metromode - Features

Thanks for listening, Michigan!

MSHDA — Thu, 16 May 2013 00:00:00 -0400

People across the state have helped "the Prosperity Agenda" radio show on Detroit news/talk 760 WJR win international acclaim.

Speaker Event: Freshwater Metropolis

Metromode staff — Thu, 16 May 2013 00:00:00 -0400

Join us May 23 on the campus of Lawrence Technological University to hear from a panel of experts, activists, and business owners about how green and blue infrastructure is transforming our region and learn what you can do to be a part of this movement.

Guest Blogger: Julie Wood

Julie Wood — Thu, 16 May 2013 00:00:00 -0400

With its concentration of defense industry companies, southeast Michigan is a cornerstone of the U.S. defense industry. Julie Wood, president of Women in Defense's Michigan chapter, discusses how the industry is forging on despite the financial pressure of sequestration.

Making a Ripple Rather Than a Blast

Natalie Burg — Thu, 16 May 2013 00:00:00 -0400

Hans Hegge was into texting before anyone knew the meaning of "LOL." It's hard to believe but six years ago text message technology was an open frontier. And Hegge's Text Ripple was an early pioneer. Today the Auburn Hills-based text marketing company has clients in 38 states and big plans for the next tech innovation.

FilterD: May 16 - 22

Walter Wasacz — Thu, 16 May 2013 00:00:00 -0400

Hamtramck sculptor Graem Whyte created a new dodgeball-esque game that is also a fab piece of art. Join him and check it out at MOCAD's Family Day this Sunday. Details in FilterD.

Taking the "Home" Out of Homework: Clintondale's Flipped High School

Patrick Dunn — Thu, 09 May 2013 00:00:00 -0400

Why do athletes who struggle in the classroom succeed on the playing field? Could it be because the coach is there to guide them every step of the way? What if that same approach was applied to academics? That's what Clintondale's Flipped program did - with remarkable success.

Metro Detroit's Hottest Home Markets

Kim North Shine — Thu, 09 May 2013 00:00:00 -0400

Houses are selling before they're listed. Buyers are getting into bidding wars. Sound familiar? No, it's not a return to the crazed real estate market of 2003... but a few metro Detroit communities are coming back with a vengeance. Why? Well, vibrant urban cores have a lot to do with it.

FilterD: May 9 - May 15

Walter Wasacz — Thu, 09 May 2013 00:00:00 -0400

Whydontweownthis.com advocacy group is hosting a get together at its downtown Detroit base this Friday to discuss use of a community mapping service. Get the lowdown in this week's FilterD.

What I've learned during Michigan's fight on home foreclosure

Mary Townley — Thu, 02 May 2013 00:00:00 -0400

MSHDA is partnering with the state’s religious leaders and faith communities to help homeowners avoid foreclosure with a program that addresses each homeowner’s unique situation.

Guest Blogger: Martin Williams

Martin Williams — Thu, 02 May 2013 00:00:00 -0400

Unlike many other cities that have long been in their heyday, Detroiters have the potential to reshape their landscape. Martin Williams, a graduate student in real estate at NYU, gives his perspective on Detroit from afar, and how a new design hotel could work in the city.

MAD Inspiration: Alan Bernstein's Quest to Make a Documentary About the "Usual Gang Of Idiots"

Constance Crump — Thu, 02 May 2013 00:00:00 -0400

Spy Vs. Spy. Snappy Answers To Stupid Questions. The Fold-In. For 60 years MAD Magazine has made hysterical sense of an insane world. Royal Oak filmmaker Alan Bernstein is making a documentary about the satirical mag with the help of a highly successful Kickstarter campaign.

FilterD: May 2 - 8

Walter Wasacz — Thu, 02 May 2013 00:00:00 -0400

Moody, introspective UK dubstar James Blake might be the best young musical talent you've never heard. Now's your chance. He's in town for the first time this Friday at Detroit's Majestic. Details in FilterD.

A Market Grows in Downtown Pontiac

Natalie Burg — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 00:00:00 -0400

If there's a canary in the coalmine for downtown vibrancy, it's a thriving grocery store. Lafayette Market and Cafe in downtown Pontiac opened its doors at the end of 2012 and is reaching beyond the loft-dwellers that live above to connect with the surrounding community.

FilterD: April 25 - 30

Walter Wasacz — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 00:00:00 -0400

The Blowout, now in its 16th year of rocking Detroit and Hamtramck from winter into spring, has expanded to include venues in Ferndale. Check the listings, put on your dancing shoes and get out there. See FilterD for details.

Rust Belt Market Redux: The Success of Small Businesses in a Big Box Store

Kim North Shine — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 00:00:00 -0400

What started as a noble experiment in support of local artists, creatives and vendors has turned into a vibrant success. Not only has Ferndale's Rust Belt Market been both a home and launching pad for new businesses, it's in the process of becoming an event destination.

Special Edition: Growing the Defense Industry

Jon Zemke — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 00:00:00 -0400

GraviKor, Plex and Patriot Services are firms that are expanding business in the defense and aerospace industry sectors. In this Metromode and Model D Special Edition, Jon Zemke shows us how this business gets done in Metro Detroit.

Special Edition: Q&A with Gravikor's Jim Richter

Jon Zemke — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 00:00:00 -0400

Gravikor's Jim Richter is also the president of the Michigan Research Institute, a non-profit research incubator based in Ann Arbor that is working to help bring more cutting-edge technology into the marketplace. Jon Zemke asks the questions.

Guest Blogger: Alisa Peskin-Shepherd

Alisa Peskin-Shepherd — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 00:00:00 -0400

In competitive business markets, all service providers are dispensable. Divorce attorney Alisa Peskin-Shepherd discusses how best to go it alone, while still making your business a standout.

Making Royal Oak Ground Zero for Film

Nicole Rupersburg — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 00:00:00 -0400

Ed Stencel has been around the movie block. A Michigan native, he spent a decade and a half working his way into and around Hollywood. When the state's film scene caught fire he moved back, setting up shop in Royal Oak. Things may have cooled with cuts to the state's film incentive, but Stencel has remained passionate about building up the Metro Detroit film community.

FilterD: April 18 - 24

Walter Wasacz — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 00:00:00 -0400

Culture Lab Detroit comes together Thursday at the College for Creative Studies in New Center for conversation and collaboration. It's free and open to the public. Get the details in FilterD.

Beyond Gaming Turns Video Game Competitions Into Cash

Nicole Rupersburg — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 00:00:00 -0400

Some people take video games like Madden 360 and Call Of Duty very seriously. As seriously as say, golfers, pool hustlers, and card sharks. But how do online gamers put their money where their joystick is? Royal Oak's Beyond Gaming makes that possible.

FilterD: Apr. 11 - 17

Walter Wasacz — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 00:00:00 -0400

The Hounds Below head a rockin' lineup of five bands at Hamtramck's New Dodge Lounge. Turn it up and cut it loose this week in FilterD.

Guest Blogger: Rob St. Mary

Rob St. Mary — Thu, 04 Apr 2013 00:00:00 -0400

In seek of new heights, former WDET radio host and lifelong Detroiter Rob St. Mary is gone, gone, gone to Aspen, Colorado. St. Mary reminisces on all that is Detroit and on the challenges and opportunities left behind.

Is Metro Detroit Ready for the Barwis Methods?

Richard Retyi — Thu, 04 Apr 2013 00:00:00 -0400

NFL and U-M football players, NHL players, and current and former Olympians tote iron at the legendary Barwis Methods gym in Plymouth. Although he's made a career out of training top athletes, strength and conditioning coach Mike Barwis isn't only about the jocks. Anyone from the elderly to those getting on their feet again after injury is welcome to sweat.

FilterD: Apr. 4 - 10

Walter Wasacz — Thu, 04 Apr 2013 00:00:00 -0400

International Pop Overthrow heads back to Detroit for its sixth straight year, but for the first time at Corktown's PJ's Lager House. The min-rock fest goes April 4 - 6 and features 26 of the best pop and rock artists from Detroit and out of town.

FilterD: Mar. 28 - Apr. 3

Walter Wasacz — Thu, 28 Mar 2013 00:00:00 -0400

Former Ghostly International ambient techno cohort Benoit Pioulard performs live at Detroit's Magic Stick this Sunday. Sounds great to us. Get more details in FilterD.

Is Your Community Redevelopment Ready?

Patrick Dunn — Thu, 28 Mar 2013 00:00:00 -0400

Sometimes it's not about adding to what you've got but making the most of what you have. For nearly a decade the Michigan Suburbs Alliance has helped metro Detroit communities to redevelop their existing assets. Now, the program is being adopted by the MEDC in order to go state-wide, and they're discovering that regional cooperation is a key component for success.

A Tern for the Better: The Detroit River Comeback

Dennis Archambault — Thu, 28 Mar 2013 00:00:00 -0400

Oh, the difference a couple of tern chicks make. For decades the Detroit River was a repository for industrial pollution and waste. Now, through both international cooperation and private-public partnerships the health of the Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge is slowly but steadily rebounding.

An industrial landmark finds a new purpose in the heart of Lansing

Natalie Burg — Thu, 21 Mar 2013 00:00:00 -0400

For a century, Lansing's industrial history was reflected in a prominent Michigan Ave. storefront that was built as a lumber mill before housing a GM supplier. As the city itself transformed, so has the building, now home to a decorative artist who is helping to redefine the neighborhood.

Industrial CPR: artists and musicians revive abandoned Ypsi warehouses

Patrick Dunn — Thu, 21 Mar 2013 00:00:00 -0400

VGKids set out years ago to serve the screen-printing needs of musicians and other creative businesses. In the process, they've spun out such creative ventures as SPUR Studios and reinvented historic industrial spaces in Ypsilanti.