Featured Stories

Claire Nowak-Boyd in front of the now-demolished Park Avenue Hotel in Detroit

Opinion: Buildings belong to all of us

Claire Nowak-Boyd Monday, February 01, 2016

"We know the name of the architect of Grand Central Station, but who swept the floors?"

Architecture, Detroit, Development, Sense of Place

Chief Holt in WSU's public safety command center

How Midtown became Detroit's safest neighborhood

Dennis Archambault Tuesday, January 26, 2016

Collaboration between institutions and law enforcement agencies, led by Chief Anthony Holt and the Wayne State Police, has led to a 52 percent reduction in crime in Midtown since 2008.

Anchor Institutions, Building Communities, Detroit, Sense of Place, Transformational change, Wayne State University

Midtown

Historic Elmwood Cemetery designated Detroit's first arboretum

Amy Elliott Bragg Monday, January 25, 2016

There are over 1,400 trees on Elmwood's grounds, representing 91 species, including black locusts, hawthorn, beech, willow, ash, American plum, and domestic pear.

Detroit, Sense of Place

Near East Side

Second round of Motor City Match grants announced

Matthew Lewis Monday, January 25, 2016

The second round of Motor City Match grantees, who will receive a combined $500,000 in awards, are located throughout Detroit. They include a gourmet slider restaurant, a neighborhood pharmacy, a bike and coffee shop, among others.

Detroit, Development, Entrepreneurs, Small Business

An Offworld Arcade pop-up at Checker Bar

Gaming goes Offworld in Detroit

Don Behm Thursday, January 21, 2016

Don Behm started his vintage arcade business, Offworld, by tinkering with classic games in his garage.

Detroit, Entrepreneurs, Lifestyle, Small Business, STEM Hub

Midtown, Downtown Detroit

The Michigan Central Railway tunnel under construction in 1910

The 7 man-made wonders of Detroit

Aaron Mondry and Matthew Lewis Tuesday, January 19, 2016

Detroit's wonders might not be as obvious as those of other cities, but what they lack in grandeur they make up for in their quality of engineering and the practical advantages they give our region.

Architecture, Detroit, Sense of Place, STEM Hub, Tours

How metro Detroit small businesses can avoid the risks of mobile payment

Lauren Fay Carlson Tuesday, January 19, 2016

Convenient and easy-to-use mobile payment technologies are increasing in popularity among metro Detroit's small businesses, but they can pose security risks. Here are a few tips on how small businesses can ensure the security of their customers' and their own financial information.

Cyber Security

Steve Shaw, Detroit photographer

Glen Morren Thursday, January 14, 2016

Over three decades' worth of Shaw's photography will be on display at a solo show opening Friday, Jan. 15, at the Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit.

Arts, Detroit, Museums

Midtown

John Brown III and Fletcher Sharpe, co-hosts of The Outer Drive, a podcast about soccer in Detroit

Detroit podcasts you need to be listening to

Aaron Mondry Tuesday, January 12, 2016

There's something for everyone in Detroit's exploding podcast scene. Here are a few of our favorite shows to get you started listening local.

Arts, Detroit, Lifestyle

10 Years of Change: A writer's reflection

Matthew Piper Monday, January 11, 2016

Regular Model D contributor Matthew Piper reflects on the joys and challenges of writing in and about Detroit over the last decade.

10 Years of Change, Arts, Detroit

3 things that could transform metro Detroit in 2016

Matthew Lewis Monday, January 11, 2016

The Regional Transit Authority millage, partnerships between Silicon Valley and Detroit, and sprawl are a few things we'll be keeping a close eye on this year.

Advanced Manufacturing, Detroit, Development, Public Policy, Transformational change, Transit

Thanks to a new tool, it's easier being green in Detroit

Francis Grunow Tuesday, January 05, 2016

With a simple keyword search, the Detroit Green Map shows users interested in sustainable practices where to buy solar panels, where to recycle, where to volunteer, and more.

Blue/Green Infrastructure, Detroit, Energy, Green, Sense of Place, Sustainability, Tours

Young Detroit chess players wait to play Grandmaster Hikaru Nakamura

Our favorite stories of 2015

Matthew Lewis Tuesday, December 29, 2015

A look back on some of Model D's best stories from the last year.

10 Years of Change, Detroit

Impact investors swing the hammers that are building the new economy in southeast Michigan

Jon Zemke Tuesday, December 22, 2015

Investing in a startup is one thing. Making an impact with that investment is another. A growing class of impact investors is putting smart money into scaling Metro Detroit's new economy, and it's paying big dividends.

Detroit, Entrepreneurs, Gazelle