Our coverage of activities happening at the neighborhood level as told by the neighbors themselves. Coverage of the characteristics of given neighborhoods.
Disc golf has been around in Metro Detroit since the 1970s. The sport continues to attract new players, new events and new courses every year. But is it ready for the mainstream?
Bills in Michigan's legislature would fundamentally change how historic preservation works in neighborhoods throughout the state.
How affordable live/work housing for artists can reinvigorate neighborhoods and bring members of diverse communities together.
Pontiac's historic neighborhoods are not only testaments to the city's former economic and industrial might, but also to its potential for future redevelopment.
USA Today mentioned Detroit's Midtown in the same breath as must-visit (or must-live) neighborhoods in Portland, New Orleans, Santa Fe, and the like. Excerpt: "The heart of the city, Detroit's Midtown is rapidly developing into a surprisingly well-rounded residential area while featuring an abundance of restaurants, galleries, community gardens and markets. Dedicated local entrepreneurs have made Midtown an attractive hub for small businesses with high-end shops like Hugh and Nora, eateries like Maccabee's at Midtown and Great Lakes Coffee Roasting Company and Shinola, which makes American-made bicycles, watches, leather goods and journals. Midtown is at the core of the city's M-1 Rail development and non-motorized transportation plans will soon connect the district to Eastern Market and other neighborhoods via greenways and bike paths." More here.
The people and places behind innovation and jobs are where we can really take the pulse of statewide recovery. Take a look inside at case studies in three cities that put a human face on community engagement and economic growth.
A residential development in Auburn Hills is planned to be much more than another new subdivision. The Parkways, a project of The Moceri Companies, is meant to create public use spaces, become an entry into the city's emerging downtown district, promote alternative electric vehicle usage and offer specially-designed multi-generational housing in one neighborhood. City officials say the mix of housing styles and design of the neighborhood keep in mind the city's goals of offering more "age-friendly" and senior living options and promoting the inclusion of alternative energy technology in new construction. The Parkways is also believed to be the largest residential development in Michigan to wire all property with electric vehicle plug-ins. "This project was intentionally designed to meet Auburn Hills’ formal commitment to become an Age-Friendly Community with a variety of housing opportunities, parks, sidewalks and complete street considerations,” says Steven Cohen, director of community development for the city of Auburn Hills. “This private investment by The Moceri Companies to build a multi-generational development is a huge victory for the city. It’s a game changer for Downtown Auburn Hills.” As for electric vehicle wiring, Cohen says, "If considered when a project is first built, preparing for electric vehicles is very easy and inexpensive. By prepping these garages with proper wiring, new residents within this development will only need to add a charging station on the wall if they buy or lease an electric vehicle. It’s like adding a garage door opener and the costs are now very similar. Having proper infrastructure in place will help this technology succeed. It just takes forward thinking.” The Parkways will be made up of 76 townhouse, 72 stacked, flat units and a three-story 160-unit senior care complex. The market value of The Parkways, which will be built on 21.5 acres of property west of Adams road and north of the Clinton River Trail, is expected to be $75 million. Previous plans for a major housing development by another company foundered during the recession, and the property went into foreclosure and then back into the city's hands. A partnership with the city and Moceri means part of the land will become a two-acre public park and the major road through the property will be designed as a boulevard an eastern gateway into downtown Auburn Hills, where major projects such as student housing, will be completed soon. Construction on the first of five phases is scheduled to being in the spring of 2014 and be completed by the end of 2017. Source: City of Auburn Hills Writer: Kim North Shine
Inspired by the gathering places of early 20th century writers and poets in Russia, Lori Slager and two friends set out to make a coffee shop in Grand Rapids where they'd want to hangout. Now, The Sparrows is the gathering space for neighbors and has been a catalyst for more neighborhood growth.
When shopping in your favorite downtown store, ever wonder what's upstairs? For decades, the answer has been "not much" for many Michigan cities. Take a look at how that trend is changing across the state, in communities like Manistee, Portland and Detroit's Eastern Market, where local property owners are redefining downtowns by reviving upper floor residences.
There’s something different about the Eastern Market neighborhood of Detroit. It’s evident today in the creative investment happening on Gratiot just north of Russell, where a beautiful Art Deco building is being brought back to life, inside and out. The project continues a trend that began on the same block more than 30 years ago when upper floor housing first made an appearance in the neighborhood. Now, the residents living in Eastern Market make the mixed-use area uniquely vibrant, spurring increased redevelopment.
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