2010 – Page 68 of 78

New Chinatown developing near Ypsilanti?

By Newsroom

●

February 17, 2010

Could the Ann Arbor/Ypsilanti area organically grow its own Chinatown now that Hua Xing is expanding its Asian market business to include an adjacent restaurant? If plans for further expansion come to fruition the answer could be yes.Xingchou Wang, the owner of Hua Xing Asian Market and his management team have researched and toured many of North America's major metropolitan areas and noticed they all have something that Ann Arbor/Ypsilanti and Metro Detroit doesn't."The one thing they all have in common is a Chinatown," says Steve Xiao, the general manager of Hua Xing. "We don't have one."Hua Xing has invested in excess of $1 million to turn an old Chinese buffet-style eatery into a much bigger sit-down Chinese restaurant. The new facility, next door to Hua Xing on Washtenaw Ave. (by the Ypsi-Arbor Bowl), will seat about 500 people and measures nearly 15,000 square feet. The Asian market remains the same.Xiao sees Hua Xing growing its presence on that section of Washtenaw in the near future, with even more Chinese and Asian offerings. The idea is to create an Asian retail center for all of Michigan. Watch Concentrate's video on Hua Xing here.Source: Steve Xiao, the general manager of Hua XingWriter: Jon Zemke

Ypsilanti pushes façade improvement program

By Newsroom

●

Community Development

●

February 17, 2010

Ypsilanti is making another effort to put a better face on its downtown, but this year local officials are taking that cliché literally. They are rallying local stakeholders to make plans to improve building facades in the city's downtown and Depot Town.The Ypsilanti Downtown Development Authority is hoping to harness part of $400,000 in state money to jump start its façade improvement program. That money could lead to a 50 percent match for stakeholders who make significant improvements to their building's exteriors. Think: bigger windows or restoration of brick façades."We have had a few businesses come and make inquiries," says Tracy Lewis, interim director of the Ypsilanti Downtown Development Authority.If successful, Ypsilanti could rope in between $25,000-$100,000 in state funds. Applications are due later this month and the decision is expected by spring.Source: Tracy Lewis, interim director of the Ypsilanti Downtown Development AuthorityWriter: Jon Zemke

Finding the balance between green space and development in downtown Ann Arbor

By Newsroom

●

Community Development

●

February 17, 2010

Could the city known for its plethora of parks not have enough in its core? That's the argument of some in Ann Arbor as calls for increasing green space in the college town's downtown grow louder and more persistent. But where is the line between park and urban development?"Ann Arbor is the one area everyone thinks we don't have enough parks," says Ray Detter, chair of the city's Downtown Area Citizens Advisory Committee and a downtown resident.That argument was made loud and clear when the initial proposals for the Library Lot project were being debated. It's what led to recent suggestions by the city that their 415 W Washington property (an old Dept. of Public Works yard) could become a new green space and arts center. The Library Lot is being groomed for dense, urban development while 415 W Washington, which was once headed in that direction, has been offered up as a potential concession. The two leading proposals for the Library Lot call for a mixed-use development of hotel and commercial space. The415 W Washington parcel includes an early 20th Century industrial building, which is now being proposed as home for a new community art center. Former plans for the surrounding acreage called for a combination of residential development with a touch of green. Now its all community space all the time, with an additional park space proposal.A map of Ann Arbor's downtown shows that it is ringed by significant parks, including West and Wheeler parks, the Huron Riverfront and the University of Michigan's Diag. But the actual city center lacks green space with the exception of Washington Square."I see the Allen Creek Greenway and adjacent park (415 W Washington site) as a counterbalance to the campus green space," Detter says.Detter also maintains that park development should not get in the way of creating more density downtown and attracting more residents to the city's core. He believes there are times when spaces like the Library Lot should be oriented for development rather than additional park space. He prefers the current leading proposals for the Library Lot over proposals for turning the entire space into a park."I find it concerning that if people don't have a park our of their front door then we don't [believe] have enough green space," Detter says.Source: Ray Detter, chair of the city's Downtown Area Citizens Advisory CommitteeWriter: Jon Zemke

Q&A: Stewart Beal on the future of Ypsilanti’s Thompson Block

By Newsroom

●

Community Development

●

February 17, 2010

The road to redevelopment for the Thompson Block has taken has been both long and winding, to put it nicely. But its developer is willing to shed a little light on what's ahead and why it's worth the journey.Stewart Beal wants to turn the historic building on the eastern edge of Ypsilanti's Depot Town into a combination of lofts and commercial space. He was well on his way to doing so before the financial crisis then a fire hit the development. But Beal remains unfazed, and continues working to make the project a reality.He recently put forward plans to finish stabilizing the building and remove the supports from the sidewalk and street within the next year. Full disclosure: This writer has argued on MarkMaynard.com to give Beal a fair shot at redeveloping the site after the fire. Here is Beal's argument for why the Thompson Block project remains viable.It was pretty difficult making this project work before the fire, please explain why this project is still feasible after the fire? It was actually very easy to make this project work before the fire. What stopped us in our tracks was the financial crisis, particularly the crisis in commercial real estate lending. The project always worked financially until the fire and we had a good loan offer until Citizens Bank purchased Republic bank and then closed the Republic Bank real estate lending department. Currently not a single bank in the Midwest, that I am aware of, is currently providing construction financing of this type. This project will only become feasible with a massive infusion of equity and debt. I am pursuing both.There are a lot of people who believe the city should just knock down the Thompson Block and move on. You are clearly not one of them. What would it mean for Ypsilanti if this project came to fruition? Let me be clear: There are not a lot of people who believe the city should just knock down the Thompson Block and move on. The vast majority of the business people, the decision makers in the City of Ypsilanti, and the people who come to the city council meetings to express their views, want to see the building saved. There continues to be a lot of people who are extremely supportive of my efforts to develop the building before and after the fire and I am extremely grateful for that support. I would recommend that you ask others what it would mean for Ypsilanti if this project came to fruition because I wouldn’t like to presume. But I know it would be the greatest accomplishment in my life to date. I live in the area and spend a lot of time in Depot Town so it is important for both personal and business reasons. Most developers would walk away from a project like this after the fire. Why are you determined to move forward? I finish what I start, no matter how difficult or costly.If the Thompson Block falls, what are the chances something will be built on the site any time in the next decade? The answer to this question depends completely on the Michigan economy, and the health of the Michigan commercial real estate market. I wish I could predict the future and answer this question. In my opinion it will be 7 to 10 years before a new building could be built on the site.Describe what it's like to get financing for this project? Obtain financing for this project continues to be a frustrating experience. I work on this on a daily basis. In a sentence or two, sum up the argument for going forward with this project? The Thompson Block is one of the most historic buildings in the State of Michigan and is extremely important to Ypsilanti’s history. The City of Ypsilanti was founded over 100 years ago and it will be here 100 years from now. I would strongly urge the community to think long term and work to preserve history, on every building in Ypsilanti, no matter how difficult or temporarily inconvenient.Source: Stewart Beal, developer of the Thompson BlockWriter: Jon Zemke

Video The Michigan Theater

By Keith Jefferies

●

Arts & Culture

●

February 10, 2010

It's the crown of Ann Arbor's downtown. Who would have guessed that a mere 30 years ago it had a date with a wrecking ball? Restored to its early 20th Century glory, The Michigan Theater is now home to the most exciting cinematic and live music events in the city

Greg Janusz earns start-up merit badge in Ann Arbor

By Newsroom

●

Economic Development

●

February 10, 2010

This section of the website is normally filled with stories of successful businesses or new, innovative products gearing up for launch. This isn't one of those stories. This is a story about how things didn't turn out as planned for a budding entrepreneur and his start-up, and how that should become seen as a good thing locally.Greg Ganusz started Chrome Monastery two years ago in Ann Arbor. He wrote out a detailed business plan about offering a video game development/operation company. He had big dreams of satisfying a profitable need in the gaming industry."In the gaming industry, customer support is really awful," Ganusz says.The computer programmer shopped around the idea for months, turning over rock after rock looking for the seven figures worth of funding it would take to get him started on the right foot. He soon came to the conclusion that the local venture capital community couldn't support his vision and then realized a few weeks ago that it just wasn't going to happen for now in this economy. The idea is shelved for now, but that doesn't mean Ganusz plans to tuck his tail between his legs and look for a coding job in a cubicle farm. He plans to try to start another company or remain his boss for the foreseeable future."It's a form of creative expression," Ganusz says. "I have a lot of ideas I would like to see put into action."In Midwestern culture, starting a new business is usually met with raised eyebrows and worried expressions. Entrepreneurs are often only given one shot to be successful, and if they are not there is significant social pressure for them to go back to what was once considered a "safe job" (like those on the production line). That's not the social expectation on the coasts where entrepreneurship thrives. In fact, Silicon Valley habitues call it the 'punch card mentality.'Terry Cross, one of Metro Detroit's most successful angel investors who got in on the ground floor with Google, says dropping this scarlet letter attitude is essential. He points out that Silicon Valley treats failure as a merit badge, proof that an entrepreneur has faced the darkside and gotten back up to fight again. The resumes of many successful SV entrepreneurs are filled with misfires and almost-rans."The whole concept of failure really needs to be reformatted and reconsidered in the public mind," Cross said in a recent Q&A with Concentrate's sister publication metromode. "If you go out and start a business today and you fail in that business you have to return and face your family with your hand out and your head down. If you fail in the Bay Area it happens everyday and doesn't mean a thing."Ganusz isn't happy with the way things turned out with Chrome Monastery, but he's not giving up on the start-up dream. As he puts it, "I'm still interested in investors." Anyone interested in respecting that merit badge can contact Ganusz at greg.janusz@chromemonastery.com.Source: Greg Ganusz, founder of Chrome Monastery and Terry Cross, serial angel investor Writer: Jon Zemke

Pinstripe Publishing pushes board gaming envelope

By Newsroom

●

Economic Development

●

February 10, 2010

It's not often someone makes the jump from venture capital to board games, but it's the path Steve Jaqua took to create Pinstripe Publishing and Poplin Press.Jaqua used to be a vice president at Ardesta, going from university to university to find technology that could be commercialized. He realized lots of researchers and professors were former gamers. So he decided to harness that innovative spirit to create the next generation of board games."These guys are usually saving the world or destroying it," Jaqua says. "They're just having some fun with it here."Two-year-old Pinstripe Publishing first product is a board game called Blasphemy that revolves around serious issues that are rarely brought up in a social setting, like greed or mental illness. The company's children's game counterpart, Poplin Press, is coming out with two more products right now."It's all about pushing the envelope and challenging people's belief system and how they think," Jaqua says.Pinstripe Publishing is working on new board game that goes beyond the normal piece of cardboard, flashcards and figures. It's developing a game that includes affordable touch screens and miniatures. That way players still get the live experience but can harness the latest in technology.The downtown Ann Arbor-based firms employ just Jacqua right now, but also give out work to 8-10 independent contractors. Think artists, designers and proofreaders. It is working on a deal that could spur some considerable growth fir this spring.Source: Steve Jaqua, president of Pinstripe Publishing and Poplin PressWriter: Jon Zemke

Sesi Midwest to showcase Ypsilanti entrepreneurship

By Newsroom

●

Economic Development

●

February 10, 2010

Eastern Michigan University is working to encourage more students to dip their toes into the entrepreneurship pool with it latest offering Sesi Midwest Entrepreneurship Conference. Joe Venuto, one of the conference's speakers, has already been swimming laps.Venuto graduated from Eastern Michigan in 2008 with a degree in communications and a minor in entrepreneurship. He started several small businesses in Ypsilanti, ranging from Mobile Consulting (which saves people money on their cell phone bills) to SoPlat, a start-up that runs social media for Varsity Ford in Ann Arbor and Ferndale.Venuto, 27, credits Eastern Michigan and Ypsilanti with giving him "the platform to be great" when it comes to running his own business. Those institutions helped him go from a dead broke student with little to direction in life to becoming a business owner with five independent contractors under him."There are so many resources in Ypsilanti and Eastern Michigan," Venuto says. "SPARK is over in Ann Arbor. They provided all of the resources I needed to be great as a serial entrepreneur. Everyone had an open door, too."The conference will spotlight other local entrepreneurs and their successes, including people from well-established firms like Zingerman's to new start-ups run by students, like IMU. The conference will be held at Friday in the EMU Student Center. Call (734) 487-0902 for more information.Source: Joe Venuto, serial entrepreneur and recent graduate of Eastern Michigan UniversityWriter: Jon Zemke

Schoolpictures.com hires 7 in Ypsilanti, plans to add 7-10

By Newsroom

●

Innovation News

●

February 10, 2010

Schoolpictures.com has a lot of room to grow in its new home near Eastern Michigan University, and the Ypsilanti-based firm is already starting to fill out the space.The 5-year-old company hired seven people in 2009, rounding out its staff to 41 employees, along with 30 more interns and independent contractors. It expects to hire 7-10 people this year, and all of that is organic growth."We've increased the size of our business by growing our mission," says Skip Cerier, CEO of Schoolpictures.com. "Our goal is to continue to raise money for schools. As cuts came down from the state, schools are in such dire straits that they are looking for other revenues. Schoolpictures.com provides a unique business model that allows us to sustain and grow our business while we raise hundreds of thousands of dollars for schools. That includes $540,000 for 180 schools in 2009. Cerier believes that number would have been much higher in a healthier economy. He has big aspirations for beating that number this year, partly because of an improving economy and partly because of the company's new home.Schoolpictures.com took over the Ave Maria University campus, turning the old mid-20th Century elementary school and other even older structures into a silver LEED campus. It’s first pre-1950 building to reach LEED silver status in Michigan. Now the 21,000 square feet of space that was prime fodder to become building rubble stand as a shinning example of sustainability and economic opportunity.The old Victorian house is being remodeled into a child portrait studio. The idea is the architecture provides a comforting feeling for both kids and families. The school's old gym is now a 2,400-square-foot photography studio that gives the firm's photographers and creatives a lot of freedom."There has been a monumental change in the attitude of my employees," Cerier says. "They are much happier when they have space of their own."Source: Skip Cerier, CEO of Schoolpictures.comWriter: Jon Zemke

Chelsea Milling Co invests $5M in plant, R&D expansion

By Newsroom

●

Economic Development

●

February 10, 2010

The marquee business Chelsea is known for is growing. Chelsea Milling Co. is investing $5 million to expand its facilities.The 105-year-old firm, known for making Jiffy Mix, employs 310 people in downtown Chelsea and another 14 in Marshall. It added 10 people last year and hopes to continue hiring in 2010. It's expanding its presence in Chelsea to accommodate this growth. It's building a pilot plant that will connect its corporate offices and main production facility. It is also upgrading its research and development facility."We wanted to get a good feel for how our products would play in the real world," says Jack Kennedy, vice president and general manager for Chelsea Milling Co. "We wanted that intermediate step."Currently new Jiffy Mix products go straight from the R&D oven to full production. Adding the pilot plant allows the company to do some smaller test runs on the products before investing large amounts of cash into a costly full production. Right now the expansion is about 70 percent complete. Kennedy expects his employees to occupy the new addition by the end of May. Source: Jack Kennedy, vice president and general manager for Chelsea Milling Co.Writer: Jon Zemke