnel, firefighters, and teachers receive a discount.) "When you start talking personal training at the YMCA and L.A. Fitness, that’s just an admission fee," says Bell. "We offer personal training on a daily basis for that amount in a goal-based fitness gym and training studio."
 
Source: Jarrod Bell, owner of CrossFit BMW
Writer: Nicole Rupersburg
 
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Rodin, an upscale bar overlooking the Detroit Institute of Arts, is set to open Wednesday.

Rodin is a reference to famed-artist Augeste Rodin's The Thinker, the statue that sits vigil at the entrance of the DIA a stones throw away. The night spot features high-end drinks, gourmet food and dancing in a casual atmosphere in the Park Shelton's ground-floor commercial space at Woodward Avenue and Kirby Street. The business' tagline: "Eat, Drink, Dance."

"People will be very impressed with the food," says Torya Blanchard, describing the food as the French-version of small plates fare. "Chef Kate (Williams) is amazing. It's fun. It's different. It's whimsical. It's fresh. It's something people in Detroit haven't seen."

Blanchard also owns Good Girls Go To Paris Crepes a few doors down in the Park Shelton's Woodward frontage. She has been working to bring Rodin to life for two years and does so with a staff of 25 people. Blanchard plans to host a New Year's Eve Party as Rodin's first big event.

Blanchard describes Rodin as a fun and sexy place that will take its cues from French culture, art and jazz/Motown/northern soul music. It will have both DJs and live bands.

Source: Torya Blanchard, owner of Rodin
Writer: Jon Zemke

Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.

The Detroit Yacht Club has created a namesake foundation to help preserve its historic structure on Belle Isle.

The Detroit Yacht Club is a private sailing club founded in 1868 and its current Mediterranean-villa-style clubhouse was designed by George Mason (who also designed Mackinac Island's Grand Hotel and Detroit's Masonic Temple) and opened in 1923. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places last year.

The Detroit Yacht Club Foundation is a nonprofit that will focus on fundraising and coordinating the preservation of the yacht club's nearly 100-year-old clubhouse. Although the building itself is still sound, the foundation will focus on securing and preserving its envelope features, such as its roof, walls, doors and windows.

"All of these areas are 89 years old," says Mark Lifter, president of the Detroit Yacht Club Foundation. "With Michigan's freeze-and-thaw cycles, water always finds a way."

The Detroit Yacht Cub Foundation's first order of business is to conduct an engineering study of the building before moving forward with any improvements. In the meantime the foundation is working on raising money and resources from members and people with a connection to the yacht club.

"Over time, there are probably millions of people with a connection or an affinity for the Detroit Yacht Club," Lifter says.

Source: Mark Lifter, president of the Detroit Yacht Club Foundation
Writer: Jon Zemke

Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.

A group of Detroiters are working to create a dog park next to the iconic Michigan Central Station in Corktown.

The Detroit Dog Park is a off-leash dog park that would be built on the Macomb Playlot at the corner of 16th and Rose streets, adjacent to the Roosevelt Park. The organizers have reached an agreement with the city of Detroit to build the lot and are currently fundraising for the effort. It hopes to open next summer.

"There are a lot of people who live in an urban setting with dogs and don't have backyards," says Carly Mys, chair of the Detroit Dog Park. "There is a need for a place to let them run off leash, a place for them to socialize with other dogs and people."

The Detroit Dog Park is currently in the midst of a Kickstarter campaign to raise $15,000 for the dog park's construction. It has raised nearly $12,000 as of Monday. The money will go toward buying construction materials and services. Mys says the project will have a heavy emphasis on green construction, employing things like rain barrels.

"We want to be sustainable, using things like recycled materials is high on our list," Mys says.

Source: Carly Mys, chair of the Detroit Dog Park
Writer: Jon Zemke

Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.

The Imagination Station continues to grow in the shadow of the Michigan Central Station, adding a miniature golf course last weekend.

A sculpture class from Lawrence Technological University spear-headed the project, creating what's being billed as an "Urban Put Put : Detroit Mini Golf" course on the corner of 14th and Dalzelle streets overlooking Roosevelt Park. The Imagination Station is a public-art project taking place in two blighted houses turned into art between the miniature golf course and the Roosevelt Hotel.

"We were thinking in terms of functional sculptures," says Steve Coy, assistant professor of art & design at Lawrence Technological University who helped organize the project. "It's fun to have and fun to play on."

The Lawrence Tech class started a Kickstarter campaign to raise $2,000 to build the miniature golf course. It has raised $2,725 as of Monday afternoon and there are still two weeks left to collect donations. Coy expects to need those extra days to finish covering the costs of the project.

"We're definitely going to need more money," Coy says. "We're hoping the Kickstarter will continue to grow."

For information on the project, click here.

Source: Steve Coy, assistant professor of art & design at Lawrence Technological University
Writer: Jon Zemke

Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.