Saline

Saline’s DesignHub wins two awards, adds 1 new employee

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March 4, 2009

DesignHub isn't trying to set the world on fire with rocketing growth. In fact the Saline-based firm is happy staying at about the same size it is today."We've always planned to stay relatively small," says Chris Kochmanski, a partner with DesignHub. "The three partners are between 45-55 years old so we're not trying to conquer the world or anything."That doesn't mean the creative service and marketing firm isn't growing. It added another employee last year, so its head count hits five employees and one independent contractor. It might add another person in the near future, but Kochmanski sees the company barely breaking into the double-digit employee ranks, despite its growing track record.DesignHub is celebrating its 10th year. The firm gets most of its work through website development, the rest comes from things like creating brochures. Source: Chris Kochmanski, partner with DesignHubWriter: Jon Zemke

Saline mayor says arts, culture crucial

By Newsroom

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General

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February 18, 2009

The arts are even more critical in these difficult times, and the Mayor of Saline is willing to go to bat for them.Excerpt:Saline Mayor Gretchen Driskell has studied what makes her city tick for more than a decade.She has attended seminars and workshops on how to keep a city like Saline healthy, vigorous and growing.One of the few ingredients she found Saline was missing was a vehicle to help drive the arts and culture in the community.On Monday, Driskell asked City Council to fuel this passion by establishing the new Saline Culture and Arts Committee. Council members voted to support the launch and volunteers are being sought to fill the new mayor-appointed positions."I have talked about the importance of this type of organization, recognizing its contribution to the overall economic development of Saline," she said.Read the rest of the story here.

Washtenaw Walking & Biking Coalition takes on new goals for 2009

By Newsroom

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Development News

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January 21, 2009

Getting around Washtenaw County will be much easier for everyone not in an automobile if the Washtenaw Walking & Biking Coalition has anything to say about it.The local advocate for non-motorized transportation has set some ambitious-yet-realistic goals for 2009. The coalition wants to help fill in the gaps of the Border to Border Trail across the county and make a trail or bike lane connection to Saline. It also wants to find a way for people without cars to get across I-94 near Brairwood Mall."That area in particular is very difficult for pedestrian and cyclists to travel across," says Pete Hines, chair of the Washtenaw Walking & Biking Coalition.It is also working the cities of Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti, Washtenaw County and Huron Clinton Parks to help Ann Arbor score a large federal grant. That money, which could be available in the coming months, would help create miles of bike lanes, trails and sidewalks in the city.The association is also planning to turn itself in to a non-profit. It's a move that will help it raise money and apply for grants.Source: Pete Hines, chair of the Washtenaw Walking & Biking CoalitionWriter: Jon Zemke

Saint Joseph Mercy moves forward with Saline Hospital expansion

By Newsroom

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Community Development

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January 14, 2009

Stalled until recently, work is restarting on the expansion of the St. Joseph Mercy Saline Hospital Community Health Pavilion.Parent company Trinity Health put the project on hold in October while corporate officials reviewed non-emergency capital spending projects. At the time, a pause was ordered on all construction. Trinity Health is spending $7.8 million to add 13,000 square feet to the hospital. The new space will house a clinical laboratory, imaging center and a large community room for educational forums and events. It will also improve access for emergency, surgery and inpatient services.Work is expected to wrap up this fall.Source: Lauren Stokes, spokeswoman for St. Joseph Mercy HospitalWriter: Jon Zemke

Local sculptor creates piece for area college

By Newsroom

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General

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January 14, 2009

New Jersey's loss is Saline's gain when it comes to sculptors, or at least one very prominent sculptor known for his bronze works.Excerpt:Saline is a warm, gentle community that keeps great traditions and friendships. Now the community has added to its residents a renowned sculptor, Anthony Frudakis, who continually contributes his art to Michigan locales.Born and raised in New Jersey, Frudakis moved to Saline only four months ago and followed in his father's footsteps of artistry. He became a sculptor and attended the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts and the University of Pennsylvania.He now creates both large and small bronze sculptures for both private and public venues, and his works can be seen across the country.His most recent, nearly completed task is a 7-foot tall bronze statue of Thomas Jefferson, for which he was commissioned by Hillsdale College."(Hillsdale College) has embarked on a program called Liberty Walk that consists of a series of statues of very important figures in the country's history of freedom," Frudakis said. "I already finished a George Washington statue for them, and they also have two other statues, Winston Churchill and Margaret Thatcher."Read the rest of the story here and how a Dexter artist won a Best of Show award here.

Ann Arbor area workers earn among highest wages in state

By Newsroom

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General

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January 14, 2009

Washtenaw County has always been known as a hub for new economy jobs, now word is getting out that it's also home to high new economy wages.Excerpt:If you're aiming to make money, the Ann Arbor area apparently is a good place to be.New federal wage data shows jobs in Washtenaw County are among the highest paying in the state. Employees in Washtenaw County earned an average of $58,479 last year, the fourth highest average compensation rate per job in Michigan, according to data released Monday from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.Read the rest of the story here.

Annual Collaboration for Entrepreneurship to mix it up in Ann Arbor

By Newsroom

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Education

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January 14, 2009

The call is going out for all new economy entrepreneurs in the Great Lakes to come to the Annual Collaboration for Entrepreneurship in Ann Arbor on Jan. 22. The event will serve as a forum and mixer for entrepreneurs and innovators from more than just the Mitten State but also all the states that border the Great Lakes. "We're trying to build education and we're trying to build growth," says Gerry Rosten, planning chairman for the Annual Collaboration for Entrepreneurship. He also runs his own consulting company for start-ups call Pair of Docs. This is not something new. The Annual Collaboration for Entrepreneurship has been at this for nine years, and has watched a number of successful start-ups participate over that time. They include ElectroJet, which has been sealing deal after deal in Asia, and Hybra-Drive Systems, a big winner of 21st Century Jobs Fund money."The companies we have been putting up for presentations and into the pitch competition have become very successful," Rosten says.This year's showcase presenter is Roger Newton, CEO of Esperion Therapeutics. There will also be an elevator pitch competition and an interactive workshop.The event will be held between 4-9 p.m. at the Morris Lawrence Building in Washtenaw Community College. Pre-registration costs $9 or $20 at the door. Source: Gerry Rosten, planning chairman for the Annual Collaboration for EntrepreneurshipWriter: Jon Zemke

Saline looks for destination restaurant for available downtown buildings

By Newsroom

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Community Development

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November 5, 2008

Saline hopes to take advantage of Michigan's Signature Building Program to breathe a little more life into its downtown. The city is looking for someone who wants to open up a "destination restaurant" in one of the downtown's three marquee empty storefronts. Local officials are pledging to help that entrepreneur by helping them score a grant from the Signature Building Program worth as much as $400,000. "If someone were to qualify for that full amount they could create 14 full-time jobs and 28 part-time jobs," says Art Trapp, the downtown development director for the city of Saline. Three buildings in downtown Saline qualify for such a grant. They include the old Kelly's restaurant (which recently closed), the R&B building and another structure across the street from the old Kelly's that has been vacant for three years. The money for the grant would go towards renovating the structure. It must also come with a 2-1 match, meaning the applicant must spend $800,000 on renovations to get the full $400,000. Source: Art Trapp, the downtown development director for the city of Saline Writer: Jon Zemke

Saline readies to turn on LED holiday lights in downtown

By Newsroom

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Community Development

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November 5, 2008

The trees in downtown Saline are about to be lit up with holiday cheer, only for much less money this year.The city removed the traditional holiday lights on downtown's foliage after they reached the end of their life cycle earlier this year. Since then, local officials have raised more several thousand dollars to replace them with energy-efficient LED lights.The project cost about $36,000. The city promised to chip in $10,000 if downtown officials could raise the rest. That didn't turn out to be a problem, and the lights are set to start glowing within the next few days."We had a couple of large contributions," says Art Trapp, the downtown development director for the city of Saline.The 50,000 lights usually cost $10.40 per day to light. The LED lights only cost $2.40 a day.LED lights are much more efficient than normal incandescent bulbs because they only produce light visible to the human eye. That requires far less energy. LED also have a significantly longer lifespan.Ann Arbor made a similar move with its downtown trees last year. It's also replacing its downtown streetlights with LED bulbs and plans to extend that to streetlights throughout the city.Source: Art Trapp, the downtown development director for the city of SalineWriter: Jon Zemke

Ann Arbor area builders seek edge in troubled housing market

By Newsroom

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General

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November 5, 2008

Innovation lives in the Ann Arbor-area housing market where one home builder is coming up with new ways to move homes in one heck of tough market. Excerpt: One local homebuilder recently added guaranteed buy-backs and expanded leasing to the list of options facing potential buyers. The strategies are among the ways builders are seeking an edge amid a market defined by falling prices for existing homes and slowing new-home demand - which is off 44 percent so far in Washtenaw County this year. Jim Haeussler of Saline-based Peters Building Co., now says he'll buy back any new home in the third year of occupancy for the original price. He said that offers some protection for buyers concerned about having to relocate for job-related reasons. Haeussler also provides "lease-to-own" and "lease-to-build" programs meant to allow residents to contribute to the eventual purchase of a spec or newly built home. The Saline builder said had two goals with the programs: He was looking for something to pull potential homebuyers away from the existing home market and its decreasing prices, and it's a way to try to stabilize the values of already-purchased homes in his subdivisions. "We want to protect our existing buyers," Haeussler said. "If we offer discounts ... it doesn't help the people we sold to in the past." Read the rest of the story here.