Category Archives: Real Estate & Development

Will “rightsizing” make Detroit strong again?

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 [...]

Driving Michigan: Seth Bernard interviews Ray Minervini

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 [...]

Debating Demolition & Downsizing in Detroit

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 [...]

Michigan seeks to use Land Banks for redevelopment

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 [...]

Pontiac Silverdome – Sold!

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. [...]

Assignment Detroit: A year in the Motor City

Is reality the next reality show? 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 [...]

Report from the 2009 Michigan Downtown Conference

Michigan downtowns, courtesy the photographers of the Absolute Michigan pool. [iframe http://www.flickr.com/search/groups/show/?q=downtown&m=pool&s=int&w=70057581%40N00 500 375] 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 [...]

Real Estate Gold Amidst Detroit’s Downturn

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. [...]

Flint’s Carriage Town makes a comeback

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 [...]

MCS Panorama

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. [...]