Mallory Horton Waters Plants in the
GreenHouse at Harvesting Earth Urban
Garden by Michigan Municipal League (MML)
Click for slideshow from MML!

Last week we featured Urban Farming and the Gift of Detroit. Detroit is not the only Michigan city that is turning to urban farming as a means of economic development and simple subsistence.

The Kings of Flint is a documentary that features Jacky and Dora King, of King Karate. Jackie and Dora are also Master Gardeners who see farming as not only a means of self defense - Jackie points out that historically martial arts students have also been farmers - but also as a way to revitalize Flint. They use the discipline of farming and hard work to help their students prepare to meet the challenges that growing up in Flint present.

Jacky King and Dora King by MML

In six years, the Kings have grown their urban gardening program from nothing to a program that now encompasses 16 former vacant city lots in Mt. Morris Township and Genesee Township. Last year they involved more than 900 volunteers and paid workers. In this feature in Farm World, Michigan State University instructor Troy Hale who co-produced the documentary with fellow MSU Communication Arts and Sciences teacher Geri Alumit Zeldes explained:

“We found out that the Kings are a couple of interesting characters. We just started going up and started to capture what we could capture. The Kings are really passionate about it. The main thing for them is these kids, teaching them some life skills. I think it’s a sense of community, as well."

They use hoop houses to farm all year round, selling the fruits, vegetables and eggs they harvest at the Flint Farmers Market. You can learn more including how you can support their efforts at the Harvesting Earth Educational Farm web page.

An article from MSU about the project explains that Zeldes, a Flint native, was fascinated with the idea of sustainable agriculture and the city's initiatives in revitalizing its community.

Students sharpened their investigative reporting skills and learned how to shoot and edit their own video. They traveled to Flint about twice a month to gather footage and interview the Kings, residents and local government officials.

...The documentary also includes a full-length music video completely shot and edited by MSU and performed by Flint residents Willie White, Ian Reddington, Hakim Gillard and Desiree Brown.

"In Michigan, I think Flint is known as a terrible city with lots of crime and it's going nowhere, but there are actually people trying to change it," said journalism student Alyssa Firth, who is the webmaster and a producer of the film.

There's a whole bunch more videos and last summer the Great Lakes Echo ran some of the documentary footage exploring different facets of the story. Settle back and watch a 13 minute version of a Michigan success story:

The Kings of Flint 13min. Cut from Troy on Vimeo.

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by Sara Qamar

More than 100 Michigan communities have been honored under the Tree City USA program that promotes the economic, health and aesthetic benefits of trees on public property.

Main Street Rockford by Eridony

Some benefits of trees, such as energy conservation and savings on heating and cooling costs, are important economic factors, said Department of Natural Resources (DNR) urban forestry program coordinator Kevin Sayers.

“Properly planted trees in areas that might shade a building or shade an air conditioning unit are seen to help a lot in energy savings. They can block cold winter winds and minimize heating costs during winter,” he said.

Trees can also affect the price of homes, he said.

“Real estate studies show that properties which have well-maintained landscapes and mature trees are worth more,” he said.

Alpena received its 12th Tree City USA designation this year, city engineer Rich Sullenger said.

Toy Town by lefeber

It's among 119 communities in the program this year. Others include Grand Rapids, Ann Arbor, Allegan, Brighton, Charlevoix, Big Rapids, Ionia and Rockford.

“There's nothing prettier than looking down a tree-lined street in the summer. That's a huge benefit to the community. Anytime I personally I see a tree, it's a lot more pleasing than seeing a barren section of property,” Sullenger said.

Rockford, which was one of two new Michigan honorees this year, has had a longstanding comprehensive tree program which included planting 100 trees a year, city manager Michael Young said. The other is Clio.

Rockford is an older community that has expanded in recent years and has many mature trees, but citizens like greenery in newer developments as well, he said.

Click above for more about the program including how your community can enroll!

“It's really important to blend our newer parts with the old parts, and trees are that common thread,” he said.

One program the city will start this year is purchasing and planting a tree for each baby born in Rockford, he said.

The tree most planted is the maple, which residents appreciate because of the different colors its leaves turn, Young said.

One of the chronic problems DNR deals with about the program is convincing communities to diversify their tree selections from maple.

Sayers said uniformity can cause diseases to spread more easily.

“I don't promote planting any particular one. I encourage diversifying and planting the tree that's right for the location,” he said.

Competition among neighboring communities and citizens' grassroots efforts have helped the program grow in Michigan in the last 10 years, he said.

“There's a growing sense of responsibility to do something in terms of environmental initiatives. Local citizens are working with the city to get this designation,” he said.

Tree City USA operated by the Arbor Day Foundation, a nonprofit group in Nebraska.

The program requires no application fee. The only condition is that communities spend $2 per resident on anything related to trees. That could include planting, annual leaf pickup, purchasing equipment and other care and management, he said.

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5x5 Night is a monthly event in Grand Rapids that allows 5 people to pitch their ideas to a panel of judges who decide how to award $5,000 on the last Tuesday night of every month. The third 5x5 happens tomorrow night at the Grand Rapids Ballet with an afterglow at Founders Brewery. Tomorrow night's presenters and topics sound pretty interesting:

• Bruce Burgess – Mull-it-Over
• Mick Hanna – Easy Crutch
• Phil Lund - The Mars Plan
• William Stewart – Compression Beehive Frame
• Charlie Wollborg - Face-to-Face > Pixel-to-Pixel

Michigan Radio has a cool interview with Rick DeVos and Bill Holsinger Robinson of Pomegranate Studios about 5x5 Night. Learn more at 5x5night.com and Pomegranate Studios.

Last month AJ Paschka got all five votes and $5000 for his very cool Weather Collage idea, but we'll feature Landon Bartley's more locally focused call for a Grand Rapids Sister City Window Webcam Project. You can check out all the pitches on the 5x5 channel.

Photo: Prepping for the first 5x5 Night at the GRAM by pomstudios.com.

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Admission is $8 for adults and $4 for kids (under 5 free) and Saturday is Kids Day - 14 & under get in FREE before noon. Discount coupons and more information are available online!

As you start thinking about home improvement & gardening this spring, don't forget to check Absolute Michigan for great businesses specializing in furniture & appliances, home decor & interior design, home improvement & repair and landscaping & gardens from all over the state who can help you take your home to the next level!

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Approaching Spring by mayerdavid1978

(sorry this update is a little late!) Our Michigan event calendar for the month of March features all kinds of signs that spring is just around the corner with some cautious reminders that objects around the corner may be further off than they appear.

Quotes

"March is a tomboy with tousled hair, a mischievous smile, mud on her shoes
and a laugh in her voice." - Hal Borland

"It was one of those March days when the sun shines hot and the wind blows cold: when it is summer in the light, and winter in the shade." - Charles Dickens

"Springtime is the land awakening. The March winds are the morning yawn." - Lewis Grizzard

"Spring is when you feel like whistling even with a shoe full of slush." - Doug Larson

"Spring is nature's way of saying, Let's party!" - Robin Williams

Fast Facts
March's birthstone is Aquamarine and Bloodstone. They symbolize courage.

Its birth flower is the Narcissus.

March in the Southern Hemisphere is the seasonal equivalent of September in the Northern Hemisphere.

Daylight-Savings time occurs on March 13, 2010, at 2:00 AM - time to spring ahead!

Think spring! The vernal equinox occurs on March 20, 2011, at 11:21  PM EDT.

Things to Do, Places to Go

March 1 - April 30
Foremost's Butterflies Are Blooming - Grand Rapids
Foremost's Butterflies Are Blooming is Meijer Gardens most popular annual exhibition and the largest temporary tropical butterfly exhibit in the nation. March 1–April 30, visitors can escape the Michigan winter and mingle with more than 6,000 tropical butterflies flying free in the 15,000-square-foot Lena Meijer Tropical Conservatory.

March 3 - 4
Kalkaska Winterfest - Kalkaska
Date changed for 2012! One of the largest races in the Midwest. Longest continuous running race in Michigan -- Since 1965. Largest purse in Michigan -- $6,000. The only race in the state with an Unlimited/Open Class.

March 11 - 12
Uptown Film Festival - Birmingham
The inaugural UFF is a two- night celebration of the Michigan film industry, and in particular, productions created entirely, or in part, within the state. It was established by leaders in the Michigan film industry and will be held annually to recognize the industry and individuals' accomplishments within the state. (visit on Facebook)

March 12
Annual Great Bear Chase Ski Marathon - Calumet
A laid-back, skier-oriented weekend in Calumet on the beautiful Keewanau Peninsula. You can choose between 26-km and 50km distances including a separate category for 26-km classic skiers. The Junior Bear Chase is a youth Nordic ski race for skiiers up to 16-years-old.

March 12
Brew-Ski Festival - Harbor Springs
Suds and snow. Is there a better combination? Our first annual Brew-Ski Festival features 100+ craft brews, entertainment and an evening of parties. We'll be pitching a big ole' tent at the base of the slopes where you and friends can purchase tickets and sample a variety of brews. The frothy samples are served up by brewery representatives while you enjoy music, brats and spring conditions.

March 11 - 13
Flushing Walleye Festival - Flushing
The event features:

• Outdoor Show Exhibits
• Fish Fry
• Trout Pond
• Outdoor Show
• Firefighter's Pancake Breakfast
• Guest Speakers
• Texas Hold'em Tournament/Poker Night
• Youth Group
• Chili Cook-off

March 17 - 20
Lansing Home & Garden Show - East Lansing
The strongest Home & Garden show in the Mid-Michigan area fills the MSU Pavilion on the campus of Michigan State University. Incredible gardens, extensive landscaping projects, a Standard Flower Show and three free seminar stages surround hundreds of exhibits featuring construction, remodeling, kitchens & baths, retail garden centers, pools and spas and home services.

March 17 - 20
Ultimate Sport and RV Show - Grand Rapids
Michigan's finest tradition for the avid fisherman, hunter or outdoor loving family! Over 350 exhibitors will be at the show with the latest outdoor gear, travel information and fishing boats. The features are famous: World Class Taxidermy, Antique Lures, Trout Pond, Woodcarvers, Pellet Range, Fishing Simulator, Rock Wall and Fly Casting Instruction. Nearly 100 fishing and hunting semainrs will be held on 4 stages, including "Lake Ultimate," the 110,000 gallon indoor lake. Michigan sportsmen never miss it!

March 18 - 20
Carnival Weekend at Boyne - Boyne Falls
It's party time once again. Boyne Mountain pulls out all the stops as Mardi Gras moves north for the weekend. How can I get some of those beads you ask, come to Boyne Mountain and find out. Bands, costume competitions, the slush cup and parties all over the resort make this a weekend to remember. You might want to plan on using a sick day for Monday.

March 19 - 20
Kalamazoo Living History Show - Kalamazoo
The largest, nationally recognized, juried show in the Midwest devoted to pre-1890 original or reproduction living history supplies, accouterments and related crafts. More than 10,000 historical re-enactors from pre-Revolutionary through the Civil War, history buffs, collectors, and the general public from 18 states and Canada come together for a festive weekend to buy, sell and trade. The event attracts over 270 of the finest craftsman and dealers of living history supplies and related crafts from throughout the United States.

March 22 - 27
Ann Arbor Film Festival - Ann Arbor
The Ann Arbor Film Festival is internationally recognized as a premiere showcase for creative, inspiring, and influential films of all types: avant-garde and experimental, story-based narratives, documentaries, and animation. As the longest-running film festival of its kind in North America, the AAFF is steeped in a rich tradition of ground-breaking cinema.

March 25 - 27
Kalamazoo Fretboard Festival - Kalamazoo
Come to the Kalamazoo Museum for a celebration of Kazoo's legacy of stringed-instrument design and manufacture. This free event invites visitors to meet instrument designers and learn about their trade, to hear live performances from area musicians, and to attend a variety of workshops for guitar, mandolin, banjo, ukulele and more!

March 25 – April 2
Royal Oak Restaurant Week - Royal Oak
A nine-day event celebrating the delicious diversity of the City's dining establishments. Held from Friday, March 25 through Saturday April 2, this annual event features special fixed price three-course dinner menus for either $15 or $25 from  almost two-dozen restaurants.

Did we get them all? Not likely!! Add ones we missed (with links) in the comments below!

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Charlevoix - Mushroom House by ktylerconk

In the "things I found while looking at other things" category comes Quirky cottages in Charlevoix are winter delights from the Detroit Free Press.

Earl Young tourism is a Charlevoix specialty. The quirky builder erected 30 stone homes in town between 1918 and the 1950s, all so unusual they are often compared to works of art. Some look like mushroom houses, with undulating roofs capping boulder walls. Some are tiny. Some are enormous. Most have incredible detail -- doorways of stone, window frames made of boulders, chimneys that look frosted by a giddy cake decorator. The early houses are arts and crafts or chalet style, but the later homes are rounded and organic, part Tolkien, part Keebler elf.

More about Earl Young's cottages at the Freep including a number of Earl Young houses that are available as vacation rentals including Charlevoix's fixture The Weathervane. View more Earl Young House photos from the Charlevoix Historical Society, check out the Earl Young Guidebook and take a video tour of the Earl Young Hobbit Houses in Charlevoix with MyNorth.

Postcard: Weathervane Terrrace Inn & Suites,
Charlevoix, MIchigan by fantomaster

The best resource is the Earl Young Collection at the Charlevoix Library. With everything from the ad for Earl's first development, Boulder Park and the opening of the Weathervane to an article on his book Charlevoix the Beautiful, there's some great stuff to be explored! Let's close with a bit from another  article from the Freep on Young, this one from July 29, 1973 that begins:

Stone houses seem to sprout as naturally as dandelions from the soil of this pleasant Lake Michigan resort community.

And they do because of an already legendary 84-year-old man named Earl A. Young, who built them all.

For more than half a century Young has combed lonesome fields and dusty quarries searching for the odds and ends of nature. He blends stones and timber with an architect's skill and a geologist's respect for his raw material, and so far he has fitted more than 40 local landscapes with his art.

"l have a very strong feeling for stone," Young explained recently as he sat in his wood-paneled office on the lower level of one of his most flamboyant creations, the Weathervane Inn, a local restaurant.

"Stones have their own personalities. People say I'm crazy when I say so, but they really do. Why I found a stone that weighed 160 tons. It was formed 350 million years ago at the bottom of a warm sea and was carried here 10,000 years ago by glaciers."

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Need a new home? Here's 500 abandoned ones all
in the same area by DetroitDerek Photography

Once boasting a population of nearly 2 million, the population of the city of Detroit stands at somewhere between 750,000 and 800,000 residents. Detroit Free Press has a good look at Detroit Mayor Dave Bing's plan to offer incentives next year to concentrate city residents in core areas that will serve as population centers for a newly configured city. It's part of his Detroit Works Project and he says:

"We're going to be encouraging them to move and put themselves in a better situation. ... They are much better off moving into a more dense area so that we can provide them with the services they need: that would be water, sewer, lighting, public safety -- all of that," Bing said. "We think that getting our city to be more dense with its population is the right route."

...City officials say they have identified at least seven to nine population centers that would encompass two-thirds of the city's 139 square miles. That would leave about 45 square miles, though some of that land is already public park space. The availability of strong schools, nonprofits, churches, parks, community development organizations and medical centers -- along with housing stock, income and many other indicators -- will continue to be considered in developing the neighborhood plan, officials say.

Bing says there will be incentives for people to move, but many in the city worry that relocation will not go well. You can read Bing's interview with the Freep and hear what the Mayor is saying about "rightsizing" Detroit below (thanks Rethinking Detroit for the find):

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Emerald Ash Borer by USDAgov

All week long we're profiling invasive species on Michigan in Pictures and Absolute Michigan. Today we move to dry land with this little fellow, the emerald ash borer, an exotic pest that has killed tens of millions of ash trees in southeastern Michigan alone. The central web site is emeraldashborer.info and they explain:

Emerald ash borer (EAB), Agrilus planipennis Fairmaire, is an exotic beetle that was discovered in southeastern Michigan near Detroit in the summer of 2002. The adult beetles nibble on ash foliage but cause little damage. The larvae (the immature stage) feed on the inner bark of ash trees, disrupting the tree's ability to transport water and nutrients. Emerald ash borer probably arrived in the United States on solid wood packing material carried in cargo ships or airplanes originating in its native Asia.

The Michigan Department of Agriculture has information on the ash borer including on what to do if you think you have a tree infested by the emerald ash borer and please don't move firewood!! We'll close with a video about the emerald ash borer...

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Skyline: Lansing, Michigan, USA by Mario.Q

Spotted in the Lansing State Journal today, Kiplinger magazine Lansing has been identified as one of 10 great cities for young adults. Ranking right along side the notable locations of Austin, TX, Charlotte, N.C., Chicago, IL, Kansas City, MO, New York, NY, Portland, OR, Salt Lake City, UT and Washington, D.C.. The criteria used to identify the cities were 6 key questions.

1. Will I find good work there?
2. Who lives there?
3. What colleges and universities does the city offer?
4. How much is rent?
5. How is the commute?
6. Will I have fun there?

From LSJ.com:

The "Love Lansing" contingent is growing, with a well-known financial group touting the Michigan city as one of the best places for young people.

Lansing has been named one of "10 great cities for young adults" by financial news organization Kiplinger.

They promote their town on Twitter with the keyword "#LoveLansing," talk about it during networking events and defend their decision to live here to their peers in other cities.

And now, they have something to back it up.

Kiplinger's made note of Lansing's cheap rent well below the national average, a respectable bar and club scene, high-paying job opportunities in bio and Internet technologies and an average commute of only 20 minutes.

Michigan's capital is a little-known hotbed for young professionals," Kiplinger said. "Granted, this Great Lakes community can't quite compare to the larger cities on our list in terms of job prospects or things to do. But it has a relatively low cost of living. And its youthful population, downtown renewal projects, and emerging technology sector make Lansing a stand-out in mid-sized cities.

Read the entire article here.

The Grand Rapids Press at mlive.com also has an article on the ranking: Is Lansing the coolest city for young people in Michigan? Kiplinger says so

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Seth Bernard by Patrick T Power

Driving Michigan is Absolute Michigan's new show that explores the state of Michigan and the people who are moving us towards the future. It's hosted by Seth Bernard, a musician with a passion for Michigan. The video was shot by Ken Lake of Mythic Michigan.

Our first episode was shot at The Village at Grand Traverse Commons in Traverse City with GTC developer Ray Minervini.

The photo we use of Seth was taken by Patrick T Power - be sure to check it out bigger!

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It's that time of year when anyone with a patch of green space starts thinking about how to enhance it. How better to do that than by cruising on down to Lennon, the Lawn Ornament Capital of America.

Lennon claims that title based on Jean Krupp's Novelty Store, a retail moniker that barely hints at what you will find there. Rows of naked concrete Davids, gnarly gargoyles, Christ figures and Labrador retrievers stand higgledy-piggledy around the vast outdoor shopping space, while shelves of gewgaws and bathtubs with pre-installed icons fill the indoor area. There is even a life-sized King Neptune ready to grace your cee-ment pond. And gnomes? Gnumerous.

Owner Jean Krupp started the business with handmade birdhouses in the 1950s and built it into the mega-landmark it has become. Last time I visited, the busy octagenarian was still hand-painting statues.

Krupp's is easy to find at the intersection of M-12 and M-13. Look closely as you drive up and you might just catch King Neptune waving at you.

Acres and acres more Weird Wednesday from Absolute Michigan

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On March 2, 2010, Archives of Michigan staff responded to a call from Ted T. Ayoub to preserve the remaining records of Minoru Yamasaki. An account of that story is available in the Detroit Free Press. Yamasaki remains an important part of our international architectural heritage. This is part one of a two part blog on Yamasaki and his life as written by guest blogger Dale Allen Gyure, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Architecture, Lawrence Technological University.

A Pioneer

Michigan architect Minoru Yamasaki (1912-1986) was an architectural pioneer in both his professional and personal life. Professionally, he dared to challenge prevailing concepts of modernism. Personally, he was the first American architect “of color” to achieve fame, but despite his status was the victim of discrimination by the society he so loved. Yamasaki's life thus embodies some of the triumphs and tragedies of American society in the twentieth century.

Minoru Yamasaki was born to a struggling family in a poor Japanese-American neighborhood of Seattle. He lived his first few years in a tenement without indoor bathrooms. While in high school, Minoru decided to devote his life to architecture. He graduated from the University of Washington and then moved to New York City, finding employment with several prominent architectural firms. After many years of training, his talents were recognized when he was hired by the Detroit firm of Smith, Hinchman & Grylls in 1945 to be their chief designer. His move to the Detroit area would be permanent. Four years later, Yamasaki started his own architectural office.

After achieving national recognition with the Lambert-St. Louis Airport terminal (1956), Yamasaki's architecture underwent a drastic change. Inspired by great architecture from the past, Yamasaki turned toward a gentler, more decorated style of modernism, and away from the more severe, rectangular glass box style that characterized some of his early work and much of contemporary architecture. He spoke of the need to reinvigorate modernism by reintroducing the lost qualities of “delight” and “serenity.” From historical architecture he learned to create buildings that related both to their surroundings and their occupants.

Mid Century Modernism

Yamasaki began to produce a series of buildings that moved architectural modernism in a new direction. One of the first was the McGregor Memorial Conference Center at Wayne State University in Detroit (1959). A simple, two-story building for meetings became a delightful experience in Yamasaki's hands. The McGregor Center was inspired by sources as varied as Gothic cathedrals, the Taj Mahal, and traditional Zen Buddhist temples. Yamasaki later added the Education Building (1960) and the Prentiss Building and DeRoy Auditorium (1964) to the Wayne State campus.

For the Second Part of This Article, Click Here

Seeking Michigan Guest Blogger

Dale Allen Gyure is Associate Professor of Architecture at Lawrence Technological University in Southfield, Michigan, where he teaches classes in architectural history and theory, and Adjunct Assistant Professor of Historic Preservation at Goucher College, where he teaches a course in American Architectural History and serves as Co-Director of the Master's Thesis program. Dr. Gyure's research focuses on American architecture of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, particularly the intersections of architecture, education, and society.

Dr. Gyure has earned a Ph.D. in architectural history from the University of Virginia, a J.D. from Indiana University, and a B.S. from Ball State University. Before becoming a historian, he practiced law in Tampa, Florida. Dr. Gyure lives in Farmington Hills, Michigan, with his wife, Jan, and two sons.

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Michigan Central Station by MikeRyu

On Saturday about 4000 extra people dropped by Michigan in Pictures. The impetus was a New York Times story on Michigan Central Station. Although the Detroit City Council voted to demolish MCS last year, a massive budget hole, a lawsuit, and new council members who aren't quite as bulldozer-happy:

“I don't want to bulldoze it, then find out later there could have been a viable use for it,” said Charles Pugh, a newly elected member who took over as Council president in January.

Now preservationists, business owners, state leaders and community activists are taking what feels like a last stab at saving the 97-year-old building before it goes the way of New York's Pennsylvania Station or, more locally, Tiger Stadium and countless other pieces of old Detroit that have fallen to the wrecking ball in recent years. Among the recent proposals have been to turn the cavernous brick, steel and stone facade into an extreme sports castle; a casino; a hotel and office park; a fish hatchery and aquarium; an amphitheater; or a railway station again, with high-speed trains.

Just Another Sofa on the Streets
of Detroit by Cherie S.

While the story didn't have anything new for people who've been following the sad saga of Detroit's largest ruin other than a link to the Michigan Central Station Preservation Society, it does provide a nice lead-in for another national story. Last week in Examining Data That Would Downsize Detroit, NPR reported that with a quarter of Detroit's 350,000 buildings vacant or in shambles, Mayor Dave Bing wants to reshape the city by getting rid of them and relocating residents who live in desolate neighborhoods, saying it's too expensive to provide city services in areas that are like urban deserts. Bing's proposal is based on data collected by demographer Kurt Metzger, director of Data Driven Detroit, who explains the data:

"We had surveyors go out and actually collect information in every single parcel in the city of Detroit. And just to give you the real quick analysis, we found better than a third of the land - and that's of 139 square miles - we estimate better than a third of the land in the city of Detroit is either vacant land right now or contains buildings that need to be torn down. It's amazing. I mean, New Orleans is about 70 square miles. We're talking that better than 40 square miles, better than half of New Orleans is vacant land.

Now, of course its interspersed around the city, so that's where the issues about going into neighborhoods where there's a lot of vacant land. But a lot of one or two homes still left on streets. These are neighborhoods that are going to have to be gone into and trying to think about how do we start to move people into other areas."

An effort like this was discussed in Flint, but according to an article on mLive that contrasts the response of Flint & Detroit to population crash, Flint is no longer planning to do neighborhood relocation.

You can learn much more about Michigan Central Station on Absolute Michigan and Michigan in Pictures, and check out the Michigan Central Station slideshow from the photographers of the Absolute Michigan pool.

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Enrico Fermi 2 by daryl.larkin

Michigan Solar Solutions says that Michigan is Poised for 'Solar Explosion' in 2010:

According to company President Mark Hagerty, the year is shaping up to be "a perfect storm for solar" in the state.

"Many people think that solar won't work in Michigan because it's too cold and it doesn't get as much sun as other places, but that's misconstrued," Hagerty said. "Michigan has an average of 4.2 hours of peak sunlight per day each year. Florida, the 'Sunshine State' only has about five hours. Solar panels are less efficient the hotter they get and actually produce more power when it gets cooler. While the Southwest may get more hours of sun, the panels produce less voltage per peak hour because of the heat." He added that in 2008, his company's solar panels produced 1.2 times the rated output at 10 degrees below zero.

One reason Hagerty says Michigan is the place for solar power in 2010: rising electricity prices and increasing state and federal incentives mean that renewable energy has never been cheaper.

Now you have to figure that a company called Michigan Solar Solutions is going to be pretty bullish on solar energy, but we did a little checking and found that Michigan is a lot better than you might think for sun power:

• Solar Power Rocks lists Michigan State Solar Power Rebates, Tax Credits, and Incentives (there's a lot of them)
• The Michigan Dept of Labor & Economic Growth's Wind & Solar pages are packed with info including the Michigan Renewable Energy Program and this Solar Power Tour of Michigan (pdf)
• Michigan Advantage lists some success stories and talks about Solar Incentives for businesses
• If you're looking for someone to help you explore solar at your home or business, try the Solar Energy Businesses in Michigan (almost 60 listed).
• ...and every June there's the Michigan Energy Fair.

I'll bet there's a lot more solar energy info for Michigan out there - share it in the comments!

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Abandoned Richardsonian Romanesque House in Detroit
( Former James Scott Mansion )
by Derek Farr

Michigan has 29 land bank authorities - more than any state. The Detroit News reports that Michigan is going to try to use these land banks to spur redevelopment and garner nearly $300 million:

With the federal money expected to come in January, cities such as Detroit and counties such as Oakland are starting land bank agencies for the first time. The state filed for the Housing and Urban Development funding through a coalition that includes 12 city governments and eight counties. It's a national competition, and the overall fund totals $1.9 billion. Battle Creek, Benton Harbor, Hamtramck, Highland Park, Kalamazoo, Lansing, Pontiac, Saginaw and Wyandotte also would be targeted for revitalization.

The Michigan Land Bank Fast Track Authority would provide land bank services in Detroit; Oakland County, including Pontiac; and Kent County, including Grand Rapids, until local land banks are ready to take over.

Under the plan, the Michigan land banks aim to buy and redevelop more than 6,000 foreclosed, abandoned and vacant properties. The land banks also envision razing 2,500 structures and rehabilitating or building 1,500 homes.

There's also an effort to encourage urban gardeners to develop empty city lots and allow homeowners to buy inexpensive vacant lots next to their property. "We expect (Detroit's land bank) to be the most aggressive developer in the city," said Douglas Diggs, interim director of the city's land bank office.

Good news for Michigan cities! Check out the Abandoned slideshow from the Absolute Michigan pool for some likely suspects for the money!

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Abandoned Pontiac Silverdome by Derek Farr

The Detroit News reports that the long-shuttered Pontiac Silverdome has been sold for a mere $583,000 as the home for a soccer league. However, with a cost over $55 million to construct:

"This was a giveaway," said David J. Leitch, a broker with an Auburn Hills based realty firm.

"The property alone, at $10,000 an acre, should have gone for more than that. And you have the Silverdome, its contents, and the infrastructure already in place. I had estimated it would probably go for between $1.2 million and $3 million. I can't believe it."

Such sentiments weren't uncommon Monday, after city officials unsealed bids showing the property that was home to the Detroit Lions was sold at auction to an unnamed Canadian company that plans to bring a soccer league to the stadium. The company's name will be released when the sale is finalized within 45 days, said Fred Leeb, the city's emergency financial manager. Leeb acknowledged the sale "is not a windfall," but said the Silverdome's $1.5 million upkeep drained the beleaguered city's finances.

Go to about 1:20 in the video to get past the auction promo. Much more about the Pontiac Silverdome on Michigan in Pictures!

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The Nature Bar by SCOTTS WORLD

Time, Inc. bought a house in Detroit:

Why would we ever do such a thing? Because we believe that Detroit right now is a great American story. No city has had more influence on the country's economic and social evolution. Detroit was the birthplace of both the industrial age and the nation's middle class, and the city's rise and fall — and struggle to rise again — are a window into the challenges facing all of modern America. From urban planning to the crisis of manufacturing, from the lingering role of race and class in our society to the struggle for better health care and education, it's all happening at its most extreme in the Motor City. (Read TIME's Detroit stories.)

As a story, Detroit has been misunderstood, underreported, stereotyped, avoided and exploited for decades. To get it right, we decided to become stakeholders. Over the next year, we intend to flood the D-zone with journalists, photographers, videographers and bloggers from TIME and TIME.com, Fortune and Fortune.com, CNNMoney.com, Money, even Sports Illustrated. Some will live in the house — dubbed the "D-Shack" after Detroit-area native Kid Rock dropped by with a housewarming gift of a Gothic D (for the mantel) plus a keg of his Badass Beer — and others will stay there while reporting.

Beautiful View - MCS by MikeRyu

With questions such as "How do you survive in Detroit" (below) and What do you love or hate about Detroit answered by city residents and profiles from the Telway Diner's 85 cent burgers to urban farming supported by the kind of in-depth reporting (and national audience) that one of the world's largest news organizations can bring, I really think we'll find Assignment Detroit to be a phenomenal boon for Detroit and all of Michigan.

Be sure to visit Assignment Detroit to watch and read and explore Michigan's largest city through fresh eyes.

You might also stay tuned to AbsoluteMichigan.com/Detroit for features on the Motor City and definitely check out the Detroit Slideshow from the Absolute Michigan pool on Flickr (most recent).

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Today I'm at the Michigan Downtown Conference in Lansing. This morning I'll be posting some updates from the conference as I'm able. This afternoon I'm on a panel with Julielyn Gibbons, Ryan Knott and Bigby Coffee co-founder Bob Fish, talking about new media marketing and promoting our downtowns.

capital evening by cmu chem prof

Downtown Lansing

Flash back to last night at 9 PM. I checked into the Radisson and then went out to walk around downtown Lansing. I spent some time talking to a guard at the city jail about the "vibe" downtown (or lack thereof).   She said that when there are events, the area is humming but that on nights when there's no planned festivities, it's ghostly.

Over on Facebook, Bill Palladino noted that in his travels, state capitols are seldom (Austin TX, go get a drink of water)   happening places. Richard pointed out several others that were doing well. In any case, I think there's something a little sad about a city that is supposed to be the heart of Michigan with shuttered storefronts, perpetually torn up sidewalks and lack of life.

Durant Hotel by detroitsky

Dan Kildee, Keynote Speaker

"Our ability to make progress is determined in large part by our ability to work together"

Dan Kildee is the Genessee County Treasurer and director of the Genessee County Land Bank who has worked to use Michigan's new foreclosure law for community development and neighborhood stabilization. He's also pretty proud that he drew Rush Limbaugh's ire for his plan to reduce the size of Flint (and ultimately cities across the country) to reduce their size and increase the ability to deliver services.

Dan notes that even in our terrible economy, it's easier to build on a green field than to reinvest in our cities. He says that Michigan's foreclosure system had a large role in creating our downtown problems by setting up a system that rewarded speculators. Now, he says, the system allows cities to treat urban land as if it has value and to apply community values and vision.

He had a very interesting talk in which he looked at the toolbox that is available to Michigan downtowns and some success stories from Flint including the redevelopment of the Durant Hotel in Flint as rental housing for students and young professionals. He notes that 70% of Michigan's population lives on 8% of the land and that an overwhelming 97% of Michiganians feel that redevelopment in existing urban centers is preferable to building new. With a decent set of tools, he says all that's missing is a bias on the part of lawmakers and our laws to support this pattern of development.

Lansing Mayor Virg Benaro asked us to close our eyes and imagine when the auto industry was in its heyday and how we built great cities during that time. Now, as the auto industry contracts we are still left with these great cities, but what are we doing to preserve and restore them. He then talked about how East Lansing and Lansing - two one horse towns driven by MSU and the Capitol could be 10 times the city if they worked together. He also called for cities and their surrounding communities to cooperate and build the brand of Lansing, Grand Rapids, Detroit and other cities.

Why Live in Detroit? by Derek Farr

Niche Marketing: Success through creativity and collaboration

A panel with Elissa Sangalli Hillary (Executive Director of Local First in Grand Rapids),
Claire Nelson (Co-Owner & Operator of the Bureau of Urban Living & cofounder (with Liz Blondy) of Open City Detroit) and Liz Blondy (Founder of Canine to Five Detroit Dog Daycare) talking about what they do and how small business can be a driver of vibrant downtowns.

Elissa noted a commonly cited statistic (view graphic) that shows 73% of dollars spent at a local business stay in the community as compared to 43% if you spend your money at a national chain. She discussed some strategies they are using to give small businesses access to pooled advertising and purchasing.

Claire talked about her small business and how Detroit offered an opportunity to start a business that would have been impossible in New York City where she moved from. She talked about the importance of creating a climate that's business friendly and also - through events and collaboration - draws folks to burgeoning downtowns. She also drew a laugh by noting that small business in Detroit doesn't face too many threats from national chain stores.

When Liz Blondy came on I lost wireless, making me again think that about the best thing a downtown can do is to deliver a free wireless cloud. She explained her philosophy of focusing on free networking and and promotional efforts rather than exclusively advertising. Small actions like referring waiting customers to another business to pass the time cost nothing and reap big rewards. Wireless is apparently back.

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Slows by farlane

A few weeks ago NPR had an interesting feature titled Despite Tough Times, Some See Opportunity In Detroit that looked at how Detroit's dramatic downturn has created some amazing opportunities for starting businesses.

Phil Cooley says the city is wide open for new ventures and is tolerant of his mistakes and successes. "It's lovely to be able to afford to do that here, one, because the community is so forgiving. And two, because it's less expensive than other places. So it's affordable," he says.

Music producer Chris Koltay was drawn to Detroit from Cincinnati by the vibrant music scene and the cheap real estate. He says he knew he could afford a whole building. He found one across the street from Slows for just $38,000. The recording studio is packed with guitars, keyboards and microphones.

Koltay has made a loft in the back of the building and for a year lived there without hot water. "It was gnarly, but whatever. Now I'm golden. And it's so wide open, and I think that's beautiful. I've never seen a city that has this kind of opportunity for growth, and I think that's beautiful," he says.

Check out some Detroit commercial real estate listings from Loopnet, follow the Detroit rebirth via Model D and get links from Absolute Michigan's Real Estate & Development section for Southeast Michigan.

Investors find real estate gold in Detroit from CNN explores a similar phenomenon in the Detroit housing market.

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The Mason House c 1872 in Carriage Town by mansardroofsf

The New York Times has taken note of an area in Flint called Carriage Town that is making a comeback due to some industrious and motivated homeowners. In the midst of an otherwise impoverished area and dire economic circumstances these people are taking advantage of real estate deals and restoring the beautiful old homes that make up the area. The article Faded Glory: Polishing Flint's Jewels also notes that as people move in businesses follow and once again becomes a community.

In a city that is synonymous with faded American industrial and automotive power, Carriage Town's success is both unexpected and inspiring. A persistent group of long-term urban homesteaders — along with newer arrivals eager to live near a downtown showing signs of life — has restored dozens of Victorian-era houses and buildings in the last 20 years. While many Flint neighborhoods feel all but abandoned, in Carriage Town home ownership has increased 10 percent over the last decade, according to Census data.

In a worldwide recession, development projects with more than $47 million in public and private financing are in progress or recently completed in the 30-square-block Carriage Town area, including the conversion of the derelict Berridge Hotel into lofts and the ongoing renovation of the long-vacant Durant Hotel into 93 apartments and commercial space. There are even plans for a neighborhood grocery store.

But there's no denying that Carriage Town is a work in progress, and that those who call it home must deal with challenges like speculators, abandoned houses and lack of code enforcement by the cash-strapped city.

For more images of Flin't Carriage Town check out this slideshow from Flickr...

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Waiting room, Michigan Central
Station by jeanpierrelavoie

Over on Michigan in Pictures today we featured a link to an incredible panoramic walkthrough of Detroit's Michigan Central Station by Montreal photographer Jean-Pierre Lavoie. The Detroit News had a feature on Lavoie that explains:

In Lavoie's past, he was an electrical engineer with an interest in cameras.

Now he's a former engineer who shoots stills and panoramas for businesses, museums and his own amusement. Recently, he shot Stevie Wonder's performance at the Montreal Jazz Festival; it's on his Web site.

The side-to-side, up-and-down, 360-degree process involves a high-end camera, a fisheye sort of lens, a tripod, a computer program and patience. The computer stitches together the images, but it's up to the photographer to make sure the proportion remains correct when a nearby object gives way to a distant one.

Run (don't walk) to check this out and if you want to see what this was before time and neglect had their way, check out the video below!

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Salad by by jpwbee

Taste the Local Difference says that leafy greens are ready to pick! Greens are an excellent source of iron, calcium, Vitamins A and C, and folic acid and also very high in dietary fiber and low in calories and sodium. What's not to love?? Here's a few fun facts about greens:

• Swiss chard is also known as white beet, strawberry spinach, seakale beet, leaf beet, Sicilian beet, spinach beet, Chilean beet, Roman kale, perpetual spinach, silverbeet and mangold!
• Arugula is known as “rocket” in some parts of Europe.
• Lettuce is a member of the sunflower family.

Untitled by Ken Scott

Herbed Baked Greens

2 egg whites
1 Tbsp. canola oil
1//2 tsp. Worchestershire sauce
1/3 cup lemon juice
¼ tsp. crushed rosemary
salt to taste
3 cups cooked, chopped greens
2 Tbsp. minced onions
2 cups cooked brown rice
1 ½ cups grated low-fat cheese

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Oil an 8-inch square glass baking pan. In large mixing bowl, beat egg whites with oil, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, rosemary, and salt. Gently stir greens, onions, rice, and cheese into egg white mixture, then turn into prepared pan. Cover with foil and bake 25 minutes. Remove foil and bake until lightly browned, 10-15 minutes. 4-6 servings.

While we're on the topic, here's Seth Bernard & May Erlewine singing about greens!

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Craftsman Home, McLean Street
Highland Park MI by pinehurst19475

A few weeks ago, the Chicago Reader had a great feature saying there's nowhere in America quite like Detroit right now. You should read the whole thing but here's a taste:

They say when the country catches a cold, Michigan gets the flu. Projects that started before the subprime crisis and ensuing global economic collapse have been either quietly completed or left to wait. New projects have shelved while the region watches the auto industry.

Yet even as GM closes plants and Chrysler faces Chapter 11, things are sprouting in Detroit. The city made the New York Times in March not for news about the Big Three but for the purchase by a Chicago couple of a house for $100, on a block being taken over by artists with plans for solar-powered art center and a vegetable garden. The city has a booming urban agriculture movement, and in April financier John Hantz, working with Michigan State University and the W. K. Kellogg Foundation, proposed building the “world's largest urban farm” on vacant and abandoned properties, starting with a 70-acre fruit and veggie patch on the east side. Also last month, a group of local businesses began printing their own currency, the Detroit Cheer, in an effort to encourage local spending. (Model D article on the currency)

...“Detroit right now is just this vast, enormous canvas where anything imaginable can be accomplished,” wrote novelist Toby Barlow, who paid $100,000 for a Mies van der Rohe townhouse in Detroit's Lafayette Park, in the Times piece. “In a way, a strange, new American dream can be found here, amid the crumbling, semi-majestic ruins of a half-century's industrial decline.”

Beverly's House/1874 by Mr. History

If you are looking for a home in Detroit, check out the Detroit Realtors Association and also Southeast Michigan Realtors on Absolute Michigan. The feature references Room for 2 Million More at the Powerhouse Project, which says that although there are great deals in Detroit, don't purchase something without seeing it, no matter how cheap it is. They also call out some of the organizations in the D who are working to transform the city (if you know of others in Detroit or elsewhere in Michigan, share them below):

Georgia Street Garden
Urban Farming
Model D Media
Catherine Ferguson Academy
The Yes Farm
Motor City Blight Busters

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cae3/ Anita says that she's a mom, wife, registered nurse and photographer.

Check this photo out larger in her Explored slideshow and see more of her lovely flower shots.

Here's her Flickriver.

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cseeman (Corey) is the Library Director at the Kresge Business Administration Library at the University of Michigan (Corey's homepage)

You'll definitely want to check this photo out background bigalicious or in his cool Tulip slideshow. His sets include Birds of Saline, Fiddlers Restrung (not to be confused with the Saline Fiddlers) and Lighthouses of Michigan (slideshow) that is helpfully broken down into Lighthouse of Lake Michigan, Lighthouses of Lake Huron, Lighthouses of Lake Erie and Lighthouses of Lake St. Clair.

You can also check out his Flickriver.

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Here's the process of prairiefying a city:

1. A city is built on the river, allowing for trade and commerce and irrigation of farms.
2. The city prospers and more people move in, the city expands. Farms on the edge of town are converted to housing, forest further on the edge are cleared for farms.
3. Over a few generations this process repeats.
4. A lightening bolt of innovation strikes the heart of several men at about the same time (Henry Ford, The Dodge and Fisher clans, Henry Leland, Billy Durant and the crowd from Flint, et al), and all hell breaks loose, suddenly the timber town on the River is an industrial gold mine.
5. An insane number of people flow in from all parts of the world. Black and white folks roll in from the south. All the farms are snatched up and houses, mills, factories and shops are planted in the field.
6. Everyone wants to drive and the emotional tie of the car to an entire nation is so intense the money whooshing through the city is almost palatable. The wealth is spread around and the workers decide to spread out, move out to the “country”. They have the means to do it, these middle class kings.
7. Then one day the money flow slowed down. Innovation and competition meant fewer jobs. Factories began to close. New factories followed the workers out to the “country”.
8. Too many people left behind lacked the money and prospects to maintain their homes and in the Michigan climate a home requires money to keep it standing.
9. Slowly at first, then faster as time passed, neighborhoods were simply deserted.
10. As folks moved out, businesses and churches and such that needed them soon closed their doors. With no buyers for their stores, they stood abandoned.
11. One by one these homes, factories and stores fall victim to the elements and arson. In time entire blocks are cleared. Native grasses and trees take root.

A city is built on the river, allowing for trade and commerce and irrigation of farms.....

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Morels ! by cedarkayak

The latest issue of Midwest Living feature on the Best Midwest Food Towns served up a platefull of restaurants in our region that might entice the culinary tourist. Their editors selected Traverse City as the #2 town and Ann Arbor #3. Also featured were a collection of recipes from Traverse City including Morel Mushroom Cream Sauce With Pasta and a Creme Fraiche from Shetler's Dairy.

The Detroit City Council's proposal to demolish Michigan Central Station as a means to bring in Federal stimulus dollars seemed to many to have all the brilliance of a plan to get rich quick by selling both your kidneys. Now the Detroit News reports that developer Manuel (Matty) Moroun is proposing to lease Michigan Central Station to the United States government for redevelopment. The Department of Homeland Security offices for Customs and Border Protection are seeking to lease almost 50,000 square feet of space in the Detroit area to house personnel.

Of surprise to nobody - outside of State government at least - the Detroit News is reporting that Michigan's agricultural industry is bucking the trend of decline:

The state's overall agricultural industry -- which includes not only farming but also food processing and biofuels, wineries and beer-making -- grew 12 percent to $71.3 billion in revenue in 2007, following several years of single-digit growth; 2008 figures are not yet available.

...Some 100 agri-food businesses have started in Michigan during the past five years, according to the MDA.

Imagine what we could do if we really invested in building and promoted our agricultural bounty.

Edward Vielmetti has a tasty post that includes Michigan's morel festivals and the book How to Find Morels by Milan Pelouch. Even more about morels at Absolute Michigan keyword morel!

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Abandoned building in Flint - Colors by Derek Farr ( DetroitDerek)

The New York Times has a great report titled An Effort to Save Flint by Shrinking It that begins:

Instead of waiting for houses to become abandoned and then pulling them down, local leaders are talking about demolishing entire blocks and even whole neighborhoods.

The population would be condensed into a few viable areas. So would stores and services. A city built to manufacture cars would be returned in large measure to the forest primeval.

“Decline in Flint is like gravity, a fact of life,” said Dan Kildee, the Genesee County treasurer and chief spokesman for the movement to shrink Flint. “We need to control it instead of letting it control us.”

With 75 neighborhoods over 34 square miles and the immense challenge of trying to maintain infrastructure and deliver services over too large an area to too few people, it's clear that Flint - and other places in Michigan - will need to think deeply and creatively about our use of space.

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Click this photo from Brooke Pennington for the Spring slideshow from our Absolute Michigan pool on Flickr!

Here's the link to Brooke's photo (which you can see bigger in his Spring photo gallery) and here is some Spring wallpaper from Michigan in Pictures.

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Here's a video feature that we last showed so long ago, it should feel new to just about everyone! Thanks Jim for the reminder...

Wally Wallington of Flint has demonstrated that he can lift a Stonehenge-sized pillar weighing 22,000 lbs and moved a barn over 300 ft in this great video feature. What makes this so special is that he does it using only himself, gravity, and his incredible ingenuity. Check this out and then check out theforgottentechnology.com.

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