metromode - Features

The Business Of Giving

Thu, 15 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT

For good or bad, the days of no strings attached donations are fading into the sunset. There's a new 'value-added' approach to philanthropy and non-profits who know how to appeal to the needs of corporate donors are yielding the lion's share of financial support.

Michigan Growth Capital Symposium

Thu, 15 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Once upon a time, Detroit's auto industry was founded on the visions of its leaders and the risks investors made supporting them. So, where do promising new local companies go today to raise the funds they need? For 27 years the Michigan Growth Capital Symposium has helped provide an answer. The annual two-day event starts today in Ypsilanti. Could it provide the missing link to Michigan's economic evolution?

Hollywood Rentals

Wed, 14 May 2008 22:55:20 GMT

The need for quality rental units goes beyond new urbanist ideals. It also means dollars where you least expect them. Michigan just passed one of the most ambitious film incentive packages in the nation. Hollywood's come calling. And guess what they're looking for? Modern rentals in walkable downtown settings.

Cooley Law School's New Campus: A Candid Q&A

Thu, 08 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Not only is Cooley Law School bringing Oakland and Macomb County (combined pop: 2 million residents) its first law school, it's also created a 'green'-minded campus for its students. Now comes the hard part: convincing its graduating professionals to stay in Michigan. Metromode asks how they intend to do this, and other tough questions.

Information Evolution

Thu, 08 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Computer science + design + social science = Innovation. Concentrate checks out the student projects at the University of Michigan's School of Information and witnesses the next evolutionary stage in information technology.

RetroGeeks Revitalize Downtown Dearborn

Thu, 01 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT

The difference between just selling stuff and building a community is loving what you do and where you work. For the owners of Green Brain Comics and Stormy Records, being a part of Dearborn's downtown is a vital component to their success.

The Power Of The Purse

Thu, 01 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT

As southeast Michigan attracts more and more women into business leadership roles, the focus of corporate sponsorships and charitable fundraising takes on a decidely 'pink' perspective. Case in point: the Women's Power Breakfast, which not only supports community food banks but provides professional women with a unique networking opportunity.

Nanotechnology: SE Michigan's Industrial Revolution

Thu, 24 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Got nanotech? Southeast Michigan does. Metromode has seen the future even though it's invisible to the naked eye. The next evolution in technology is occurring at the atomic level and it just may usher in a new industrial revolution.

Light Rail Would Mean Big Things For Woodward Corridor

Thu, 24 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Monday morning's big light rail announcement would mean great things for Metro Detroiters yearning for a transit alternative. If the plan comes to fruition, it would be boom time for the Woodward Corridor.

SE Michigan Wind Power

Thu, 17 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT

"The answer my friend, is blowing in the wind..." Kelli B. Kavanaugh takes an in-depth look at how Michigan can leverage its engineering and manufacturing assets to become a world leader in wind power technology.

SIGN UP: Model D Speaker Series — How Southwest Detroit Grows

Thu, 17 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT

The next Model D Speaker Series is next week — April 23. Sign up today. We'll look at how Southwest Detroit is growing; attracting businesses, new immigrants and investment to the city.

Boutique Sweets

Wed, 16 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT

No longer content to sup on artisanal wine, bread and cheese, SE Michigan's foodies have extended their quest for the authentic into the realm of desserts. From old world pastries to gourmet chocolates to high-falutin' cupcakes, Metro Detroit's sweet tooth has grown sophisticated. And a few smart cookies are cashing in on their cravings.

Walk On, Detroit — What's in Store for Year 2 of Detroit's RiverWalk

Tue, 15 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT

What's new on the RiverWalk this year? We check in on a few brick-and-mortar projects that will get off the ground to move it a little closer to completion. Also bikes, planes, boats, lights, and more. Walk on, Detroit.

SE Michigan Ramps Up

Thu, 10 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Ollie up, folks! Ride Metromode's skateboard to the bowls, ledges, and rails of Farmington Hills' future Riley Skate Park …and then read about Ann Arbor's roll towards building its own skater sanctuary.

Ghostly International

Thu, 10 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT

From Halo to Hummer, Ann Arbor-based Ghostly International may be musical tastemakers to the world but founder Sam Valenti IV is really just preserving his legacy as the cool neighborhood record-store guy.

Skateboarding Terms And Tips

Thu, 10 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Like most sports, skateboarding has it's own jargon. Metromode gets a few choice definitions from Rob Woelkers and then offers a quick list of resources for those who are interested in learning more about board culture.

From Scratch: Rentlinx

Thu, 03 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT

"Rent Me! Please!" Signs and pricey newspaper ads used to be the only options for property owners and renters to connect. Now, Ann Arbor entrepreneur Jeremy Schneider is fast becoming the kingpin of national rental housing searches, via the rise of Rentlinx, a unique multi-list website.

Northville's Emerging Arts Community

Thu, 03 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Shedding its reputation as Metro Detroit's country mouse, Northville is not only turning its downtown into a vibrant place to live and work, it's actively developing a formidable arts community.

SE Michigan Brews Mean Business

Thu, 27 Mar 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Black Lotus, Dragonmead, Jolly Pumpkin and Grizzly Peak. They're more than just cool names. Michigan's beer industry accounted for $133 million of the state's economy last year and, despite the current market, business is growing. Melinda Clynes chats with several of the region's microbrewers about what's on tap this season and where things are headed next.

Who's Your City?: Richard Florida And The Geography Of Talent

Thu, 27 Mar 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Are you part of the Creative Class? Richard Florida has become the bell of the new urbanist ball, dividing the world into "spiky" mega regions with psychological personalities all their own. Translation: Where the nation's best talent chooses to live says as much about you as it does about them. So how does southeast Michigan stack up?

Local Alternative Energy Initiatives

Thu, 20 Mar 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Some SE Michigan communities are determined to drop their rustbelt in favor of something a bit more au natural. But it's not trendiness that inspires cities like Ypsilanti, Ann Arbor and Wyandotte to implement the holy trinity of sustainability --wind, solar, conservation-- but rather the greenbacks they'll save by doing so.

Retail By Design

Thu, 20 Mar 2008 00:00:00 GMT

We've said it before and we'll say it again: Place matters. And that applies to retail as well. In defiance of the impersonal big box warehouse trend, companies like Borders and Whole Foods look to cultivate an environment that welcomes their customers. Enter Novi-based PPC Design, a firm that creates retail designs for likeminded businesses, large and small.

Why No Respect For Rentals?

Thu, 13 Mar 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Chicago, San Francisco, and Boston do not thrive on home ownership alone. If you look at most successful cities in the U.S., a robust rental market is necessary for urban health (and attracting young talent). Here, however, rentals are what you end up with when you can't sell. Should we rethink what it means to "live" in Metro Detroit?

Toby Barlow: 'Stop the Loathing'

Thu, 13 Mar 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Detroit author and adman Toby Barlow's one-man branding campaign for the city has a catchy slogan and important sentiment: Stop the Loathing.

Model D Speaker Series: Building Green

Thu, 06 Mar 2008 00:00:00 GMT

The Model D Speaker Series is going green. "Building a Green City: Sustainable Urbanism in Detroit" will be the topic of the next event — to be held March 19 at the Detroit Yacht Club. It's free, but you must RSVP.

Defending The Net

Thu, 06 Mar 2008 00:00:00 GMT

With the proliferation of personal info on the Internet today – everything from bank account access to your boyfriend's pet name – life is becoming a paperless open book. Metromode talks with some area experts who are helping to keep some of those pages from prying eyes.

Learning How To Play Nice

Thu, 06 Mar 2008 00:00:00 GMT

"If you would win a man to your cause, first convince him that you are his sincere friend." -Abraham Lincoln.

True leaders understand the need for compromise and cooperation. Unfortunately, the state's term limits tend to encourage partisan opposition. Every year, the Michigan Political Leadership Program brings together 24 fellows of varying political stripes in order to foster a new generation of solutions-based leadership.

Around The World In 80 Miles

Thu, 28 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Okay, it's more like 61 miles. Nevertheless, Metro Detroit offers a world of gastromomic pleasures, if you know where to look. Let food writer Jeff Broder act as your compass, pointing the way to a savory quartet of ethnic restaurants.

Got LEED?

Thu, 28 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT

After years of lagging behind the west coast of the state, SE Michigan is turning green in leaps and bounds. Climb aboard for a discussion of what the green building standard LEED actually means, and check out some prime examples of its application here in Metro Detroit.

FilterD

Wed, 27 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Take the sea of cultural options in metro Detroit, filter it down to just the best, and there you have FilterD. It's our new weekly guide to arts, music, film, theater and general stuff to do.