Every August election primaries are held in Ann Arbor. And every August, nearly 90 percent of Ann Arbor shrugs its shoulders and stays home. In a city dominated by a single party that means a very small number of citizens are determining who sets the policies for our community. Some local leaders would like to things change.
Stroll through any downtown and you can quickly identify which streets are hopping with activity and which aren't. Concentrate's Natalie Burg looks at which of Ann Arbor's downtown blocks struggle to attract people and why.
It has been forecasted that demand for downtown office space in Ann Arbor will reach an additional 90,000 - 100,000 sq. ft. Where do those companies go if our city can't or won't supply it? What are the economic implications? And how does transportation fit into the equation? Concentrate digs in.
As debates rage over whether Washtenaw Avenue is predominantly a means to get from Point A to Point B, or as a corridor that serves many users and interests, perhaps it helps to give some real-world examples why it needs our attention now.
Sometimes knowing how the sausage is made is a good thing. Sometimes not so much. To wit, the recent vote on ReImagine Washtenaw's possible vision of the future, which divided Ann Arbor's city council for nearly a year. Why? We're still wondering.
The folks behind AFC Ann Arbor knew their soccer team was a startup with great potential for growth. What they didn't bargain for was creating an entire industry -in this case league- for them to play in. But that's just what they did. Last month was the launch of the Great Lakes Premier League.
Concentrate's Natalie Burg relates her personal struggles with Ann Arbor's lack of affordability, and points to a similarly sized city in Wisconsin, where we might find ideas and inspiration for combatting the socioeconomic segregation that challenges our community.
A recent report by the Martin Prosperity Institute ranked Ann Arbor as the eight most socioeconomically segregated metros in the United States - out of a possible 380 regions. In a two-part story, Concentrate's Natalie Burg digs into the how and why, as well as what we, as a community, can do about it.
While DDAs tend to have a good reputation in most Michigan communities, Ann Arbor's downtown development authority has frequently come under fire by local (and particularly vocal) critics. So, what's the deal? Concentrate talks housing, affordability, and ambassadors with veteran board member Roger Hewitt.
Nicolas Quintana knows the restaurant industry, and he knows Mexican food. The Mexico native has been working in restaurants for the last 15 years since coming the United States, and now he, his nephew, and his longtime friend are bringing all of that experience to Mi Compadre, a new Mexican restaurant on Packard that promises only the freshest and most authentic of Mexican foods. "This is not Taco Bell. This is not Chi-Chi's," says Quintana. "We want people to know what real Mexican food is." Among those authentic options will be such dishes as tlayudas, a pizza-like entree with a tortilla crust. All of their dishes will also focus on fresh ingredients and will be made from scratch to order. Mi Compadre has been in the works for about a year as Quintana and his partners have renovated about 90 percent of the former Ann Arbor Subs space. Updates have included everything from plumbing to new seating. Tables for 48 diners have been installed in the new restaurant. After all that hard work, Mi Compadre finally opened for business last week. "Eveyrthing has been very good so far," Quintana says. "We had people who come and say they like it because everything is made to order." In addition to the owners, Mi Compadre employs a staff of four. Source: Nicolas Quintana, Mi Compadre Writer: Natalie Burg
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