Traffic signal boxes will soon become instances of public art, thanks to the Arts Alliance and Ann Arbor DDA. How cool is that? Excerpt: "Downtown Ann Arbor is expected to get some more artwork, this time on the outside of the grey metal traffic signal boxes that are often covered in graffiti." Listen to the report on this cool project here.
Liberty Title hasn't wasted any time over the last year expanding into new markets and adding a couple dozen new employees. The downtown Ann Arbor-based company entered into the Lansing area last summer. It also moved its Troy office to Birmingham and doubled it in size and relocated its Rochester office to a larger space. The company recently opened a new office in Novi, too. It all adds up 25 new hires, expanding the company's staff to 114 employees and one intern. "We have been having a very good year as the housing market has been rebounding across the region," says Tom Richardson, general counsel for Liberty Title. That has allowed the company to increase its revenue by 16 percent over the last year. It's revenue is up 63 percent since 2011. Part of that is thanks to new construction starting to peak its head out of the woodchuck hole in the last year. Richardson also credits new regulations that are coming down the pike that should help bump up the business of medium-to-large title companies. "We're going to be pretty busy," Richardson says. Source: Tom Richardson, general counsel for Liberty Title Writer: Jon Zemke Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.
After working in the auto repair business in Brighton for five years and studying the trade at Washtenaw Community College, Warren Terrell decided it was time to open his own shop. With a specialization in working on Subaru and Volvo vehicles, Ann Arbor seemed like an idea location. "It's so close to downtown and right in the neighborhood here with houses all around it," Terrell says of his Water Hill Motors on Miller Ave., which opened less than two months ago. The shop offers a broad range of auto repair services, including everything from engine repair to oil changes. In addition to Subaru and Volvo, Terrell says he's worked extensively on American-made cars, especially late-model Mustangs. Though he opened the shop quietly, he says business is already doing well. "For no adverting it's been good," he says. "Last week was slow, but the week before I was at full capacity." Terrell intends to add up to two additional technicians to the Water Hill Motors staff over the next couple of months as his business continues to grow. He hopes to develop a clientele for high performance modifications at the two-bay auto shop. Source: Warren Terrell, Water Hill Motors Writer: Natalie Burg
Ann Arbor architect Carl Luckenbach built a glass and deck-dominated house in 1985 with a view of the Arb. It's pretty spectacular and across the street is a house by Frank Lloyd Wright. And it's for sale. Excerpt: "On the main floor, the ceiling soars to 30 feet, and the structure is not just shown, it’s punctuated. Long white beams form the roof’s framework. They are buckled together with black steel plates and black bolts, like exclamation points on the white. “I like the idea of being very straightforward about how the house is built,” Luckenbach said. Built-in bookcases climb one wall like steps. Two rows of clerestory windows wrap around the dramatic ceiling and let natural light pour in." Read the rest here.
Nia Spongberg moved to Ann Arbor with her partner from Vermont last year. Back in New England, Spongberg had a career in non-profit development but was a jack of all trades, handling everything from grant writing to database management. "I was constantly organizing things," Spongberg says. When she made the move to Ann Arbor she knew she wanted to change directions and so she started her own business focused around organization, Spruced Up Spaces. The Ann Arbor-based company does everything from helping businesses reorganize how they do things at their facilities to helping families better organize their lives. Spongberg likes the challenge in the work and enjoys being her own boss. The business started out slow but it didn't stay that way for long. "At the turn of the year things started to pick up for me," Spongberg says. "It has been growing steadily since then." Spruced Up Spaces enjoys a client base made up mostly of local businesses and residential clients. For instance, Spongberg has helped a family to sort, purge, and reorganize the contents of their home in preparation for a significant renovation project, and she’s helped a massage therapy business to organize its filing system and improve the layout of its office space. Today, the company provides enough work for Spongberg to make a living and she hopes to continue growing. Source: Nia Spongberg, owner & professional organizer of Spruced Up Spaces Writer: Jon Zemke Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.
In downtown Ann Arbor, there's a pretty big gap between a start-up with a couple of employees and one that is ready to sign an expensive, multi-year lease for a commercial space. The ever-busy Ann Arbor SPARK Central incubator is now giving their tenants the chance to better bridge that gap with the addition of 2,500 square feet of space dedicated to "stage two" startups. "If I have eight employees, but I know I'm going to have 20 a year form now, it's hard for me to find a commercial lease," says Bill Mayer, business accelerator director for SPARK. "What the expansion allows is space for someone who secures external revenue, has four to five full-time equivalent employees, and they're getting too big for our stage one incubator." SPARK Central has long been continually at full capacity. It's original footprint, which is now its stage one area, provides 14 desks for tenants, some of which use multiple desks. The new stage two space has an open office place and can hold about 30 workers. Two companies are already working in the new space, and Mayer expects two more to move in next week, filling it to capacity. "This falls into one of those good-problem-to-have categories," says Mayer, "but our goal is to have our companies graduate. We don't want them to have a residency with us this longer than 12 to 18 months." Transformation is also afoot at the SPARK East incubator in Ypsilanti, where a large conference room has been renovated into co-working facility. SPARK will continue to hold events and host community groups in the same space. Source: Bill Mayer, SPARK Writer: Natalie Burg
Molecular Imaging is on a bit of a hiring spree, looking to hire 10 people today as it looks to scale up its services. The Ann Arbor-based company provides in vivo pre-clinical imaging services for pharmaceutical, biotechnology and medical device companies. A group of venture capital firms acquired Molecular Imaging 2.5 years ago. Farmington Hills-based Beringea led that group of investors making the acquisition. "We plan to scale up our services and add some new services," says Patrick McConville, CSO & senior vice president of Molecular Imaging. Molecular Imaging has already enjoyed some repeat business from its existing customer base. It has also been diversifying its client base to set the stage for growth. McConville expects the company to double in size over the next year so the company is looking to add 10 positions to its existing staff of about 30 people to facilitate that growth. The open positions include a director, accounts manager and eight scientists. "These are scientists focused on executing our studies," McConville says. Source: Patrick McConville, CSO & senior vice president of Molecular Imaging Writer: Jon Zemke Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.
The future is looking bright for a renovation project intended to light a fire under the development of S. Fourth Ave. in downtown Ann Arbor. The plan to transform the four-storefront building formerly known as Town Center Plaza into a five-and-half story residential and commercial property has gained approval from Ann Arbor's Historic District Commission. "I believe this project is going to ignite many other opportunities on the Fourth Ave. block," says developer Joe Barbat of Barbat Holdings. "A development of this magnitude will propel many others. However, most importantly, the idea of having residents live in the area offers many extraordinary opportunities." The redevelopment plan will add three-and-a-half stories, including 32 one- and two-bedrrom residential units to the building. Barbat calls the units "beautifully designed," and each will include a balcony. The building, now referred to as the Montgomery Building, has been known as the home of Bandito's and the now-closed Eastern Accents. Ann Arbor Comedy Showcase has already signed on to relocate in the building's basement. As for the remaining commercial spaces, Barbat says he's received interest in the spaces but has not signed any leases. "We are hoping to attract casual food users or even a specialty market," he says. "The units are planned for a complete makeover." A timeline for the project is undetermined, though Barbat hopes to have the project completed by the end of 2014. Source: Joe Barbat, Barbat Holdings Writer: Natalie Burg
Coherix is finding its niche in Asia, helping more manufacturers on that side of the world streamline their production capability. The Ann Arbor-based business is a supplier of high-speed, high-definition 3D measurement and inspection solutions. It creates software designed to improve the management of manufacturing processes. Its high-tech optical-based measurement and inspection products help find efficiencies in the automotive and semiconductor industries. The 9-year-old company is finding a lot of demand for its technology with manufacturers of semi-conductors and other electronics. It has also recently inked a deal to do a joint venture in China, which the company expects to become the its biggest geographic market in the near future. This growth has allowed the company to hire five more people in Ann Arbor. It now employs 50 people worldwide and expects to keep growing. "Next year will be huge," says Dwight Carlson, chairman & CEO of Coherix. "We have a big customer we just finished a three-year production contract with." Carlson explains that the client, whom he declined to name, has part of Coherix's technology imbedded in its product. That will produce a handsome royalty for Coherix when its begins making sales next year. Source: Dwight Carlson, chairman & CEO of Coherix Writer: Jon Zemke
Concentrate's photographer Doug Coombe believes that despite all the recent criticisms and complaints, Ann Arborites really do want and appreciate public art. To celebrate that sentiment he's put together a photographic tour of the area's public art - old and new.
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