Economic Development

First Martin plans for hotel, mixed-use on Huron and Ashley

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February 12, 2014

The intersection of W. Huron and N. Ashley has long been a sleepy one, but plans for a new mixed-used hotel development aim to change all that. Local developer First Martin has proposed a 85,000-square-foot, six-story hotel for the site that would include 110 rooms and about 6,000 square feet of first-floor commercial space for a retail or restaurant tenant. "There aren't a ton of vacant or nearly vacant parcels downtown," says Mike Martin, vice president of First Martin. "This site has just two single story buildings, and is certainly not improved to its full potential." While the project has the potential to bring temporary and permanent jobs to the site, as well as a new option for Ann Arbor visitors, Martin says one of the most visible impacts of the hotel would be creating new pedestrian activity on the relatively quiet intersection. "We think there is a strong benefit for this type of use to activate the corner," he says. "A lot of the positive feedback we've heard is that this will help energize and add a pedestrian experience to a corner that is anything but that now." First Martin will partner with a national chain to manage the all-suite style hotel, though the developer is not yet ready to release the name of their partner. The total amount of investment the project will bring to downtown is also yet to be determined. Martin is hoping the project will receive final approval in July and the approximately one-year long construction will begin in the fall. Source: Mike Martin, First Martin Writer: Natalie Burg

Latest in Economic Development

Menna’s Joint to add unique cuisine, 30 jobs to E. William St.

By Natalie Burg

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Arts and Culture

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February 12, 2014

College towns across Michigan have been familiar with the "the Dub" sandwich since Menna's Joint opened in East Lansing in 2003. Now with six locations, the home of the grilled sub/burrito hybrid will soon open a seventh on E. William in Ann Arbor. "The dub is a unique product and we deliver it to our customer in a variety of ways," says Hank Andries, Menna's Joint owner and president. "We're looking to complement the market in Ann Arbor. There is a lot of competition here, but we're hoping we fill a portion of the market." Andries had actually considered the space prior to former tenant Topper's Pizza's occupancy, but the timing wasn't quite right. When the property broker reached out to Andries last time, however, everything fell into place. "It was really just about waiting for the right opportunity," Andries says. "There is a lot of demand for space in Ann Arbor, and not a ton of supply. It was just a matter of timing for us." The 1,500-square-foot space will undergo primarily cosmetic renovations as Menna's Joint prepares to open. The restaurant will have seating for 14 diners, as well as offering delivery and carry-out options. Andries intends to open Menna's this spring with a staff of about 30 employees. Source: Hank Andries, Menna's Joint Writer: Natalie Burg

The Huffington Post likes Ann Arbor food and drink

By Newsroom

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Arts and Culture

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February 12, 2014

For everything from tomme dolce cheese to Belgian Elvis waffles to cosmopolitan night spots, this writer from the Huffington Post suggests staying, eating, and drinking a while in Ann Arbor. Excerpt: "The midwestern city of Ann Arbor has a lot going for it. It's now the fifth largest city in Michigan. It is home to the University of Michigan. And this vibrant town might surprise you with its dining scene. Perhaps it's all the international residents that call it home thanks to the University. Perhaps it's the fact that Michigan is one of the country's most agriculturally diverse states. Regardless, in the last five years this city has come into its own culinarily. Some even say, after Chicago, it's the dining capitol of the midwest." Get a taste here.

U-M Athletics has 8 docs on the 2014 Best Doctors in America list

By Newsroom

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Economic Development

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February 5, 2014

Best Doctors Inc lists over 50, 000 U.S. physicians on its annual list. 493 U-M docs, more than any other institution in Michigan, made the cut. Excerpt: "Team physicians and orthopedic surgeons Dr. James Carpenter, Dr. Bruce Miller and Dr. Ed Wojtys were named to the prestigious list along with neurologist Dr. Jeffrey Kutcher. In addition, four consultants that work with the athletic department on a case-by-case basis received selection: James Holmes (orthopedics - foot and ankle), Anthony Chiodo (physical medicine and rehabilitation), Jennifer Kim (ENT/plastic surgery) and Jon Jacobson (radiology)." Read the rest here.

Second place winners of Miami Herald Business Plan Challenge are now U-M students

By Newsroom

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Arts and Culture

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February 5, 2014

A quartet of Florida students took home the second place prize from The Miami Herald's Business Plan Challenge, a fashion app called How Do I Look, which would allow customers to share pictures of themselves wearing outfits. Two of the team are now U-M students. Excerpt: "Kaplan and Altman, who were seniors at Ransom Everglades when they won the award, are now at University of Michigan and will most likely pursue the study of business. Greenwald, also from Ransom, is at Tulane University studying political science. Lieberbaum, who was at Miami Beach Senior High, is now at the University of Florida and studies business. Currently, progress has slowed, but the four had an entrepreneurial summer. “To begin with, we met with experienced entrepreneurs that we know to figure out the first step in starting our project. We then met with programmers to learn what they needed to be able to create the app,” said Greenwald. “Our first big step was working on designing the app, creating each and every possible individual page, how users could move between pages; basically deciding how it would look and work. We worked on this step for a couple months and had the app completely designed and ready to hand over to programmers."" Read the rest here.

A plan for assessing a community’s parking needs

By Newsroom

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Economic Development

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February 5, 2014

Is there anything uglier than a surface parking lot in a bustling downtown? Not to our eyes. Yet communities all over the country still don't understand how to effectively manage their parking needs. Excerpt: "The realization that creating a place where people want to come and spend time is more important than parking unfortunately eludes many municipalities. Worrying about and wasting public money on parking is taking over the public planning process and subsequently parking is taking over our communities. So how can we put parking in its place and draw people back to public spaces? One big step forward is to assess the supply of parking in relation to what is actually needed." Read the rest here.

Flagship Ventures invests in local startup, plans to do it again

By Newsroom

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Economic Development

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February 5, 2014

Flagship Ventures opened an office in downtown Ann Arbor a year ago and it has already starting to make some moves. The Massachusetts-based venture capital firm participated in a Series B round for Tangent Medical Technologies about a year ago. It co-led the $8.6 million round of investment with Arboretum Ventures. Tangent Medical Technologies is developing its NovaCath Integrated IV Catheter System, which is designed to address IV therapy challenges including catheter stabilization, healthcare worker safety, tubing management and patient comfort. NovaCath's passive needle shielding technology and closed system design is meant to minimize risk of needlestick injuries and occupational exposure to blood to the lowest feasible extent. The startup is led by Jeff Williams who also served as the CEO of bio-tech startups HandyLab and Accuri Cytometers, which were both acquired. "Tangent has a great team," says Mike Johnson, associate with Flagship Ventures. "Its IV catheter is a novel technology with FDA clearance." Johnson is optimistic that Flagship Ventures will make another one or two similar investments this year. "We're enthusiastic about the opportunities in Michigan," Johnson says. "We are evaluating a number of different companies." Source: Mike Johnson, associate with Flagship Ventures Writer: Jon Zemke Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.

Draper Triangle Ventures plans to open Ann Arbor office

By Newsroom

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Economic Development

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February 5, 2014

Draper Triangle Ventures sees an opportunity in Michigan so the Pittsburgh-based venture capital firm has its sights set on Ann Arbor. The VC plans to make tech startups part of its newest investment fund and is opening satellite offices in Ann Arbor and downtown Detroit in order to be in the middle of Michigan’s most dynamic tech hubs. "We'll be actively making investments," says Jonathan Murray, managing director of Draper Triangle Ventures. "There is one that is pretty far along already that could be announced within the next couple of months." Draper Triangle Ventures invests in early stage tech ventures. Think: software and IT startups. It is in the midst of raising a $100 million investment fund with commitments for three quarters of that amount. Murray will be Draper Triangle Ventures' person on the ground in Michigan, manning the Ann Arbor and Detroit offices. Murray graduated from the University of Michigan with an MBA and serves as an advisor to the Wolverine Venture Fund at the Ross School of Business. He plans to make 1-2 investments in local startups each year. Those investments will be in the area of $1 million. "Our model is quality over quantity," Murray says. "We tend to be selective." Source: Jonathan Murray, managing director of Draper Triangle Ventures Writer: Jon Zemke

Wixom-based Total Sports Shop expands with new Saline location

By Natalie Burg

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Development News

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February 5, 2014

Sometimes everyone's timing just lines up. Just as the longtime owners of the Saline Sport Shack on E. Michigan Ave. were ready to retire, the Wixom-based Total Sports Shop was ready to open a new retail location. Part of the Total Sports Complex, which has locations in Novi and Farmington, the Total Sports Shop is the first retail shop for the company outside of its Wixom location. "They were looking to retire, and we were looking to expand," says Jeff Fisher, store manager for the Saline Total Sports Shop. "We already wanted to get into this neck of the woods." Similar to its predecessor, Total Sports Shop focuses on supplying teams with athletic gear. According to Fisher, visitors may still notice some differences in the 1,700 square foot store, which will carry additional brands and has been renovated to have a more open and spacious feel. "There is actually a lot of change here, and we've gotten a lot of positive feedback from the community," Fisher says. Total Sports Shop opened Dec. 1. The Total Sports Complex brand has plans to continue to expand across the state with additional locations forthcoming, including a store in Monroe set to open in March. The new Saline store currently employs a staff of three. Fisher anticipates they will eventually expand to a larger location to accommodate in-store product demonstrations. Source: Jeff Fisher, Total Sports Shop Writer: Natalie Burg

NewFoundry app Ramblehook aims to streamline meetings

By Newsroom

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Economic Development

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February 5, 2014

Ever been in a meeting and wonder where the time went? Wish you could take back that rambling story that sparked a side debate that ate up 30 extra minutes? NewFoundry thinks it has an answer for you. The Ann Arbor-based firm, it's based just north of downtown overlooking the Huron River, just release Ramblehook, a mobile app that helps organizers take back control of meetings. It allows the user to list the agenda items, presenters, and time allotted for each topic. "We're trying to reign in all of the side discussions that eat up meetings," says Richard Chang, partner & CEO of NewFoundry. Chang is a alumnus of Mobiata, a software startup that made travel-oriented apps that was acquired by Expedia. He helped launched NewFoundry a year ago. Today it employs a dozen people who handle a variety of work ranging from mobile app development to industrial design. NewFoundry's came up with the idea for Ramblehook to help keep its own internal meetings on track. It is currently working on a couple of other ideas for apps. "We are looking at launching a few more apps in the next six months," Chang says. Source: Richard Chang, partner & CEO of NewFoundry Writer: Jon Zemke Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.