In the News

Metro Detroit ranks 14th nationally in percentage job growth

Urbanophile.com Thursday, April 25, 2013

In a good comeback story, Metro Detroit is no. 14 in the country in terms of percentage job growth from 2011 to 2012, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

More here.

Post-industrial? Detroit needs a new word

Atlantic Cities Thursday, April 25, 2013

Detroit's economy is facing forward. Now it just needs some new verbiage.

Excerpt:

"Former heavy manufacturing hubs around the Great Lakes like Pittsburgh, Detroit, Cleveland, and Milwaukee often get roped together under the heading of "post-industrial" (when, that is, we're not otherwise identifying them by their prevalence of rust). The term poses at least two problems, though: Industry still exists in many of these places, and the very notion of defining them by their relationship to the past can hamstring us from planning more thoughtfully for their future.

"You've got the 'post-war,' you've got 'post-modern,' you've got 'post-9/11,'" says Paul Kapp, an associate professor in the school of architecture at the University of Illinois and an editor of the book SynergiCity: Reinventing the Postindustrial City. He was speaking Sunday at the annual meeting of the American Planning Association (hosted in what's often considered the post-industrial city of Chicago). "You get to a point," Kapp says, "where you've got to say, 'When does post-something end and you do something new?' I think with 'post-industrial,' we're at that opportunity now. I think it's now time to come up with a new term."

More here.

Atlantic Cities maps Metro Detroit's creative class

Atlantic Cities Thursday, April 18, 2013

A great, comprehensive article on how the 7.2-square-mile greater downtown Detroit is growing posher by the minute, it seems, and how and why its deindustrialized metros (and certain Detroit neighborhoods) are landing the creative class.

Excerpt:

"Two of the top 10 creative class tracts are in Birmingham; two are in Bloomfield Township, and another is in Bloomfield Hills, home to some of the priciest real estate in the U.S. and the Cranbrook educational community. Designed by Finnish architect Eliel Saarinen, the architecture critic Paul Goldberger called Cranbrook "one of the greatest campuses ever created anywhere in the world." University of Michigan's Little points out in an email to me: "Cranbrook graduates have added to the cutting edge design and creative communities of Detroit and the nation for decades."

Another top creative class tract is in nearby Troy, a sprawling middle-class suburb with excellent public schools, and the site of a high-end mall, the Somerset Collection. Two are in Huntington Woods, a leafy neighborhood that boasts such notable amenities as the public golf course Rackham and the Detroit Zoo. Two more are in the "Grosse Pointes" — Grosse Pointe Farms and Grosse Pointe Park — the communities of choice for many of Detroit's old industrial magnates, whose lakeshores are lined with sprawling Gilded Age mansions."

More here.

Metro Detroit makes list of cities best oriented toward job growth

The Atlantic Cities Thursday, November 15, 2012

The Atlantic Cities offers a fascinating perspective on which metro areas are best at creating and sustaining job growth and hints at why. Top of the list includes San Jose, Austin, and Bajersfield. Big surprise, however, was both Grand Rapids (7th) and Metro Detroit's (10th) inclusion.

Excerpt:

"A recent analysis of competitiveness and job growth across U.S. metros conducted by Economic Modeling Specialists could not be more timely. It provides a detailed assessment of the metros that have generated the most robust job growth based on "unique regional factors rather than national trends." To do so, it conducted a shift-share analysis of employment trends for the 100 largest U.S. metros for the period 2010 to 2012. "

Read the rest here.

Slinky celebrates its Metro Detroit roots

Delaware Online Thursday, October 18, 2012

What walks down stairs, alone or in pairs, and makes a slinkity sound? More importantly, did you know this 67 year-old toy (350 million units sold and counting) calls Plymouth home?

Excerpt:

"The classic toy, as much a part of generations of American childhoods as Red Flyer wagons and Barbie, calls Plymouth home. In 1998, the world-famous brand was acquired by a local company, now called POOF-Slinky, which has its roots in the automotive supplier industry."

Read the rest here.

State awards $5.25M to SE Michigan to fuel tech innovation

Crain's Detroit Business Thursday, October 11, 2012

Tech entrepreneurship doesn't just happen. Sometimes it needs a push or helping hand. The state has awarded strategic funds to organizations like the Institute for Research on Labor, Employment and the Economy at the University of Michigan, the Michigan Manufacturing Technology Center in Plymouth, and the Macomb-Oakland University Incubator in Sterling Heights.

Excerpt:

"The awards, which are designed to help organizations fill gaps in entrepreneurial service areas, were among several items approved Thursday by the Michigan Strategic Fund.

A total of $3.25 million in assistance will help Next Energy in Detroit, the Macomb-Oakland University Incubator in Sterling Heights and the Michigan Small Business Technology & Development Center, housed at Grand Valley State University, to provide commercialization matching funds to companies receiving federal technology research grants. Next Energy will receive $700,000 over three years; Macomb-OU will receive $766,036 over two years, and the Small Business Technology & Development Center will receive $1.75 million for one year, according to state information."

Read the rest here.

Are you a kind person? A Plymouth florist thinks you deserve some flowers

Good Thursday, February 02, 2012

There's an old saying: A rising tide lifts all boats. Recognizing this, a Plymouth florist has decided to give back to the community that supported her shop during the recession.

Excerpt:

"Lori Morrison has been selling flowers for three decades in Plymouth, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit whose name it once shared with a brand of automobiles that has since ceased production. The struggling auto industry gave way to a struggling Michigan, where nearly 15 percent of the population now lives below the poverty line. Wanting to give back to the people who have kept her flower shop running in these financially trying times, Morrison came up with something called a "Good Job Bouquet," a simple reminder that someone in the Detroit area still cares."

Read the rest here.

Chicago Sun-Times is on board with Michigan's high-speed rail

Chicago Sun-Times Thursday, November 04, 2010

Metro Detroit recently received $161 million in federal funds to improve high-speed rail service on Amtrak's Wolverine line between Pontiac and Kalamazoo. The Chicago Sun-Times takes a good look at the potential of this investment and how it breaks down.

Excerpt:

About $150 million of the money awarded to Michigan will be for the section of track between Kalamazoo and Detroit. This is owned by Norfolk Southern, which wants to sell it, Amtrak spokesman Marc Magliari said.

Michigan may buy it with a portion of the high-speed rail money. Discussions are ongoing about how much of the funds would be for the track and how much for track improvement, Magliari said.

Track improvements would increase speeds from 79 mph to 110 mph, which would bring it in line with the track Amtrak owns from Kalamazoo to the state line.

At greater speeds, Amtrak could double the number of round trips from Chicago to Detroit from three to six, Magliari said. Ridership on this route already has increased 8 percent in the past year.

The rest of the high-speed funding would be used to improve the connection from Pontiac to the state line.

Read the rest of the story here.

Plymouth Whalers hit the big time with inclusion in EA Sports video game hockey franchise

Crain's Detroit Business Thursday, May 27, 2010

Most hockey players have three dreams. Play on an NHL team, win the Stanley Cup, and legitimately see yourself in a hockey video game (you know, without player creation and all that.) Well, those on the Plymouth Whalers can now knock one of those off.

Excerpt:

Fans of the Plymouth Whalers minor-league hockey team will be able to play their team in upcoming Electronic Arts Inc. video games, including the "EA Sports NHL'11".

The Canadian Hockey League � made up of the Ontario Hockey League, Western Hockey League and Quebec Major Junior Hockey League � has inked a four-year deal to include its 60 teams for the first time in upcoming EA Sports products.

The OHL's Whalers are owned by Peter Karmanos Jr., the Compuware Corp. founder who started the Plymouth franchise in 1990 as the Detroit Compuware Ambassadors. The team plays at Compuware Arena in Plymouth Township that Karmanos built in 1996.

Read the entire article here.

Plymouth Road park-and-ride is another route for Ann Arbor commuters

AnnArbor.com Thursday, May 13, 2010

It'd be great to see a commuter line from Ann Arbor to Detroit. But, unfortunately, those plans were shifted to the back burner. However, in the meantime, for those in Plymouth who want to go to Ann Arbor, you can now take the park-and-ride.

Excerpt:

Ann Arbor Transportation Authority officials held a ceremonial ribbon cutting today, officially marking the grand opening of the agency's fifth commuter park-and-ride lot.

Existing AATA park-and-ride facilities already take nearly 1,000 vehicles off the road each year. And with the opening of the new lot on Plymouth Road at US-23, another 260 spaces are available for commuters using the heavily traveled M-14 and US-23 corridor.

"Tens of thousands of people come to work in our city every day � people who don't live in Ann Arbor," said Mayor John Hieftje, who appoints AATA's governing board. "We are exploring and working on a number of ways to bring them into the city. We provide places for them to park their cars, lots for them to park and take the bus, they can ride their bike, and now we're working on rail options to bring more and more people into our city without their automobiles. And this is just another step in that direction."

Read the entire article here.

Visit the Plymouth Ice Festival without visiting the Plymouth Ice Festival

Great Lakes IT Report Thursday, January 21, 2010

Need parking? Looking for nuts? Need to find a specific shop? And all during the Plymouth Ice Festival? Just check it out through 3DPlymouth. Heck, even if you don't want to go you can check it out through this site.

Excerpt:

Plymouth-based Luna Tech Designs announced this week an interactive virtual globe for this year's Plymouth Ice Festival.

The virtual globe application, or LunaGlobe, immerses visitors on the Plymouth Ice Festival Web site in a 3-D virtual version of the ice festival, giving them interactive opportunities to explore and discover the festival events, avoid likely parking and traffic problems, know where to find those irresistible roasted almonds, as well as locate participating shops and restaurants in the area.

Take a look at www.3DPlymouth.com.

Read the entire article here.

Free space in Plymouth! ... (If your business model is profitable)

Great Lakes IT Report Thursday, November 12, 2009

Nothing is free these days... except class A office space in Plymouth. OK, so it's not that easy. All you need is to do is demonstrate a profitable business model and "Poof" some free space (after a careful application process, of course).

Excerpt:

705 South Main, Plymouth's premiere business incubator and class A office space, said this week that it is accepting proposals for free office leases.

This opportunity is extended to start up ventures that have a great product or service but lack the capital to secure office space.

"There are so many new ventures in the area that could benefit from an office environment like ours," said Trowbridge Realty vice president and property manager Ryan Richmond. "This will allow entrepreneurs to establish a presence in a class A building without the expense."

Read the entire article here.

Wayne County and Detroit land banks look to merge

Crain's Detroit Business Thursday, November 12, 2009

Sesame Street is now 40 years old. And, in honor of the great children's program, here is a shout-out to cooperation. A bill designed to allow the Detroit and Wayne County land banks to work together was announced with bipartisan support this week.

See, we do learn things from television.

Excerpt:

Bills that would allow land banks operated by Detroit and Wayne County to merge into a redevelopment entity with expanded powers were announced Monday, with bipartisan support.

The legislation would provide for a Detroit/Wayne County Redevelopment Authority that would "enable the city and county to have a cohesive strategy for stabilizing and redeveloping tax-reverted properties," said Sen. Tom George, R-Kalamazoo, in a news release.

Read the entire article here.

Luna Tech Designs builds 3D guide to Woodward Ave

Great Lakes IT Report Thursday, September 17, 2009

It's the future. No need to get out of the car to scout land for development when 3-D models are being created. And that's what Plymouth-based Lun Tech Designs have done for Woodward. All we need now are flying cars.

Excerpt:

Plymouth-based Luna Tech Designs has partnered with the Woodward Avenue Action Association (WA3) to provide an online three-dimensional virtual globe application, using Google Earth, to help promote development, existing businesses and amenities along the entire 21 mile stretch of Woodward Avenue from Detroit to Pontiac.

The virtual globe application, or LunaGlobe, will take visitors on the WA3 Web site along a 3-D virtual tour of Woodward Avenue, giving them interactive opportunities to explore the rich heritage of this designated National Scenic Byway, as well as locate shops and restaurants along the way.

Read the entire article here.

Reality show with Hollywood twist comes to Plymouth

Hometown Life Thursday, September 10, 2009

When a major Hollywood stylist decides to move to Plymouth, Mich., and open up a hair and makeup studio, well, something is bound to happen... like a pilot for a reality TV show.

Excerpt:

Enter Carl Kendall, a television producer who also lives in Plymouth. Kendall is putting together a reality show featuring Sadler, his business ventures and his life in Plymouth, and says the drama, and humor, Sadler and those around him bring to different situations will make for compelling television.

"Dean was a major stylist in Hollywood," said Kendall, who works with producer partners Bill Hunt and Jerry Taylor at The Idea Mill (they also have separate businesses). "We've got so many elements here. ... He's a superstar wherever he is."

Kendall said his show has drawn interest from two television networks, though he added he couldn't say which ones. He's been taping for about two weeks and should be wrapped with that part of the production in another two, he said.

Sadler is the star, Kendall said, though people who work with him will also be spotlighted. "A lot of fascinating people are drawn to this kind of business," he said.

Read the entire article here.

Plymouth : In the News