2009 – Page 8 of 98 – Concentrate

Ann Arbor’s Fantasm creates 5 new jobs in 3D

By Newsroom

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November 18, 2009

A little more than a year ago, three friends banded together in Ann Arbor to create a film-industry firm. Today the start-up focuses on creating destination theaters and 3D film, which the group sees as the emerging technology in the industry."When the opportunity came we had to jump on it," says Ralph Watson, CEO and president of Fantasm who founded the company with Cooper Hampton and Donnie Gates.Fantasm, which means unrestricted or unlimited imagination to the co-founders, now employs eight people and three independent contractors. The company is also planning to bring on interns next year. They expect to grow to 25 people by the end of 2010.Although 3D is one of the en vogue trends in the film industry today, Watson and his partners plan to create one of their own – destination theaters. That means putting a few main-stream movie screens in places that already have heavy foot traffic, such as casinos or hotels or theme parks. The company plans to set up the destination theater idea in Michigan within the next year and roll it out across the nation after that. "We look at Michigan and see an open canvas," Watson says.Source: Ralph Watson, CEO and president of FantasmWriter: Jon Zemke

Ann Arbor ranked No 5 digital city

By Newsroom

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Community Development

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November 18, 2009

Ann Arbor continues to climb the electronic ladder, moving up to the No. 5 ranking for digital cities in its population class in the U.S.Excerpt:e.Republic's Center for Digital Government and Digital Communities magazine have named the most advanced digital cities in America. The cities were chosen from the results of the ninth annual Digital Cities Survey, which examines how municipalities incorporate information technology into operations which better serve citizens engaging with local government."This year's winners demonstrate how cities have faced economic challenges with creativity and innovation in the use of information technology," said Cathilea Robinett, executive director for the Center for Digital Government. "The Survey clearly shows that cities place a high value on positive experiences for their constituents when using government services. These winners are at the leading edge of the future in digital advances for citizens."Read the rest of the story here.

Private sector will share old Ann Arbor Pfizer site with U-M

By Newsroom

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In The News

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November 18, 2009

U-M is looking for a roommate or two at the sprawling old Pfizer site.Excerpt:The University of Michigan will look for private-sector partners to share space at its newly acquired former Pfizer property in Ann Arbor, and U-M's vice president of research Stephen Forrest outlined some of the criteria the university will use to evaluate potential joint ventures.Read the rest of the story here and more about the U-M/ULI real estate forum here.

U-M’s Mary Sue Coleman scores Top 10 ranking for university presidents

By Newsroom

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In The News

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November 18, 2009

The Michigan Difference is making quite the difference for University of Michigan Pres. Mary Sue Coleman.Excerpt:Fundraising. It's every university president's bane; it's every university president's salvation. And those in the maize and blue have long seen the writing on the wall. "We've understood that the state was not going to be able to support us to the level that we needed it to," says Mary Sue Coleman, president of the University of Michigan since 2002. The state currently provides less than 10% of her school's budget. So Michigan — and many other institutions across the land — has taken it upon itself to stay competitive by developing non-public sources of revenue. From 2000 to 2008, the school raised $3.2 billion, beating its goal of $2.5 billion. "Our timing was impeccable," says Coleman of the campaign, which ended in December, just as the financial crisis crashed into her already reeling state. Read the rest of the story here.

Ann Arbor tech helps drive electric car development

By Newsroom

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Economic Development

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November 18, 2009

One of Ann Arbor's big up-and-coming entrepreneurs, Anne Marie Sastry of Satki3, is getting some major national ink now that she is gracing the cover of this month's Inc magazine.Excerpt:At ground level, electric cars like GM's Chevrolet Volt -- due to be launched in November 2010 -- are pretty much everything the U.S. economy is banking on. The cars promise innovative engineering and a resurgence of the American auto industry. They mean an America that is manufacturing things rather than just bundling financial instruments. Cosmically, electric cars mean green technologies that will migrate to China, India, and Brazil, where they will allow for Western styles of personal freedom yet not threaten to overheat the earth.And you don't have to be George Clooney to want one. Electric cars may be vaguely cool, but GM executives are counting on drivers with nothing more than a householder's logic, something like the good sense to refinance a mortgage when the 30-year-fixed drops more than 2 percent. Jon Lauckner, GM's vice president of global product planning, tells me that his team set out to trump gas-powered cars as a matter of straightforward economics, especially as economic recovery pushes the price of gas back over $3 a gallon. "At that level," Lauckner says, "the cost of running a Volt in full electric mode will be about one-sixth that of a gas-driven car of the same size, 2 or 3 cents a mile rather than 12 to 15 cents a mile. We figured that, for most people, this means a savings of about $1,500 a year." Sticker prices will be high; the suggested price of the Volt will be about $40,000. But federal tax rebates are anticipated to be as much as $7,500, not to mention various state incentives. So the actual price will probably be closer to $30,000 -- not a bad deal, given that borrowing costs will be low for some time.Read the rest of the story here.

Ann Arbor makes Top 15 list for people who hate long commutes

By Newsroom

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Community Development

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November 18, 2009

Is it any surprise that the people who live in the college town known for walkability and bicycles also hate long commutes?Excerpt:Even though the recession has made it hard to move, many Americans are still trying to flee their cul-de-sacs and long freeway commutes for walkable neighborhoods closer to public transportation and their jobs.Patrick Lashinsky, chief executive of real estate website Ziprealty.com, says that demand for homes in these types of neighborhoods has soared during the recession. And although city housing may come at a premium, it is becoming more affordable because of the decline in housing prices. "Condos that are closer in to the city have come down in price a lot," says Lashinsky.Moving closer in might also be a good investment. "Clients believe that gas prices will spike again, and that this will drive up the value of what they're buying," he says. The lifestyle might also be especially appealing in a recession. "In difficult times, people really re-evaluate what they do with their time. You can't be productive when you're just sitting in your car," Lashinsky says. For example, biking to work is a way to be active while commuting.Read the rest of the story here.

Zingerman’s Bakehouse recognized for luxurious aspects

By Newsroom

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Healthy Communities

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November 18, 2009

Luxury isn't the first word that comes to mind when eating at Zingerman's, but think about it and you'll realize the appropriateness of that word.Excerpt:Zingerman's Bakehouse of Ann Arbor, Michigan, is nominated for a Luxist Award in the best bread bakery category. Zingerman's is one of the 'younger' nominees, having just come into existence in 1992 as a way for the Zingerman's Deli to have their own freshly baked bread. First there was bread (1992), then there were pastries (1994), and eventually a retail shop opened (1996). Today the Bakehouse is comprised of a group of 130 dedicated foodies and skilled artisan bakers that use traditional methods to hand make all of their breads and sweets and sell to over 100 wholesale customers in addition to a growing crowd of retail shoppers.Read the rest of the story here.

NIGHT & DAY: The Asylum Street Spankers, The Latest Debate Over Funding Public Art

By Jeff Meyers

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General

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November 18, 2009

From profane old-timey music to hilariously awful film and video footage, irreverent ironic entertainment seems to be the rule of thumb this week in FilterD. Editor Jeff Meyers points you to the best cultural consumables while weighing in on Ann Arbor's debate over the fate of public art.

MASTERMIND: Chrisstina Hamilton

By Constance Crump

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Arts and Culture

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November 18, 2009

The Penny W. Stamps lecture series brings 24 thought-provoking artists to the Michigan Theater each year to talk to Ann Arborites (and U-M students) about their work, ideas, and inspiration. And Chrisstina Hamilton is the program's director, tasked with choosing who will attend and how to keep it chugging along.

Happy Thanksgiving

By Concentrate

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General

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November 18, 2009

"Gratitude is the sign of noble souls." Or so says Aesop's Fables. Concentrate will be taking next week off for Thanksgiving. We hope our readers enjoy this time with their families, friends, football, and good food. Not necessarily in that order. We'll be back December 2nd.