Buzz

Nain Rouge, Midtown and placemaking

Economics of Place Tuesday, March 27, 2012

We found this last night while scouring the interwebs looking for quirky Detroit stuff to share. It comes from Dan Gilmartin and his ever-inspiring Economics of Place blog:

The Marche du Nain Rouge is the brainchild of Francis Grunow, a midtown resident and a big player in the turnaround of the historic Cass Corridor neighborhood. When I was in high school the area (which is part of greater Midtown) was #1 on the list of neighborhoods that you didn’t want to venture into at night. Today, however, it boasts some amazing new residential loft developments, authentic retail shops, great restaurants, and an energy approaching what you might find in some of the more well known "comeback" neighborhoods in New York, Chicago, and San Francisco.

Well said, and thanks for giving some deserved love to Model D stalwart contributor Grunow.

Read the rest here.

Keep on reimagining Detroit

Facebook Tuesday, March 27, 2012

We're fans of the Freep's John Gallagher and his Reimagining Detroit book, published last year by Wayne State University Press. So when we heard that a film based on the book was in progress and a 30-minute segment was being screened downtown at the M@dison Building this week, we jumped all over it.

You're invited as well. Go here to register.

Robert Richie -- uh, that's Kid Rock -- buys riverfront estate

Detroit Free Press Tuesday, March 20, 2012

Michigan rap-country-rock star Kid Rock has purchased a house on the East Riverfront, our friends at Curbed Detroit report.

It's a 6,000-square-foot colonial-style house on the same block as the Manoogian Mansion, the dwelling used by Detroit's mayors.

Hey Kid, give us a ring when you want to party like it's 1989. Read all about it here.

Photographer Noah Stephens focuses on Detroit people and place

HuffPost Detroit Tuesday, March 20, 2012

Nothing beats an interesting face. Unless it's a killer public place. There are plenty of both in Detroit, where photographer Noah Stephens roams the cityscape with a camera.

We've taken notice of his talent. So has HuffPost Detroit. Take a look at the work here.

The Alley Project creates public art space on far Southwest side

HuffPost Detroit Tuesday, March 20, 2012

Looking at problems to provide hints for solutions is a smart way to look at community. This is even smarter: Looking at the assets a community might provide and leveraging that social capital. The Alley Project (TAP) didn't mushroom up magically, although there was a strong community base for it to begin with. It evolved in a partnership of participatory design.

We couldn't agree more with those words by Lee Schneider in HuffPost Detroit. Read on here.

Atlantic Cities takes notice of Detroit Bus Co.

Atlantic Cities Tuesday, March 20, 2012

If it's about transportation and it's in Detroit, we're all over it lately. Not to mention, we're always on the hunt for stories on transit region-wide, statewide and, well, all over the planet. So long as it presents solutions to a plethora of issues back home.

Like this story we found in Atlantic Cities. Read about the Detroit Bus Company here.

Winter Music Conference party raises funds for Youthville

Resident Advisor Tuesday, March 20, 2012

At Need I Say More, an afternoon after-party at the upcoming Winter Music Conference in Miami, DJ and all-round good guy Danny Tenaglia is heading a lineup that is donating the proceeds of the event to Detroit's Youthville. Imagine that. How cool. No doubt the artists' relationship with longtime Youthville mentor and international DJ star Mike Huckaby played a part.

Resident Advisor has the scoop.

Place is what you make it

Let's Save Michigan Tuesday, March 20, 2012

Find an underutilized space in your community. An alley, a pocket park, a vacant lot. With a group of neighbors, friends, business owners, or other community members, create a plan and design for turning that underutilized space into a community place.

The best part: there is potential funding at the end of your project.

Let’s Save Michigan will award up to three prizes, ranging from $500 to $1000, to partially or fully fund your project. Your community will be more attractive, more welcoming, safer, and more economically successful.

Get more details here. Look for a feature next week that aims to entice you even further.

Inc. mag calls out Detroit as innovation hot spot

Inc. Tuesday, March 13, 2012

You know the social innovation scene is pretty sweet when Inc. Magazine says the downtown tech enclave dubbed Webward Avenue is poised to become "Detroit's own Silicon Valley." We felt that exact vibe at our last speaker series event held at the M@dison so we're not caught off guard by that statement.

Read the rest of the story here.

GOOD knows what's good: Detroit on list of cities where art is booming

GOOD Tuesday, March 13, 2012

Sure, there is nothing especially novel about Detroit being on a list of cities experiencing an artistic boom. But let's not get too cozy or cocky and stay gritty and productive. It's nice to be on GOOD's radar, that's for sure.

Read the rest of the story here.

OCD hackerspace gets some love from Detroit Yes!, Metro Times

Detroit Yes! Tuesday, March 13, 2012

We've been fans of OmniCorpDetroit before the Eastern Market hackerspace even had a name or a permanent space. We've seen some of the crazy-good work produced there for the annual Maker Faire. And have even been impressed with stuff that never made it out the door. That's how good these creative people are.

Check out this nice spread in Detroit Yes! here. And in the Metro Times here.

Spring forward march at St. Paddy Day parade in Corktown

Detroit Free Press Tuesday, March 13, 2012

About 3,000 people were expected to participate in the annual parade that spanned several blocks along Michigan Avenue, said Mike Kelley, president of the United Irish Societies and co-chairman of the parade. That number jumped to over 65,000 because of unseasonably warm spring-like temps in Detroit's Corktown.

“The crowd is huge,” Kelly said.

That's an excerpt from the Detroit Free Press. Read the rest of the story, which includes a slideshow with plenty of shamrock green, here.

Hey, developers: why not ask us what we want in our neighborhood?

Atlantic Cities Tuesday, March 13, 2012

Here is an idea that could not have come at a better time. It's being called real estate crowdsourcing, at least it is by the forward-thinking folks at Atlantic Cities.

Here's an excerpt: If the concept proves workable, Miller and his colleagues envision expanding it -- to other neighborhoods and other real-estate developers, other cities and even other parts of the planning process. Matching a business to a vacant space is just the first step. What if that business also wanted to gab with the local community on everything from what to put on the menu to how to design its patio to where to find the financing?

Good stuff. Read all about it here.

Great Dane Jan Gehl weighs in on placemaking

Economics of Place Tuesday, March 13, 2012

While hanging out on the Economics of Place website, we spotted this gem:

Danish Architect Jan Gehl is one of the giants in the field of building communities around the human scale. His work is renowned around the world and his thoughts and ideas are sure to inspire even the most jaded of urbanists. It is about a half hour video, but well worth the time.

Yes, it certainly is. Read the rest of the story and watch the video here.

Corktown innovators get 'buzzed' on MSNBC's 'Morning Joe'

MSNBC Tuesday, March 13, 2012

The top of our Monday morning is given a rousing head start whenever Detroit doers get their due in the national media. This time during a caffeinated discussion on how innovation is changing the social landscape and putting juice into the economy in Michigan and Ohio. With a special focus on what's happening in Corktown, around the intersection of Michigan and 14th St. and beyond.

We've got video. Watch it here.