Necessary Entrepreneurs
Sometimes a pink slip is a ticket to a new and better way of working. Meet three Metro Detroit entrepreneurs who turned economic down-sizing into personal right-sizing, by starting their own companies.
Jon Zemke's Latest Articles
Retooling Auto Suppliers For The New Economy: A Q&A with Elizabeth Ardisana
The buzz word for today is: Diversification. Actually, it's been the buzz word for a long time. But saying and doing are two different things. Elizabeth Ardisana of ASG Renaissance thinks it's never too late for a good idea, and she's helping the auto supplier industry get with the program.
VC In MI: A Conversation With Credit Suisse’s Kelly Williams
If Michigan is to transform into a knowledge-based economy it means greater investment in local start-ups. Kelly Williams is a managing director with Credit Suisse, the investment firm that heads up the Venture Michigan Fund. Metromode sat down with her to discuss the state of our venture capital community and where it's headed.
Downtown and Underground: Parking is an Art in Ann Arbor
Parking in Southeast Michigan usually means surface lots, driveways and the occasional garage. Ann Arbor's leaders are turning local conventional wisdom on its head, choosing to store cars underground and out of sight as a way to grow development, commerce and urban vibrancy.
Restoration of Oakland County’s Lady Justice almost complete
Oakland County's historic Lady Justice is due back to it's spot in May after a winter-long restoration process. The 9-foot-tall statue was purchased in 1904 from W.H. Mullins, a Salem, Ohio-based company that manufactured statues. She stood guard in front of the old Oakland County Courthouse until 1962, when the building was demolish. After two decades in storage, she was returned to the plaza in front of the new courthouse.
Preservation vs Demolition
Dilapidated eyesore or historic keystone to downtown redevelopment? It's an argument that's repeated over and over in Metro Detroit communities. Lincoln Park's Mellus Newspapers building is only the latest flashpoint. Jon Zemke gives you the lay of the land and gets some insight from downtowns that have fought this fight and won.
Full Steam Ahead: City Advocate, Quicken Exec Talks Streetcars Along Woodward
Matt Cullen was instrumental in getting the RiverWalk done, and now the Quicken Loans exec is helping to usher in the Woodward streetcar project. But does he think Detroiters will really buy into mass transit?
The Future Of Metro Mass Transit
For generations getting around Metro Detroit meant one thing: four wheels. Local leaders are pushing hard to give Detroiters the option to travel on two rails. The Woodward light rail and Detroit-Ann Arbor commuter rail lines are tantalizingly close to becoming reality. Metromode takes a look at the viability of these projects and their potential impact 10-20 years from now.
Share The Road
Narrow streets. Piles of snow. While cyclists brave subzero winds, motorists grudgingly share the road. Metro Detroit's "car is king" sentiment needs to be dethroned if alternative transportation is to become a reality. Jon Zemke takes a street level view of what local cyclists have to face and why they remain committed to a carless commute.
Russell Bazaar Puts Small-Biz Success in a Big, Big Place
Buzz, buzz, buzz. Detroit's Russell Industrial is a hive of activity, and now even more so. The new Russell Bazaar, an eclectic market of independent artists and unique retailers, is set to open this weekend, doubling the number of tenants in this former industrial complex.
