Our January newsletter just hit the post office yesterday, so we wanted to share this month's edition with our readers. The current issue features stories on Shep's Beauty & Barber Shop II in Detroit, and Housing Opportunities Made Equal of Macinac County.
To download the complete PDF, click here. You can read the individual columns online by jumping over to our eNewsletter page, and if you'd like to receive updates via email, fill out the form below:
Here are the highlights from tonight's State of the State address.
More news stories below:
AP: Text of Gov. Jennifer Granholm's State of the State address
AP: Lower interest rates allow Granholm to push new proposals
Free Press: Granholm's goal: Modernize Michigan's workforce, economy
Detroit News: Governor puts jobs front and center
NOTE: We were looking for text of Sen. Mike Bishop's Republican response, but were not able to locate it when this diary was posted. If and when we locate a link, we will update this entry.
Tomorrow Gov. Jennifer Granholm will offer her annual State of the State address in Lansing. While we typically shy away from public policy matters on this blog, the State of the State is a major event here in Michigan, as it helps chart a course for what we can expect out of the Capitol over the coming year.
Here are some of the news stories previewing this year's speech:
AP: Granholm to focus on economy, unmet goals in annual speech
Detroit News: Governor's address to focus on state's foreclosure woes
LSJ: Granholm to focus on state's struggling economy in address
We're particularly interested in hearing what the Governor has to say about Michigan's ongoing foreclosure crisis. Be sure to check your local listings for broadcast information. For a transcript of the address, you can visit the Governor's official website following the speech.
Michigan Development News is a weekly series that features affordable housing and economic development-related news stories from across the state. Feel free to submit a story suggestion by leaving a note in the comments section.
Flint Journal: Habitat's compassion was answer to Burton couple's prayers
Ever since Breanna Shaw turned 4, she's felt like one lucky girl.
Breanna has a brand new bedroom to share with her Barbies, a pink bike in the basement and this summer, she'll play in a big backyard.
Thanks to Habitat for Humanity, Breanna and her parents, Kristina Shaw and Belinda Bone, moved into a new home last month.
Belinda believes they're the first gay couple in Genesee County to have a Habitat home, although sexual preference isn't something charted by Habitat, said Margaret Kato, Genesee County Habitat for Humanity director.
Kristina couldn't believe they were accepted. But to Habitat officials, they were a family who needed a helping hand.
"Partnering with God's people in need is the right thing to do. That's what our mission is," Kato said.
Their quiet street, located in the Atherton district, was chosen from several lots across the county. Finding friendly neighbors helped them make up their mind about the weed-filled lot, which Habitat acquired after the owner died.
Sometimes communities assume Habitat owners won't be good neighbors. "A lot of people think Habitat just gives you a house," said Kristina. "But we have to pay for this home."
Be sure to read the rest of the heartwarming story that reminds us that everyone deserves access to quality affordable housing.
Local 4: Gov Pledges To Do More On Housing Loans
Gov. Jennifer Granholm plans to appoint an advocate for insurance buyers and push for legislation that would allow homeowners struggling to meet their mortgage payments to get loans at lower rates during her State of the State address Tuesday.
They're among efforts by the Democratic governor to reach out to Michigan residents hard hit by layoffs, foreclosures, sinking home rates and rising costs.
Although the governor's sixth annual State of the State address also will focus heavily on the economy and education, making life more affordable for Michigan residents will be a top concern.
Check your local listings for braodcast info about this Tuesday's State of the State address.
Observer & Eccentric: Roads, blight fight, housing get block grant money
More than a third of Redford Township's new $1.137 million Community Development Block Grant budget - $390,000 - will go toward repaying a $3.7 million federal loan that is helping fund the paving of gravel roads in low- and middle-income neighborhoods.
Some $110,000 was budgeted for housing rehabilitation loans (down $25,000), $83,000 for youth services, $60,000 for sidewalk improvements, and $50,000 for the Dial-A-Ride program for senior citizens and disabled people (down $20,000). Dial-A-Ride also receives revenue from a dedicated property tax.
A new line item in the CDBG budget this year is housing services, which was given $25,000.
Department of Community Development director Mike Dennis said he plans to use the money to offer residents free courses on such topics as avoiding tax or mortgage foreclosure, getting out of foreclosure, and planning home improvements.
"That's something that I think will help a lot of homeowners," Dennis said.
It's encouraging to see that some of this CDBG money will go towards housing services that will help consumers stay in their homes. Michigan will need stable communities if we're going to turn this economy around.
Freep: $5.2 million pledged to go toward Detroit home ownership
“The foreclosure market is scaring people,” said Dina Harris, founder of National Faith Home Buyers. “We need to get the message to families that property values are at an all-time low and now is the time to buy a home.”
National Development Services Inc., a Detroit-based investment firm, has pledged $3.1 million while the Brewer Group, another investment firm based in New York, has pledged $2.1 million to the project. Movie actor Morris Chestnut, who has starred in dozens of movies including “Boyz n the Hood,” “G.I. Jane,” and “The Best Man,” flew in to help promote the program and pledge an undisclosed amount of money.
“This is a phenomenal opportunity to give back to the people who have given so much to me,” he said. “You’re not just placing people in homes, but educating people to help them stay in the homes.”
Affordable housing and vibrant communities, that's what we like to see.
Model D: Detroit Life Building to join ranks of Park Ave.'s resurgence
One by one, Park Avenue's historic buildings are being refreshed for a new millennium. Ten years ago, the Park Building, housing the Town Pump, seemed a lone wolf on an empty street.
In the last few years, however, the Kales, Women’s City Club, Colony Club and Iodent Buildings along with the one housing Cliff Bell's and the Park Bar have all seen significant investment. Now the Detroit Life Building is getting ready to join the party.
The 10-story building at the corner of W. Columbia is undergoing a thorough renovation that will be complete by late 2008 or early 2009, says Karen Cullen, spokesperson Ilitch Holdings, which owns the building.
We're not touching the Mayor's unfolding text message scandal with a ten-foot pole, but we just hope the story doesn't overshadow the good work that's happening in Detroit for too long. At the end of the day stories like this about the Detroit Life Building are what we need to focus on as we work to re-energize Michigan's economy.
Doris McQueen's 7-month-old daughter, Myisha McQueen, cozily sleeps in the arms of her mother, far from the blasts of cold winter winds outside.
The Saginaw mother and daughter are residents at the Family Empowerment Center, an emergency shelter at the Saginaw Rescue Mission, 1021 Burt.
"I don't have to worry about being put out in the cold. The mission has made an impact on me and my daughter because we have a safe place to stay, and I'm learning how to become independent," McQueen said.
The homeless population is surging at shelters and a soup kitchen as winter tightens its icy grip.
"We receive referrals from churches, law enforcement agencies and bus stations. We don't turn anyone away," said Kimberly Ancel, the mission's director of development. "The number will stay higher because of the cold weather. We're always prepared for whatever comes our way."
Restoration Community Outreach has had a surge in enrollment because of the frigid weather. The center at 1205 Norman in Saginaw provides shelter and support for the homeless.
The facility reached its capacity of 70 residents, forcing staff to refer people to other shelters, said Roma Thurin, executive director for Restoration Community Outreach.
"In the summertime, we average around 20 people that stay with us. Now we have to turn two to three people away a night because we're at capacity," she said. "Most of the men are coming in earlier in the day to check in because it's so cold."
Restoration Community Outreach is a current Trust Fund borrower, and while it's unfortunate that their shelter has already reached capacity, it's encouraging to see that one of our partners is making a difference in the lives of Michigan's homeless population.
To learn more about what you can do to help fight homelessness this winter, visit the Michigan Coalition Against Homelessness.
We got word of this through a press release sent out yesterday, and wanted to share it with our readers. Here are few excerpts about the new Women's Center of Greater Lansing, which we are proud to support:
After more than three years of working to secure the necessary funding and professional services, the Women’s Center of Greater Lansing and its community partners, including Allen Neighborhood Center, Capital Region Community Foundation, Centry Corporation, The Gillespie Company, Great Lakes Capital Fund, Liquid Web, Rusty Meska, Michigan Interfaith Trust Fund, NuUnion Credit Union, and the PB&J Foundation gathered today to celebrate the final phase of renovation of the organization’s 1712 E. Michigan Avenue site.
“The completion of this building has been a dream since we purchased the buildings in 2004,” said Manuela Kress, Co-Director, Women’s Center of Greater Lansing. “And with the help of so many individuals, businesses, foundations and organizations, we’ll now be able to offer services that local women in this area are desperately seeking.”
The Women’s Center has outgrown the 1,000 square foot space from which they currently operate. With the completion of the 1712 building, 2,000 square feet will be added and make it possible to provide computer classes, nutritional cooking classes, space for women to work on their job search and a place to house a professional clothes closet.
The final phase of the renovation is expected to be completed this spring and includes the renovation of the interior and exterior of the building. An open house will follow the completion of the renovation.
The Women's Center of Greater Lansing is an independent, community based, 501(c)(3) private, non-profit. The mission of the Women's Center of Greater Lansing is to help women realize their potential, support each other, achieve economic self-sufficiency, and develop emotional and physical wellbeing, regardless of income level.
To learn more about the organization, be sure to check out this article from the Lansing State Journal.
Michigan Development News is a weekly series that features affordable housing and economic development-related news stories from across the state. Feel free to submit a story suggestion by leaving a note in the comments section.
NOTE: We're posting this a day late, as our office was closed yesterday in observance of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.
Model D: Three new single family homes under construction in N. Rosedale
The walls are framed and the roofs are on! Three new single family homes on Stahelin Street in N. Rosedale are fully under construction and will be complete by May. "The siding and shingles are not up yet, but they look like houses," says Tom Goddeeris, executive director of the Grandmont Rosedale Development Corp. "We started in December, less than a month ago, but we're really moving fast." He anticipates the homes being ready for walk-throughs in March.
The 1,300-square-foot homes will have three bedrooms, 2 1/2 bathrooms, full basements, attached garages and appliances and will be available to income-qualified buyers for $110,000. Down payment assistance of $20,000 can mean a buyer is actually making payments on a $90,000 mortgage at the end of the day.
"People looking to buy right now; it's a good time to buy," says Goddeeris. "The value of this purchase is great." The construction cost of each home is $180,000, which was subsidized by City of Detroit HOME funds and Community Development Block Grant dollars and the Development Corporation of Wayne County. Construction loans were provided by the Michigan Interfaith Trust Fund and Detroit LISC.
Here's a project we co-financed in Detroit. Hopefully this is just the beginning for a successful 2008!
LSJ: Old Town shops show off their makeover merchandise
The revamped stores swung wide their doors Saturday for an open house, where thousands of people filed through in a near-constant stream all day.
"For what, the coldest day of the year? And we've had great turnout," Schriner-Hooper said.
Bruce Meyers of Lansing stopped by Old Town to have a look at the change.
"I'd like to get down here more often, so this is a good excuse to do that," he said.
Vernadine's Soul Food owner Vernadine Whitfield said she loves what the Ikea designers did for her restaurant.
"It gives me more of a soul food atmosphere," Whitfield said, in between greeting potential customers who came in to "ooh and aah" and see her new decor. Most chatted for a while before heading back outside into the cold to visit another store.
"I hope they come back in and try some of the food," she said with a laugh.
If you live in the Lansing area, be sure to stop at the shops in Old Town soon to check out the cool new renovations.
Flint Journal: Burton buoyed by news of commercial developments
Planners also granted a request to expand the Center Road Meijer gas station into a full-fledged convenience store. Nearly 800 square feet will be added to the existing 1,600-square-foot facility, said Meijer spokesman Mark Kastner, who expects the expansion will begin when winter weather is done.
With the exception of Planning Commissioner Cheryl Sclater, who abstained from voting due to a conflict of interest, commissioners also approved a Davison Road office-retail development.
Developer Chuck Sekrenes, who developed Mallard Ponds, plans to build two buildings, each 4,000 square feet, beginning this spring.
Sekrenes has lined up a tenant who plans to open a computer shop by fall for one building.
News of new business development was heartening for Burton officials, who received only 14 requests to build homes in the city last year, one of which was a Habitat for Humanity house. New homes built in 2007 were down by 70 percent over 2006.
But tax revenue from new businesses can ease the budget crunches suffered by municipalities statewide.
"It's exciting to see," said Strasser. "I'm happy things are picking up."
With municipal governments struggling, it's encouraging to see signs of development in places like burton. Hopefully this is just the beginning of a positive new trend in cities and towns across Michigan.
Model D: Mudgie's to keep lunch tradition alive at Corktown corner
After McNally's decided to close up shop and focus solely on its downtown location, longtime waiter Greg Mudge was inspired to take over the space. His restaurant, Mudgie's, will open Feb. 1.
Mudge will take lessons from his years spent with McNally's. "I think I have a very good idea of what people in this area want," he says. "I have been hearing them ask me for eight years!" However, Mudgie's will not attempt to emulate or imitate McNally's -- for example, he envisions the decor being much sparser.
The menu will be vegetarian-friendly and will lean towards soups and salads rather than sandwiches -- although there will still be plenty of those to chose from. There will be a variety of ice cream floats and "Mudgie's Fudgie," a hot fudge sundae topping a brownie.
One restaurant closes, and another one opens.
The Williamston Theatre, a current Trust Fund borrower, is in the middle of rehearsals for their upcoming production of Art, winner of the 1998 Tony Award for best original play. Here are the details on the upcoming production from a recent press release:
This production will begin with five Preview performances starting Thursday, January 24. During the first four Previews audience memberswill have the opportunity to take part in the process of creating a show by participating in a talkback session with the director following each performance. The Official Opening Night is Friday, February 1 with the show scheduled to run through Sunday, February 17. Performances will run Thursday and Friday evenings at eight o'clock, Saturday matinees at three o'clock and evenings at eight o'clock, and Sunday matinees at two o'clock. Please note there will not be a three o'clock performance on Saturday, January 26.
How much would you pay for a white painting? Would it matter who the painter was? Would it be art? Serge has just bought a very expensive painting. Marc thinks the painting is a joke, but Serge insists Marc doesn't have the proper standard to judge the work. Much to his dismay, Yvan allows himself to be pulled into the disagreement. See what happens when the meaning of art and friendship collide in this award winning comedy.
Coincidentally, I actually saw the Broadway production of Art back in 1999, featuring Wayne Knight (Seinfeld), George Segal (Just Shoot Me!), and Buck Henry (SNL). The play is hysterically funny, so I'm anxious to see the Williamston Theatre's version of the show next month.
As we've been saying for a while, a thriving arts community is a crucial element to Michigan's economic recovery. That's why we're so excited to support such a great project like the Williamston Theatre.
To learn more about the show, visit williamstontheatre.org.
Tomorrow is the day of the Michigan presidential primary. For an in-depth Q&A about the election – which covers everything from names on the ballots, to polling locations, the need for photo ID, etc. – be sure to check out this post from Michigan Messenger. While the Democratic primary is by all accounts more confusing this year, Kevin Shopshire does a nice job of clearing up any misconceptions about who is and who is not on the ballot.
The Trust Fund is neutral in this election, as all others, however we'd like to take a moment to point our readers back to a post we wrote in September of last year, "Put affordable housing into the election":
Affordable housing is literally the foundation of the American economy. While all levels of government are constantly preoccupied with short-term budgetary issues, the ability of consumers to afford a home is something that affects all other aspects of economic activity. This is not an issue that we can simply ignore.
If you get a chance, go read the whole editorial. It's great to see that an important paper like the Star Tribune in Minneapolis-St. Paul (which is playing host to the 2008 Republican National Convention) is putting this issue front and center. Hopefully we'll see affordable housing get the attention it deserves over the next fourteen months, but you're an important part of making sure that happens.
On the campaign trail next year, be sure to ask political candidates and the local, state, and federal levels what their plan is for affordable housing.
Without turning this blog into a forum for media criticism today, we'll just say that reporters have been much more concerned with the horse race aspect of the election rather than letting the candidates debate substantive issues this year. Which is to say that affordable housing really hasn't gotten the attention it deserves so far.
Michigan voters clearly won't get much of a chance to interact with the presidential candidates of either party this year – particularly the Democrats, who have mostly pledged not to campaign here. While that is unfortunate, there is still time to make affordable housing and economic development issues a factor in this year's local, state and federal elections. To learn more about candidates' positions on the issues, visit the nonpartisan website, Project Vote Smart.
In the meantime, happy voting!
Michigan Development News is a weekly series that features affordable housing and economic development-related news stories from across the state. Feel free to submit a story suggestion by leaving a note in the comments section.
Freep: $150-million complex planned for downtown
The $150-million Cadillac Centre, plans for which were disclosed exclusively to the Free Press, would rise on a parcel known as the Monroe Block, a surface parking lot just east of Woodward Avenue and Campus Martius Park near the Compuware headquarters.
Financing is lined up, and the schedule calls for breaking ground in fall 2009, with tenants moving in late 2011.
With a striking design that could become a new architectural icon for the city, Cadillac Centre would include two, 24-story apartment towers connected by a 12-story link that would house a six-screen movie theater, health club and spa, restaurants and stores.
"We believe in the future of Detroit," Dembitzer said. "We are creating a unique complex that will not only revitalize downtown Detroit living, shopping and entertainment, but will also stir the imagination and excitement about Detroit's future and what we believe it will become in the 21st Century."
Kilpatrick echoed that.
"Detroit is in the midst of the most revolutionary transformation in its history, and Cadillac Centre will help to continue our city's resurgence by bringing a new level of exciting living, shopping and entertainment options to the heart of downtown," he said.
There's lots more about this exciting new project in the Free Press article. You can also watch a short video interview with Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick by clicking here.
Jackson Cit-Pat Editorial: Investment in arts can pay off for Jackson-area
The arrival of residents in the Armory Arts Village this month signals this could be a new era for the arts in Jackson.
As a year-old community plan shows, it will take more than a few dozen new painters, musicians and the like to make Jackson into a cultural hub.
The volunteers behind the Jackson Community Cultural Plan can point to some achievements in 2007. Young artists were able to display their artwork at local businesses.
Up next appear to be the creation of an artists' database and the hiring of a director for the Arts and Cultural Alliance, which oversees the cultural plan's development.
The cultural plan envisions much more. Before Jackson can be the vibrant place everyone wants, the plan says, there needs to be better communication between artists and the public.
It sounds like the city of Jackson is really gearing up for some exciting new cultural developments in 2008. We'll definitely be keeping an eye on this theme throughout the year.
WLNS: Downtown Development A Go
State owned property that has stood idle for 30 years is now in the hands of a Lansing developer. It's located in downtown Lansing, bordered by Ottawa and Ionia streets to the north and south, Butler and Sycamore streets to the east and west. The vacant lot in Lansing may soon be a centerpiece of urban revitalization. The state owned property changed hands twice, first the state sold it to the city of Lansing, moments later the city sold it to Lansing developer Gene Townsend. The price: $460,000.
Gene Townsend, Sycamore Street Partners, LLC: "It's a diverse neighborhood and I think it has the strength to make this project successful."
The plan calls for 66 condos in all, as well as storefronts and businesses, all designed to bring people young and old downtown. Lansing Mayor Virg Bernero sees the demand for a project like this.
Mayor Virg Bernero, Lansing: "Urban living is in style, it's in vogue, even while the housing market is flat, there is a pent up demand for urban living."
A true example of what can happen when leaders and developers join forces. Townsend says he will break ground on the project this spring.
More positive news for the City of Lansing. As always, we love the symbolism of taking a vacant lot and turning it into a "centerpiece of urban revitalization." The Capitol City has become a wonderful model for what successful downtown revitalization efforts should look like.
Well, we wound up taking on more of a Lansing-centric theme this week, so we might as well see it through. On Wednesday Capital Gains posted an article summarizing the major development stories in the Capitol City from 2007. Here are the highlights:
After months of behind-the-scenes negotiations and deal-making and old-fashioned hard work by city staff, Accident Fund Insurance Company of America announced in late 2007 that it would be moving its national headquarters to the old Lansing power plant.
The company could have gone anywhere, with a workforce expected to grow by 500 employees to a total of 1,200 in the next several years.
But they decided to not only stay downtown, but to make a massive commitment to remake one of the city’s most visible landmarks.
The announcement, and the $182 million commitment to make it a reality, marked a historical moment for many who had come to view the majestic power plant as both an icon and challenge to the city’s burgeoning downtown rebirth.
This is a trend we touched on numerous times last year, cities taking a building that symbolizes economic hardship -- Lansing's BWL tower, the old Jackson prison, Detroit's Book-Cadillac Hotel, even the Williamston Theatre -- and turning it into a sign of hope and rejuvenation. The term being used by the Cities of Promise coalition is a "signature project," something that carries a "wow" factor for the community.
While these signature projects are often needed to get the ball rolling for additional development, it's also the little things that make a difference:
The rain gardens now lining Michigan Avenue are visible; the underground environmental benefits to Lansing’s long-neglected waterways are harder to spot.
Sure, rain gardens and street lamps may seem like superficial improvements, but it all contributes to the prevailing sense that things are getting better around downtown.
The article goes on to discuss the new Stadium District near Oldsmobile Park, the proposed redesign of the City Market and riverfront, and the environmentally-friendly Kalamazoo Gateway project. Definitely go read the whole thing, if you get a chance.
While there's still plenty of work to be done, it's nice to get reminders like this that economic development efforts are turning Michigan around, one block at a time.
The projects began Monday and are set to continue throughout the next two weeks.
“It was exciting. Things like that don’t happen every day,” said Amanda Hightree, the outreach coordinator for the Mackinac Chapter of the Sierra Club, 109 E. Grand River Ave., in Lansing, one of 10 businesses sharing the $50,000 prize.
“Being a nonprofit, we’re a lot different than some of the businesses in the area,” Hightree said. “All of our (furniture) is donated and it’s not often we get to select the stuff we need.”
The renovations are part of a renaissance in Old Town. Since the passing of Robert Busby, the owner of the Creole Gallery, 1218 Turner St., in Lansing, who was murdered in his shop early last year, 20 new businesses have opened.
“We were worried about (losing business),” said Jamie Schriner-Hooper, executive director of the OTCA. “But gratefully the exact opposite has happened.”
While Busby's death was certainly a major loss, the fact that Old Town's resurgence has continued without him is a testament to power of community participation. Economic development efforts often need a figure like Mr. Busby to get the ball rolling, but once people start to realize that they have a stake in the future of their own neighborhoods and take an active role in its economic recovery, the whole process eventually becomes self-sustaining.
At least, that's the hope. And thankfully, that's exactly what we're seeing in Old Town. (Oh, and the new furniture helps too)
Consider this post something of a holdover from yesterday's Development News. This is going to sound a little off-topic at first, but bear with us.
Salon ran a great article yesterday about America's water problems. Yes, you read that correctly... we're going to link a story about Great Lakes water protection with economic development:
In San Diego, which just experienced its driest summer in recorded history, the hills are charred from October's wildfires. The state of California is so tapped out that the pumps that carry water from the Sacramento River to San Diego were tightened in December. Water authorities are urging San Diegans to tear up their grass and replace it with cactus and succulent.
Sun Belters, there's a man in Detroit with the answer to your water problems. "They can have all the water they want," says Hugh McDiarmid Jr. of the Michigan Environmental Council. "All they have to do is move here." There's plenty of room. Some Detroit neighborhoods are so bereft of houses that pheasants hide in the vacant lots. And the cost of living is unbeatable. Earlier this year, an auctioneer was trying to unload a bungalow for $18,000. When no one would bid, he reminded his audience, "You get the land under the house, too."
Detroit clearly has an image problem to contend with (something we've touched on in the past), but former Free Press reporter Hugh McDiarmid actually made a great point with this tongue-in-cheek remark.
Michigan has access to the largest fresh water supply on earth. Sure, our winters are a little chilly and gray, but we'd love to welcome more than a few of those Sun Belters back here to the midwest:
So to Sun Belters, I say: Come on back. This is not an idle appeal. The Great Lakes basin is home to 33 million people. But its water can support millions more. William Frey, a demographer who has studied the Sun Belt migration for the Brookings Institution, thinks the South's water shortages may "spur a U-turn" in that decades-long pattern. Moribund Michigan, Ohio and New York may finally have a chance to recover all those kids who buggered off to California with their master's degrees, as well as all those congress members and electoral votes. They'll need to modernize their economies to lure people back, but water can play a role in that.
"The Sun Belt migration was thought to be a way to make more land habitable, to make more use of the Southwest," Frey says. "Maybe it's time to revisit that. Maybe people will find out it's better to have water year-round and put up with a little cold weather."
After all, water is a major cultural amenity, says John Austin, director of the Great Lakes Economic Initiative. Most Great Lakes cities sit on magnificent waterfronts. Tear down the old factories blighting the view -- as Waukegan, Ill., is now trying to do -- and you can create downtowns full of expensive lofts and coffee shops with open-mike nights. "People like to live and work in places that are proximate to water," Austin says. "Traverse City, Mich., is so physically beautiful that people who can work anywhere -- people with graphic design businesses, media businesses -- have chosen to live there. That's a huge piece of the economic picture."
Think about it. There's a reason so many people visit our state during the summer months. Anyone who's spent any time North of Mt. Pleasant knows that we're lucky to live in one of the most beautiful states in America.
A few clouds in the winter months might not seem so bad after another 10-20 years of global warming, droughts, and wildfires in the Southwest. Especially if those clouds come with access to abundant water and other natural resources.
Of course, Michigan's economic recovery and reverse migration could be accelerated if we take the time to fill in the other pieces of the puzzle, and build the type of communities that will attract young professionals from warm weather states now. That's where investments in affordable housing and economic development come into play.
We love Michigan, and we're not going anywhere. Hopefully, by taking care of the thing that makes us great -- our water -- we can kick this economy back into high gear.
Michigan Development News is a weekly series that features affordable housing and economic development-related news stories from across the state. Feel free to submit a story suggestion by leaving a note in the comments section.
LSJ: Success in the city: Popular apartments, lofts drawing new residents downtown
The 119-unit Motor Wheel is fully occupied, he said. The final units were completed in February, months after the first residents moved into the building.
The first batch of leases have just started coming up for renewal, he said, with about 70 percent of residents signing a new 1- to 5-year lease to stay in the building.
"I've always thought there was a market there," Hepler said. "It's just that nobody built it."
The 1916 building for years housed the Prudden Motor Wheel factory until it closed in the 1970s. The 170,000-square-foot building was largely vacant until Hepler finished renovations.
Developers for several years have said downtown could support at least 600 new residential units. Hepler figures only about 250 have been built so far.
But just those few hundred units have brought new life to the downtown stretch of the River Trail and Lansing nightlife.
"I thought this summer was one of the best summers, in just seeing people outside," he said. "I think there's a lot more of that to come."
While few units in these particular developments would be considered "affordable," we certainly applaud the efforts to revitalize downtown Lansing. We definitely appreciate the symbolism of taking an abandoned building like the old Motor Wheel factory and turning it into a new hotspot for downtown redevelopment.
Ann Arbor Business Review: Google still aiming for 1,000 hires for Ann Arbor AdWords HQ
Google was attracted to this area for several reasons, including its leadership's ties to the University of Michigan and its "diverse population and highly educated community," Burnett said.
But the talent base was one of the main reasons Google opted for Ann Arbor.
"We didn't see a lot of companies like ours that were here, but we saw a lot of hunger and thirst for this work."
Google's development in cities like Ann Arbor and Birmingham reinforces the message we've been pushing for several years, that businesses are looking to invest in vibrant downtowns that attract young, knowledgeable workers.
Michigan Messenger: Top 5 Stories in Detroit for 2007
The year 2007 proved to be a mixed bag for Detroit. The mortgage crisis hit the city especially hard as thousands of residents faced the threat of foreclosure. Save a brief strike, the UAW negotiations went well as the Big Three continue to adjust to soaring legacy costs amidst increased competition from foreign automakers. Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick made big news by helping Quicken Loans relocate its headquarters to to Downtown Detroit from Livonia, attracting 4,000 jobs.
We tend to agree with Brandon White's assessment that 2007 was something of a mixed bag for the City of Detroit, but by and large we think things are at least heading in the right direction. That's why we're so committed to our affordable housing and economic development efforts in Detroit, and look forward to more successes in 2008.
The blog will be returning to its regular posting schedule starting next week, so check back then for more updates.
In the meantime, here's a quick re-cap of the top stories from 2007:
Trust Fund Borrowers
- 04/05/07: Borrower Profile: Dawn Farm
- 04/10/07: Borrower Profile: HomeStretch Housing
- 04/17/07: Borrower Profile: Ruth Ellis Center
- 05/21/07: Ruth Ellis Center featured in the NYT
- 11/28/07: Mexicantown Mercado: Cultural + Business Incubaor
- 12/19/07: Williamston Theatre Featured in Capital Gains
- 04/30/07: Housing Conference: Day One
- 05/01/07: Housing Conference: Day Two
- 05/02/07: Housing Conference: Day Three
- 04/19/07: What it Means to be a "City of Promise"
- 06/15/07: Joe & Luella Bassett Issue $100k Investment Challenge
- 06/21/07: Borrowers' & Burners' Luncheon Photos
- 06/25/07: 2006 Annual Report: Now Online!
- 07/26/07: Christine Coady Featured in MHCDF Advocacy Day Video
- 08/23/07: Trust Fund Hires Rita Hillman as Sr. Com. Loan Officer
- 04/03/07: Harriet Saperstein: "A Powerhouse and an Inspiration"
- 04/27/07: City Pulse: The right-brain drain
- 05/08/07: Let's Give Students a Reason to Stay in Michigan
- 06/22/07: Let's Give Students a Reason to Stay in Michigan, Part 2
- 07/09/07: WWJ: State money to fight blight
- 07/19/07: NYT Editorial on Affordable Housing
- 09/04/07: The NYT Loves Michigan
- 09/21/07: MI Receives National Award for Vibrant Cities Initiative
- 09/25/07: Detroit CDCs Honored for their Work
- 09/27/07: Don Jones on Development in Michigan
- 10/03/07: A Look at the 'Detroit Neighborhood DrillDown' Study
- 10/09/07: The Arts in Michigan: Crucial to State's Economic Recovery
- 10/09/07: Redevelopment in the Capitol City
- 10/11/07: $2.3 Million to Help Michigan's Downtowns
- 10/17/07: Re-Cap of Jesse Jackson Event in Flint
- 10/19/07: Redevelopment in the Capitol City, Part 2
- 10/30/07: Free Press Editorial: Think creatively to give cities new life
- 11/02/07: East Lansing Redevelopment: Block by Block
- 11/07/07: Wayne State Driving Midtown Development
- 11/08/07: The Economist: Flint "Back From the Dead"
- 11/13/07: Michigan Development News: Quicken Loans Edition
- 11/15/07: Redevelopment in the Capitol City, Part 3
- 11/16/07: Progress Combating Homelessness in Kalamazoo
- 11/26/07: Lansing: Public Investment Sparks Private Investment
- 11/27/07: Lansing #4 in Housing Affordability
- 12/10/07: NYT: Detroit One of the 53 Places To Go in 2008
- 04/12/07: A re-cap of today's testimony... (MHCDF)
- 08/17/07: Update on the National Housing Trust Fund Legislation
- 09/20/07: A Message from Ken Bensen on MHCDF
- 10/16/07: U.S. House Passes National Housing Trust Fund