Economic Development

Coverage of projects, big and small, and the people who create them, which promote the economic health of a community, including manufacturing, retail, office, and hospitality developments.

Motor City Connect membership jumps

By Newsroom

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Arts & Culture

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September 2, 2010

Motor City Connect's membership is up, but its future is what's really up in the air.The Bloomfield Township-based networking website site membership has grown from 300 to 3,000 people in its first year and then from 3,000 to nearly 5,000 today. And that's after its founders cut away dozens and dozens of inactive emails."It continues to shine a light on the great people we have in Metro Detroit," says Terry Bean, chief networking office for Motor City Connect.The 2-year-old website provides the virtual introductions for people to set up real-life meetings and events. It's a non-profit run on the spare time of Bean and his partner, along with a few other volunteers. The leadership is now looking at what to do next with it."We're looking for a way to monetize it or sell it or pass it along to someone else who wants to run it," Bean says.Source: Terry Bean, chief networking office for Motor City ConnectWriter: Jon Zemke

Latest in Economic Development

Healthcare providers team up on blood clot prevention

By Newsroom

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Arts & Culture

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September 2, 2010

A group of prominent healthcare organizations are partnering to cut the occurrence of blood clots by as much as 50 percent over the next two years in a coordinated effort to improve patient care and reduce medical costs.Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, Blue Care Network, and the University of Michigan Medical Center are leading the effort with 16 hospitals from across the state, including Beaumont and Oakwood healthcare systems. The idea is that this collaboration, part of Value Partnerships, will expand its focus."The expectation is the collaboration will take on other things as the years go by," says Tom Leyden, manager of clinical program development for Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan.For now, the new initiative will focus on getting the state's major hospitals to reduce the risk of blood clots, a common problem that causes further sickness or even death. The new consortium will work in unison to study, benchmark, and implement best practices to eliminate preventable blood clots.Just about all patients who are hospitalized are at risk of suffering adverse effects from clotting, some of which are often as serious as death. A double-digit reduction would be a seen as a big step forward."It's not perfect," says Scott Flanders, a professor of medicine at the University of Michigan Medical Center and the project director for this initiative. "We're never going to be able to get rid of these things."Sources: Scott Flanders, professor of medicine at the University of Michigan Medical Center; Tom Leyden, manager of clinical program development for Blue Cross Blue Shield of MichiganWriter: Jon Zemke

Skidmore creative marketing agency is expanding in Royal Oak

By Newsroom

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Arts & Culture

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September 2, 2010

New clients equal new hires, or at least that's the formula at Skidmore Studio. The downtown Royal Oak marketing agency has just hired a senior graphic designer and plans to further expand its staff later this year."We have some new clients that are pushing our capacity and capabilities," says Tim Smith, president and CEO of Skidmore Studio.Those new clients include Troy-based North American Bancard and Sport U Technologies (Brighton), locally based companies with a footprint that extends into the Midwest or nationally. Skidmore Studio plans to hire a web programmer and media planner buyer with national experience later this year. A new project manager and account executive may also be added to the staff of 21 people.Skidmore Studio is filled with creatives, including graphic designers, illustrators, interactive designers, copywriters, and motion artists. The agency has specialized in design and illustration in Metro Detroit since the 1950s. It has relied primarily on customer referrals for its growth, a plan Smith intends to stick with for the foreseeable future."We need to concentrate on doing an extraordinary job for our clients," Smith says.Source: Tim Smith, president and CEO of Skidmore StudioWriter: Jon Zemke

Region Can Attract Businesses, Young Talent with Mass Transit

By Robert A. Ficano

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Community Development

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August 30, 2010

Plans for a mass transit system are finally rolling in the Detroit Region, but there is plenty of work still to be done.

EDGE TV: West Dearborn

By Tom Hendrickson

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Community Development

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August 30, 2010

EDGE TV takes a look at one of Wayne County's gem main streets in West Dearborn. Situated in a town made famous by Henry Ford and strengthen by the large Arabic population that now calls it home, West Dearborn is as strong of a downtown as they come.

Community Spotlight: Grosse Pointe Park

By Pat Dostine

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Community Development

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August 30, 2010

How community spirit goes, so goes a city. In Grosse Pointe Park, community spirit is active and the city shows. It's one of the finer cities around. Drive it, you'll see.

Guest Blogger: Tales from The Set

By Carrie Jones

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Community Development

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August 30, 2010

There have been a lot of positive developments in the Detroit/Wayne County area this summer, highlighted by a number of great productions. Real Steal, starring Hugh Jackman, has been one of the bigger shows in town. While official job numbers won't be in until year's end, the shoot is here for several months and has hired thousands of extras for scenes shot at Cobo Arena.

EDGE Spotlight: Sugar Hill & the N’Namdi Art Gallery

By Geoff Young

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Community Development

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August 30, 2010

Ernie and Diane Zachary have adopted the name "Sugar Hill" to define their multi-block project, a take off of the eclectic Sugar Hill district of Harlem in New York City. Their vision for Sugar Hill combines the music and arts influences of Harlem's Sugar Hill district with the current and historic music and arts culture of Detroit's Midtown district.

Director’s Corner: Growing Exports and Creating Jobs Through the Aerotropolis

By Turkia Awada Mullin

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Community Development

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August 30, 2010

The Aerotropolis Development Corporation (ADC) is a core component of Wayne County's regional plans to integrate transportation, economic development and land use planning to make Metro Detroit a leading economic gateway to the state, nation, and world.

Company Spotlight: The Oakwood Group

By Wayne County EDGE

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Community Development

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August 30, 2010

Oakwood Industries was founded in 1943 by Francois Audi. The first products manufactured were water pumps supplied to Ford Motor Company for their production of tractors.