Ann Arbor

Hook adds two employees, triples space and hopes to hire four more

The last time we checked in with Hook earlier this year, the commercial-art start-up was made up of its two co-founders, a couple of part-time employees and a stable of freelancers crammed into a small office in downtown Ann Arbor. Today it employs six people (meeting its goal for the year) and has tripled its office space."We just kept working, taking on projects," says Aaron Schwartz, who co-founded the company last year with Michael Watts, both former University of Michigan students. "It got to the point that we had to turn down jobs because we didn't have the manpower."Manpower looks like it will be an important word for the 2.5-year-old firm. Schwartz expects to hire another 2-4 people in 2009 as it adds new clients.Hook incorporates 3-D imagery into commercial art, such as animation and illustrations. The firm's clients include Toyota and its work appeared in this year's North American International Auto Show in Detroit."We'd like to have more national television work," Schwartz says.Source: Aaron Schwartz, co-founder of HookWriter: Jon Zemke

Ann Arbor’s Architectural Resource takes home design awards, looking to hire

Architectural Resource walked away with some hardware from the Remodeling Show's 2008 Qualified Remodeler Master Design Awards.The Ann Arbor-based firm was the most recognized company at the 30-year-old competition, taking home two first-places awards, four runner-up trophies, and one third-place finish. The awards were in categories like "Room Additions - Less Than $100,000" and "Room Remodel", which were both first-place finishes. Architectural Resource focuses on new home designs, additions and renovations. It handles projects both locally and in places as far away as Portland, Oregon and South Carolina. The boutique firm now employs five people and is looking for two more people. Those jobs are for an architectural designer and business manager.Source: Architectural ResourceWriter: Jon Zemke

Renaissance VC Fund invests $5 million into Arboretum Ventures

The Renaissance Venture Capital Fund isn't wasting time when it comes to investing in Michigan and bridging the gap between Detroit and Ann Arbor.The VC, formed by Detroit Renaissance, made its first investment of $5 million into Ann Arbor-based Arboretum Ventures II. Renaissance expects to invest another $10 million to $20 million in 2009. That money will go either toward venture capital firms looking to invest in the state or firms based in Michigan, such as Arboretum."It is clearly a fast-rising venture capital firm right now," says Chris Rizik, CEO of the Renaissance Venture Capital Fund. "It is a really smart firm with the right niche. Even with the current economic problems we're finding they are really well positioned to be successful."Arboretum focuses mainly on investing in up-and-coming companies that make medical devices. However, the money from Renaissance's investment doesn't come with strings attached on what it must kind of firm or technology to invest. Jan Garfinkle and Tim Peterson formed Arboretum in 2002. Renaissance has been in the works for a few years, but didn’t become a reality until late this year. One of its main tenants is to create more new economy connections between Ann Arbor and Detroit.Source: Chris Rizik, CEO of the Renaissance Venture Capital FundWriter: Jon Zemke

Konichiwa, Ann Arbor

Ann Arbor as an international center? You betcha. With it's growing global appeal, and proximity to the country's automotive hub, The Deuce has to keep up with its foreign-born citizens and visitors. Case in point: The growing Japanese community and the rising influence of Japanese-owned businesses.

TeL Systems helps update Crisler Arena, creates new jobs in Ann Arbor

Go to a large venue like a casino or an arena and there is a good chance you will hear or see a bit of TeL Systems' handiwork.The Ann Arbor-based firm specializes in advanced video, audio and communication technology. It recently installed the new state-of-the-art sound system in Crisler Arena.The company started 43 years ago under the name of Thalner Electronic Labs. It now employs 34 people and an intern. That includes adding two additional staffers in the past year.TeL Systems made a decision to migrate away from mainly automotive-based work a few years ago and diversify its client base. Now it counts the University of Michigan as one of its bigger customers - and is glad it can during these turbulent times."From the day we were founded to today, the university is a very important part of what we do," says Karl Couyoumjian, president of TeL Systems.The company expects to hire a few more people in 2009, but Couyoumjian is guarded in his optimism considering what is going on with the automakers and the economy as a whole."If the right person with the right skill set comes by we'll make room," Couyoumjian says.Source: Karl Couyoumjian, president of TeL SystemsWriter: Jon Zemke

Ann Arbor moves forward on Veterans Park skatepark

They're not doing flipkicks in Veterans Memorial Park yet, but supporters are a few kicks closer to rolling in half pipe at a new Ann Arbor Skatepark.The city has approved a "memo of intent" to build a skatepark in the northwest corner of Veterans Park. "It's not a completely binding document but it does give us the foundation to start," says Trevor Staples, a spokesman for the group that is working to establish the skatepark.That group is setting up a fund within the Ann Arbor Area Community Foundation so it can raise the money for the park within the next 12-18 months. They're looking at raising $800,000 to $1 million through donations and grants to build the skatepark.The facility will be about 30,000 square feet of permanent concrete skatepark. It will have a skateplaza and possibly even a full pipe. It will also work with the Ann Arbor Public Art Commission to bring some art into the skatepark as well.The Ann Arbor Skatepark Committee says the city is undeserved by not counting a skatepark among its varied recreation options (ranging from tennis courts to Frisbee golf). The group also claims a space dedicated to skateboarders will enhance the city's reputation and help keep kids out of trouble. The group is so confident that a skatepark is needed that it lists 30 reasons why one should be built on its website. Among the more eye-catching are No. 27 "Skateboarding is happening with or without a skatepark" and No. 30 "If a city doesn't have a skatepark, it is a skatepark."Source: Trevor Staples, spokesman for the Ann Arbor SkateparkWriter: Jon Zemke

Northern United Brewing seeks microbrewery prominence

Bell's and Motor City have long been considered the mainstays of Michigan's microbrewery world. Northern United Brewing hopes to add its name to that list.The micro-brewery received a $1.1 million tax credit from the Michigan Economic Development Corporation to expand its operations in Ann Arbor, Traverse City and Dexter. The company currently owns North Peak Brewing Co. in Traverse City, Jolly Pumpkin Brewing in Dexter, along with Ann Arbor's Grizzly Peak, Café Habana and Blue Tractor restaurants.Northern United plans to use the money to expand its operations in those spaces and create 158 jobs within the next five years, including 67 in its first year. It had been looking at other sites in Ohio and Indiana.Source: Elizabeth Parkison, Ann Arbor SPARKWriter: Jon Zemke

Video The Ann Arbor Film Fest

After 46 years it comes to this: a guest appearance by Larry Flynt, an ACLU law suit and woodland animals getting creamed by roller derby girls. Still, the Ann Arbor Film Festival has never taken its eye off the ball. This year marks a new, user-friendly era for the festival Variety Magazine called, one of "Ten Film Festivals We Love!"

Could Monroe St by U-M Law Quad become pedestrian only?

It looks like Monroe Street is preparing to go on a vacation sometime soon.Vacation is a fancy word planners use to describe when they close a street and make it exclusively for pedestrians. The University of Michigan is looking at doing this with Monroe between State and Oakland streets between the Law Quad and the half block where it is expanding."The idea is to create a strong psychological and physical connection between the law school facilities," says Jim Kosteva, director of community relations for the University of Michigan.U-M is currently renovating its historic Law Quad and building an extension to it on the southeast corner of State and Monroe called South Hall. Kosteva adds that closing that section of the street would make it safer for pedestrians.A final decision has not been made and firm date hasn't been released to move forward with the plans. The earliest anything could happen would be in 2011 when the project is done."We would be looking at something closer to that time frame," Kosteva says.Source: Jim Kosteva, director of community relations for the University of MichiganWriter: Jon Zemke

AATA ridership up, creates new bus route to Amtrak station

Ridership and routes are up at the Ann Arbor Transportation Authority.AATA’s go!pass initiative is up 20 percent while the authority has added a bus route connecting downtown to the city’s Amtrak station.Route 17 connects the Amtrak station on Depot Street with the Blake Transit Center in downtown. AATA created the line because of increased Amtrak ridership for the Detroit-Ann Arbor commuter train line set to open in October, 2010. There is also a lack of parking at the train station. The new bus line will make trips every 30 minutes and help passengers connect to local institutions like the Gandy Dancer and Kerry Town.The line also promises to benefit go!pass users. The year-long bus passes for AATA are subsidized by the Ann Arbor Downtown Development Authority as way of allowing more people to utilize downtown while easing congestion and parking problems.Between November 2006 and October 2007, go!pass users took 365,556 rides on AATA buses. The next year it jumped to 437,062 rides, its biggest increase since 2001. The DDA’s getDowntown Program started the go!pass in 2000. The go!pass is available to people who work downtown. So far 429 downtown businesses and organizations have purchased 5,691 go!passes.Source: Ann Arbor Transportation Authority and Nancy Shore, director of getDowntownWriter: Jon Zemke

Our Partners

30044
30045
30046
30047
30049
Washtenaw ISD logo
Eastern Michigan University
Ann Arbor Art Center
UMS
U of M Arts Initiative
Engage EMU

We want to know what's on your mind.

Close the CTA

Don't miss out!

Everything Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti, in your inbox every week.

Close the CTA

Already a subscriber? Enter your email to hide this popup in the future.