Ypsilanti Downtown <br> Development Authority, Michigan
Downtown & Depot Town Ypsilanti in the news
Ypsilanti Food Co-Op more than just a supermarket
by Christine Laughren
May 8, 2008
It's different than going to the supermarket. It's a community place. You see your neighbors there. It's close to home. It's the Ypsilanti Food Co-op.
For more than 40 years the Ypsilanti Food Cooperative has been a staple of the area and what originally started out as a food-buying club in the late '60s is now a successful venture owned and operated by community members...
Read the rest of the article in the Ypsilanti Courier.
Ypsilanti Water Street parcels draw developers' interest
by Dan Meisler
May 6, 2008
Marketing the 38-acre, city-owned Water Street property in Ypsilanti has proven easier now that the city is willing to split it up into parcels – at least so far.
City and county officials said they were pleased with the response to their marketing efforts at the 2008 National Brownfields Conference being held this week at the Cobo Center in Detroit.
Instead of seeking a large developer to take on the entire project, Assistant City Manager April McGrath said, smaller companies expressed some interest at the brownfield event...
Read the rest of the article in the Ann Arbor Business Review.
City proposes to sell parcels of Water Street
by Christine Laughren
May 1, 2008
The city of Ypsilanti is hoping to stimulate development of its Water Street property by possibly selling the land on a piece-by-piece basis.
Parceling the property is one of several short-term strategies the city manager's office presented to members of City Council during a special work session last Thursday...
Read the rest of the article in the Ypsilanti Courier.
Downtown Ypsilanti's old Kresge building to house Mongolian barbeque, martini bar
by Jon Zemke
4/30/2008
The rebirth of
J Neil’s Mongolian Grille and the Keystone Martini Bar are set to open in the ground floor and basement of 200 W Michigan Ave. within seven weeks...
Read the rest of the article in Concentrate.
Ypsilanti to demo Water Street buildings, put best foot forward
by Jon Zemke
4/30/2008
It looks like some buildings are ready to fall on
City officials are considering taking out a $650,000 loan from
Read the rest of the article in Concentrate.
Zingerman's considers expansion into Ypsilanti
by Jon Zemke
4/28/2008
The folks at Zingerman's pride themselves on making the most of their little corner of
Paul Saginaw, one of Zingerman's co-founders, is looking into the idea of setting up an restaurant/cafe in either Depot Town or downtown
Read the rest of the article in Concentrate.
Local coffeehouse goes smoke free
by Christine Laughren
April 24, 2008
The Ugly Mug in Ypsilanti has gotten a makeover.
Along with new floors, tables, chairs and a fresh coat of paint, the coffee shop went smoke free Monday...
Read the rest of the story in the Ypsilanti Courier.
Delivery puts firm in gear
by Katherine Yung
April 23, 2008
It seemed like the most ordinary thing, the big brown truck rolling to a stop behind an Ypsilanti office on a sunny spring afternoon. But for Merrill Guerra, this wasn't your average delivery.
Five minutes later, the founder and CEO of RealKidz Inc. was eagerly cutting open a tall rectangular box. She quickly pulled out a white shirt with short orange sleeves and began carefully examining it.
After months of designing, planning and fitting, Monday marked the arrival of RealKidz's first products -- some of the 817 shirts and pants it hopes to sell to plus-size young girls. The clothes were made at a Chicago-area manufacturer...
Read the rest of the article in the Detroit Free Press.
Spark needs money to get business incubator started in Ypsilanti
by Khalil E. Hachem
Wednesday April 16, 2008
Organizers of a business incubator in Ypsilanti are asking eastern Washtenaw County municipalities to contribute to the proposed project.
Representatives from Ann Arbor Spark and Washtenaw County told the Ypsilanti City Council Tuesday that organizers are still looking for $65,000 for the project. The incubator, slated to open in September in downtown Ypsilanti, will cost about $200,000 to run and will serve the eastern part of the county...
Read the rest of the article in the Ann Arbor News.
Friends of Ypsilanti's Freighthouse work to restore landmark
by Jon Zemke
4/16/2008
"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it's the only thing that ever has." -- Margaret Mead
Just such a small group is trying to make changes in
"It's the heart and soul of the community," says Bonnie Penet, co-chair of the Friends of the Ypsilanti Freighthouse. "It's the one place the community gathers on a regular basis. The farmers market is there and our arts and crafts shows [too]. We voted there."...
Read the rest of the article at Concentrate.
Guest Blogger: Mark Maynard
4/14/2008
Read Ypsi resident Mark Maynard's guest blog for the week at Concentrate.
Price, attitude attractive Ypsilanti environment may be getting friendlier for art galleries
by Jordan Miller
Sunday, April 13, 2008
Although Leslie and David Austin's art gallery in Petoskey was doing well, they realized that most of their clients spent most of the year in the southern part of the state, and they wanted to monopolize on that. So they settled on a space in downtown Ypsilanti, moved down here, and opened the What Is That gallery in early February.
The couple renovated a large space formerly occupied by a hair-braiding business at Michigan Avenue and Washington Street. They cleaned up debris, knocked out walls, ripped up carpet, and did a lot of painting.
The Austins said that, although they checked out locations in Ann Arbor, they settled on their Michigan Avenue location in downtown Ypsilanti for one main reason: price...
Read the rest of the article in the Ann Arbor News.
MASTERMIND: James Marks
by Terry Parris, Jr.
4/9/2008
James Marks is sitting in a black, plastic swivel chair at the end of the counter in his downtown Ypsi storefront company - VGKids. His feet are kicked out. His mop of hair falls over his eyes and every few seconds he pushes it out. He's watching the sky dump six inches of snow on Michigan Avenue, where just two days prior the thermometer broke 50 and coats were being left in the car.
"I wanted to change the world," the 29-year-old unflinchingly says, recalling the only thing he really wanted to do after graduating high school. "And it's still my plan."...
Read the rest of the story in Concentrate
SPARK to choose Ypsilanti location within a month
by Jon Zemke
4/9/2008
One of these buildings is not like the other... because one of them will be the new home of Ann Arbor SPARK's
The new economy business incubator is deciding which downtown storefront to set up its
Read the rest of the article in Concentrate
Ugly Mug Cafe gets a major facelift
Wednesday, April 4, 2008
The Ugly Mug coffee shop is expected to temporarily close while it undergoes drastic changes -- including a different name, a smoke-free indoor atmosphere and extensive remodeling.
"We're planning on having a contest to rename the cafe," said owner Zak Rye. "With all the renovations and changes, it just felt like a good time for change."...
Read the rest of the story in the Eatern Echo.
World of Rocks not your typical gift shop
by Austen Smith
April 3, 2008
After 22 years in business, Gail Kornbluth says she has developed a loyal following.
The owner and operator of downtown Ypsilanti's World of Rocks, 43 N. Huron St., says after moving her business from Ann Arbor, to Canton, to Belleville and finally settling in their current location eight years ago - she is amazed to see the same people visiting her store as when they first set up shop...
Read the rest of the article in the Ypsilanti Courier
Start-up efforts struggle, advance in tough economy
by Katherine Yung
March 27, 2008
Production delays. Money worries. Work-filled weekends.
As two of Michigan's newest start-up companies move closer to their launch dates in April, the pressure is mounting...
Read the rest of the story in the Detroit Free Press
Ypsilanti's Thompson Block gets key tenant, work to begin
by Jon Zemke
3/24/2008
One of the last stalwarts of blight in
The developer behind the Thompson Block project, Stewart W. Beal, signed a key tenant this week and expects to start construction in earnest later this month or early April. The development will breathe new life into a long-blighted building overlooking the railroad tracks at Cross and River streets, turning it into 16 luxury lofts above 10,000 square feet of ground floor retail space...
Read the rest of the article at Concetrate.
Thompson Block may be Depot Town bar
Monday, March 24, 2008
Youngsters can sign up for Riverside art classes
by Jordan Miller
Sunday, March 23, 2008
Ypsilanti's Riverside Arts Center has a new children's program: "Art Adventures at Riverside Off Center,'' a series of art enrichment classes for elementary school students.
Kids will have the opportunity to draw, paint, sculpt, and more...
Read the rest of the story in the Ann Arbor News
Guest Opinion: Ideas to guide downtown Ypsilanti
by Brian Vosburg
March 20, 2008
The Ypsilanti Downtown Development Authority recently completed a five-year strategic plan with the assistance of the Michigan State Housing Development Authority...
The report, and the months of planning and input involved in creating it, have added to the buzz downtown Ypsilanti is generating around the state. The results of the study have been summarized into eight guidelines...
Read the rest of the Guest Opinion column in the Ann Arbor Business Review
Local Alternative Energy Initiatives
by Jon Zemke
3/20/2008
Green is not a color that is usually associated with Metro Detroit. We identify colors like blue with workforce collars and local waterways. Red brings to mind Red Wings and apples. Gray paints pictures of Michigan skies and Rustbelt factories...
A group of Ypsilanti residents are working to install solar panels on as many institutions with viable southern exposure. Solar panels are already up and functioning on the Ypsilanti Food Co-operative and there are plans to put up yet more on the back of city hall and the Rutherford Pool...
Read the rest of the article at MetroMode
Merchants to stay open later, offer incentives: Business owners react to Blueprints plan
By Christine Laughren
March 20, 2008
The recently released Downtown Ypsilanti Blueprints report encourages retail businesses in the area to stay open later. And that is exactly what some shops are doing.
Businesses are attempting to lure people downtown by keeping later hours and offering incentives to shoppers such as gift baskets...
Read the rest of the article in the Ypsilanti Courier
Chauncey Billups celebrates with Adidas in Ypsilanti store
Investing In Vintage Ypsi
by Jon Zemke
3/18/2008
Living in Ypsilanti is sort of like a kid growing up in a candy store for Eric and Karen Maurer.
The city has the second-largest historic district in the state, filled with picturesque Victorian homes on tree-lined streets. You want houses with towers and oculus windows? Ypsi has them. How about artistic detailing like gingerbread siding or plaster medallions? Ypsi has more than it knows what to do with. What about big, wrap-around porches and Mansard roofs? They're in Ypsi, and the Maurers own them the way little girls own doll houses...
Read the rest of the article at Concentrate.
Ypsilanti's task: to build on a solid foundation
Sunday, March 16, 2008
Fun, funky, edgy, gritty, cool, historic, safe and full of vitality.
You could argue that downtown Ypsilanti already has some of those attributes, and a new report suggests it's an image that residents and business owners hope to build, helping bolster the city's economy in the coming years...
Read the rest of the editorial in the Ann Arbor News
Some Ypsilanti businesses go wireless
by Kathleen Conat
March 13, 2008
Don't look now, but Ypsilanti has gone wireless.
A community collective of residents and business owners have begun providing free broadband Internet access with the mission of bridging the digital divide and help everyone gain access to technology and the Internet...
Read the rest of the story in the Ypsilanti Courier
On the Record with Brian Vosburg
March 13, 2008
What would you like to see accomplished in downtown over the next five years?
For Downtown Ypsilanti, I would like to see it become a regional destination over the next 5 years that is well know for providing a unique and outstanding experience with in several well defined niches. I would also like to see the already large stock of downtown housing expand in its diversity and price points...
Read the rest of the Q & A in the Ypsilanti Courier
Bar lease moves key Depot Town project forward
by Carol Marshall
March 13, 2008
The last piece of Ypsilanti's Depot Town's historic redevelopment will soon be put in place, as the developer of Thompson Block pursues financing for the project.
Stewart Beal, president of Beal Properties LLC, signed a lease with Andrew Garris, who plans to open a 200-seat bar and music venue in the historic building. Garris, who has tentative plans to call the bar The Barracks, in keeping with the building's history, is the second commercial tenant; the first, a 10-year lease with Broughton Music, was signed in September...
Read the rest of the article in the Ann Arbor Business Review
Adidas picks Ypsilanti store to help mark Forum's 25th year
by Jordan Miller
Thursday March 13, 2008
Detroit Pistons basketball star Chauncey Billups will be at Puffer Red's in Ypsilanti on Saturday to unveil the "Puffer Red's Limited Edition Forum" sneaker, part of a national Adidas promotion.
The shoe company is marking the 25th anniversary of its Forum basketball shoe, and Puffer Red's, an apparel and music store in downtown Ypsilanti, is one of four retailers nationwide selected to be part of the celebration...
Read the rest of the story in the Ann Arbor News
Ypsilanti stores to try late Fridays
by Jordan Miller
Thursday, March 13, 2008
In a group push to get more people into their stores, many downtown Ypsilanti merchants will stay open until 9 p.m. on the second Friday of every month and offer special events and incentives, starting this week.
Participating stores have been hanging bright posters in their windows, promoting the event and tying it into Easter and St. Patrick's Day holiday shopping...
Read the rest of the article at the Ann Arbor News
New restaurant nearing completion
by Christine Laughren
March 13, 2008
After several delays and setbacks, Ypsilanti's Mongolian Grill is nearing completion and is expected to be open in about eight to 10 weeks...
Read the rest of the article in the Ypsilanti Courier
Partners in finance - Women make up local financial hub
by Kathleen Conat
March 13, 2008
Candace Pinaud and Kaci Sicheneder met at an Ypsilanti Chamber of Commerce breakfast in November of 2006. In January of this year, Sicheneder moved her business, Velocity Investment Partners, LLC into the office of Pinaud's Leave No Stone Mortgage Lending. Together, they are the financial hub of Depot Town...
Read the rest of the article in the Ypsilanti Courier
Residents attend Final Blueprints Meeting
by Christine Laughren
March 13, 2008
HyattPalma returned to Ypsilanti Monday evening to give their final presentation for the city's Downtown Blueprint.
The nearly two-hour presentation was given at the Riverside Arts Center. Approximately 100 people were in attendance...
Read the rest of the article at the Ypsilanti Courier
Ypsi's 5-year downtown plan calls for marketing, business building
by Jon Zemke
3/13/2008
Most strategic plans for downtowns include some sort of major infrastructure project, such as streetscape improvements, restoring historic buildings and improving the pedestrian environment.
Downtown Ypsilanit's new five-year strategic plan doesn't really touch on those subjects, saying the city center has already accomplished most of those basic goals. Instead the plan, prepared by city officials and downtown revitalization consultants HyettPalma, calls for marketing the downtown better, letting locals define it first, facilitating more cooperation between institutions and developing a better business environment...
Read the rest of the article at MetroMode
A solar powered Ypsilanti?
by Jon Zemke
3/13/2008
They may be baby steps, but a group of local residents are moving toward making solar energy a bigger and more visible part of life in Ypsilanti.
The group has raised $900 of the $3,800 needed to install a series of 12 solar panels on the south side of City Hall. City officials are also working to land several thousands dollars in state grants to buy and install another $19,000 worth of solar panels...
Read the rest of the article at MetroMode
Ypsilanti's ShadePlex ready to launch, looks to add five
by Jon Zemke
3/13/2008
A glass of beer, a good friend and a hot summer's night. That’s the genesis of the idea behind the ShadePlex startup in Ypsilanti.
ShadePlex is a company that specializes in making tents with solar panels built into them...
Read the rest of the article at MetroMode
Firm to develop Ypsilanti area
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Members of Ypsilanti's Downtown Development Authority are working to make Ypsilanti a more exciting place to live and visit, despite the region's economic problems.
HyettPalma, an urban planning firm based in Alexandria, Va., was hired by the Ypsilanti DDA to provide a five-year development blueprint. According to their Web site, HyettPalma "specializes in discovering the unique economic potentials dormant in every older business district."...
Read the rest of the article in the Eastern Echo.
Downtown Ypsilanti on WDET's "Detroit Today"
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
Ypsilanti's downtown may be changing dramatically in the next 5 years. A new report commisioned by the city recommendeds long-term strategy for downtown...
Listen to the interview at WDET
Improving Ypsilanti's Downtown
by Bob Eccles
2008-03-11
The Riverside Arts Center was the scene as the consulting firm of Hyett-Palma presented its five-year blueprint for improving Ypsilanti's downtown area...
Listen to the rest of the story at WEMU
Ypsilanti looks to build downtown buzz
by Khalil Hachem
March 11, 2008
Food, arts and entertainment are becoming a niche for downtown Ypsilanti, but more business development and marketing are needed to propel the business district forward in the next five years, a consultant says.
"There is a renewed energy and buzz in downtown," said Doyle Hyett told about 125 people who gathered at the Riverside Arts Center Monday to hear recommendations on improving downtown. "Ypsilanti is going in the right direction, but you need to get the word out and take risk."...
Read the rest of the story in the Ann Arbor News.
Wireless Ypsi on WDET's "Detroit Today"
Monday, March 10 2008
Wireless Ypsi is a community collective dedicated to bringing free broadband internet access to Ypsilanti and they seem to be moving along faster than some other local wireless initiatives. We'll talk with Wireless Ypsi's founder, Steve Pierce, this morning...
Listen to the interview at WDET
Sales hold steady in Washtenaw
by Jordan Miller
Sunday, March 09, 2008
The downtown area seems to be faring slightly better, he said, with all of the retailers reporting meeting their targets for growth. One of the reasons, he speculates, is that most of the stores downtown fulfill niche needs.
"Small businesses are not going to compete with the chains on the breadth of selection, they're not going to compete on cost, but what they will continue to beat them on ... is the uniqueness of what they're providing and the service,'' Vosburg said.
Read the rest of the article at the Ann Arbor News
Sidetracked in Depot Town
by Terry Foster
3/9/2008
Ypsilanti - I don't go to this town much.
Why? I really do not know. But I made a discovery many of you already know about. Sidetrack Bar and Grille in Depot Town is a great place for a burger and a brew...
Read the rest of Detroit News sports writter Terry Foster's experience at Sidetracks while in Ypsilanti for the girl's state high school basketball finals at Eastern Michigan University here.
Vacant storefront transforms into art gallery
by Stephanie Miller
March 6, 2008
What a difference art can make - especially in a vacant, unwelcoming storefront on a downtown Ypsilanti corner.
Husband and wife team David and Leslie Austin have transformed the 2,300-square-foot space at the northeast corner of West Michigan Avenue and North Washington Street into an art and craft gallery called What Is That. Formerly, the building housed a hair braiding salon...
Read the rest of the article at the Ann Arbor News
Future Visions
by Christine Laughren
March 6, 2008
He can't quite put his finger on it but he said there is something different about Ypsilanti — a change for the better.
Doyle Hyett, co-founder and chairman of HyettPalma, a national consulting firm specializing in the economic enhancement of downtowns, said there is an air of optimism that wasn't here last time he visited on official business in 1992...
Read the rest of the story at the Ypsilanti Courier
Ypsi will unveil downtown plans on Monday
by Jon Zemke
3/6/08
Identity creation. Those two words will play a critical role in downtown Ypsilanti's new five-year strategic plan, which is set to be unveiled on Monday evening.
The plan will plot the course for how to improve Ypsi's downtown district over the next half decade. City officials and downtown revitalization consultants HyettPalma met with local residents late last month to come up with the plan. The popular sentiment was to that Ypsi needed to assert itself and take control of its identity...
Read the rest of the article at MetroMode
Local Bloggers Write Ypsi's Kick-_ _ _ Anthem
by Julie Cook
March 3rd, 2008
Word of mouth has given Ypsilanti its hip cred for years. Refusal to fall in line with Ann Arbor — the polished, overpriced and squeaky clean neighbor — finds many young people living and working in Ypsi.
The “it” stuff that makes a place charming — unique housing, independent restaurants, shopping, history, off-the-beaten-path fun and walkable downtown spaces — has been around for years. But the loyal residents of Ypsilanti transform the old by shouting their praises through a concept more modern: Web 2.0...
Read the rest of the article at MiLife MiTimes
DDA allocates funds for RAC
Officials give Center $25,000 to elevator project
by Christine Laughren
February 28, 2008
The Ypsilanti Downtown Development Authority reauthorized $25,000 for the Riverside Arts Center elevator project at its regularly scheduled meeting last Thursday...
Read the rest of the article at the Ypsilanti Courier
Projecting Ypsilanti's Future
by Bob Eccles
2008-2-27
More than one hundred people turned out for a meeting Tuesday night to provide input into the process of developing a vision for the future of Ypsilanti's downtown area...
Hear the rest of the story at WEMU
Ypsi DDA seeks public input
by Khalil Hachem
February 25, 2008
If you have ideas to improve downtown Ypsilanti and attract new development to the struggling business district, the city wants to hear from you.
The Downtown Development Authority is sponsoring a public meeting Tuesday to solicit ideas from residents, patrons and business owners on making downtown more appealing to customers and developers.
The DDA is working with representatives from the Michgian State Housing Development Authority and HyettPalma, a Virginia consultant firm, to prepare a five-year plan to market and improve downtown...
Read the rest of the article at the Ann Arbor News
Plans for business incubator under way
by Khalil Hachem
February 24, 2008
A business incubator is in the works for downtown Ypsilanti.
Organizers hope to offer space for 10 startup high-tech businesses and foster economic development in the struggling area.
The Eastern Washtenaw Leaders Group and Ann Arbor Spark are negotiating with two downtown property owners for a site for the incubator, said David Behen, deputy Washtenaw County administrator. The Leaders Group - which includes various community, business and educational leaders - was formed last year to bring economic development to the eastern side of the county.
Read the rest of the article at the Ann Arbor News
College of Business goes Google
Friday, February 22, 2008
Google and Eastern Michigan College of Business have partnered up for a program that helps make local non-profit organizations more marketable, meanwhile, putting that influence in the hands of the students in the College of Business.
Google had a program in which grants were available to non-profit organizations. The grants were for a program called AdWord, which is the sponsored links on the right side of the Google page that show up after an individual completes a search...
Read the rest of the article in the Eatern Echo.
Ypsilanti screen printer opens California location
by Janet Miller
February 21, 2008
VGKids, an Ypsilanti-based screen printing company that caters to the subculture and alternative markets, is looking west.
The company, which experienced 150 percent growth last year, recently opened a satellite facility in Oakland, Calif.
The new location positions VGKids closer to indie bands and alternative markets, significantly reducing turnaround time for West coast clients, said James Marks, VGKids founder and creative director.
Read the rest of the article at the Ann Arbor Business Review
Ypsi's Wireless Co-op
by Jon Zemke
2/21/2008
Parks along Huron River in Ypsi get boost from revitalization plans, grants
by Jon Zemke
2/21/2008
Ypsi DDA seeks help to create a vision for central business district
by Jon Zemke
2/21/2008
Maurer family plans to renovate Mack & Mack building in downtown Ypsi
by Jon Zemke
2/21/2008
Ypsilanti residents Eric and Karen Mauer, who own Mauer Management & Properties, recently bought the Mack & Mack building at 211-215 W Michigan Ave. and plan to turn it into lofts with ground floor retail space. The Mack & Mack building, at the corner of Michigan and Washington Street, was put up for auction last summer but did not sell. Largely vacant for a number of years, it is one of the last neglected storefronts in downtown Ypsi...
Read the rest of the article at MetroMode
Downtown visioning meeting set for Tuesday
Officials hope for community input for strategic plan
by Christine Laughren
February 21, 2008
Ypsilanti residents and community members are invited to a planning/visioning meeting Tuesday evening to weigh in on the future of downtown Ypsilanti.
HyettPalma, Inc., a consulting firm that specializes in the economic enhancement of downtowns, will be in town next week to kick off Ypsilanti's $50,000 downtown improvement study.
Brian Vosburg, director of the Downtown and Depot Town Development Authority, said the meeting is a chance for community members to give input into the creation of a five-year strategic plan for the downtown area...
Read the rest of the article at the Ypsilanti Courier
Developers acquire more of downtown Ypsilanti
"There is a demand for quality lofts in downtown, and we hope to keep the momentum going." - Property owner Eric Maurer
by Khalil Hachem
February 14, 2008
Eric and Karen Maurer have added three more buildings to their holdings in downtown Ypsilanti, becoming the largest property owners along Michigan Avenue.
The buildings, located at 211, 213 and 215 W. Michigan Ave., are adjacent to each other between Bombadill's Coffee House and TC's Bar and Grill. Two of the buildings are attached.
The Maurers already owned the Kresge building, which they bought in 2002, and another building to the east along Michigan Avenue, which they bought last year. They converted the top floors of both properties into lofts and the first floors into retail space.
Read the rest of the article at the Ann Arbor News
Wireless Ypsi gets bounce
by Jordan Miller
February 04, 2008
Unlike its larger countywide counterpart, Wireless Ypsi is up and running.
And credit goes to a $1,200 investment, research and good old pavement pounding from residents Brian Robb and Steve Pierce.
"Most of the time, when you don't have institutional involvement, things happen much quicker,'' Robb said. "We didn't need committees, we didn't need an advisory board, we didn't need anything. ... Seriously, in three weeks, we've done what (Wireless Washtenaw has) promised to do for four years.''...
Read the rest of the article at the Ann Arbor News
Ypsi's Depot Town wins $15,000 grant to develop nearby parks
by Jon Zemke
1/31/2008
Life at Ypsilanti's two marquee parks is about to get a little bit better now that Fifth Third Bank has given a $15,000 to the Depot Town Community Development Corp. to improve nearby parks.
The money will help redevelop and revitalize the parks by supporting capital improvements and community programs.
Frog Island and Riverside parks line the Huron River, connecting Ypsilanti's two city centers: downtown and Depot Town. Many of the city's big festivals, such as The Michigan Elvisfest, are held in the parks each year. The improvements will be just the latest in a series of recent upgrades that have included installing new lighting.
Read the rest of the article at MetroMode
Building a Business
by Katherine Yung
January 27, 2008
Follow Depot Town entrepreneur Merrill Guerra as she works on the final steps to open her business in this Detroit Free Press series.
Ypsilanti - Hipsilanti
By: Amy Kuras, 1/24/2008
There's no question Ypsilanti, with its longstanding blue-collar reputation, has sat too long in the shadow of its better-known neighbor, Ann Arbor. Though it's home to its own highly regarded state university (Eastern, 'natch) and a storied automotive past, the city, named after Demetrius Ypsilanti, it has struggled to compete with the rabid loyalty of "Go Blue" alumni, U-M's international fame and A2's soaring tax base. In the past it wasn't uncommon to hear Ypsi locals fib to out-of-towners that they actually lived in Ann Arbor.
But as Bob Dylan once sang, "The times, they are a-chagin'… ." Area transplants and U-M refugees alike are starting to tune into Ypsilanti's down-to-earth, authentic vibe as more and more musicians, artists, bloggers and other creative types start proudly calling the city home. Blessed with a core of caring, active people who work hard to make it a good place to live and work, this community of nearly 50,000 people is becoming, as one local calls it "the Brooklyn to Ann Arbor's Manhattan."...
Read the rest of the article at MetroMode
The Shadow Art Fair
by Tom Hendrickson
1/17/2008
50 crafters and artisans recently took over the Corner Brewery in Ypsi for the winter version of the Shadow Art Fair — a decidedly non-church-basement take on an arts and craft show. The show returns in the summer, so don't be too bummed if you missed the cold weather event.
Metromode video producer Tom Hendrickson soaked in the vibe and the suds at the event...
See the rest of the story and video that captures the Shadow Art Fair and Ypsilanti so well at MetroMode.
Key Bank renovates and upgrades Ypsilanti branch
by Jon Zemke
1/10/2008
Key Bank has decided its building could use a little home improvement. Following up on the renovation of its downtown Ann Arbor branch, it's launched its latest improvement project, a $1 million face lift to its Ypsilanti branch...
Read the rest of the article at MetroMode
Help the economy, "Shop Ypsi" group urges
by Jordan Miller
Monday November 26, 2007
The local residents behind "Shop Ypsi for the Holidays" are issuing a challenge: Pledge on their Web site to do either 80 or 100 percent of your holiday shopping in Ypsilanti.
"Shopping locally keeps dollars in the economy," says Shop Ypsi volunteer Richard Murphy. "When you buy something on Amazon or at a chain store, a lot of the profits and labor are done elsewhere. Local stores hire employees locally, and do their shopping locally, and pay their lawyers and accountants locally. That money stays around and does more good here."...
Read the rest of the story at the Ann Arbor NewsAbandoned Kresge store in Downtown Ypsi reborn as lofts, martini bar
by Jon Zemke
10/4/2007
What was once an old Kresge’s department store in downtown Ypsilanti is about to find new life as a Mongolian barbeque, martini bar and lofts after a complete renovation.
Eric Maurer led the development of 200 W Michigan Ave a few years ago, turning the old storefront’s top two floors into 12 lofts. The Ypsilanti resident and Eastern Michigan University grad hopes to complete the project later this year by opening J Neil’s Mongolian Grille and Keystone Martini Bar in the ground floor and basement areas, respectively...
Read the rest of the story at MetroMode
Depot Town's Thompson Block signs major tenant, close to signing a second
by Jon Zemke
10/4/2007
The latest redevelopment project in Ypsilanti’s Depot Town, the Thompson Block building, just signed its first major retail tenant and is on the verge of inking a deal for another.
Broughton Music Center signed a 10-year lease for 25 percent of building’s ground floor with a pair of 10-year options afterward. The center will occupy the building’s best location, overlooking the corner of Cross and River streets, along with the railroad tracks. Broughton has two other locations in Kalamazoo and downtown Northville and its Ypsilanti store is set to open early next fall, when construction is finished...
Read the rest of the story at MetroMode
Vacant historic storefronts in downtown Ypsi become loft apartments
by Jon Zemke
10/11/2007
Eric Maurer’s plan is simple. Step one, find old, vacant storefront in downtown Ypsilanti. Step two, buy it, renovate it and turn the upper levels into loft apartments that rent quickly. Step three, let the success of the apartments and other nearby emerging independent stores attract businesses to lease ground floor space. Step four, profit...
Ballpark Moves Closer to Reality
by Dan DuChene
October 4, 2007
A group of Ypsilanti residents eyeing the stalled Water Street Project for a minor league baseball stadium are taking steps to see the idea turn into reality.
Kevin Hill, a member of the Downtown Association of Ypsilanti and the resident spearheading the stadium idea, said the former ad-hoc group that had been considering the use is now a permanent committee with about eight active members...
Read the rest of the story at the Ypsilanti Courier
A Cool Commute
by Amy Whitesall
9/27/2007
...A few months ago Justin Dykhouse, 30, stopped driving his Honda Accord the 15 miles, round trip from his home in Ypsilanti to the University of Michigan Museum of Zoology in Ann Arbor, where he works as an assistant curator. It was a gas-saving measure more than anything, but Dykhouse says he's always liked scooters, and it wasn't long before he answered an ad in Craigslist for a TNG Baja scooter...
...People are flocking to scooters for much the same reasons they're looking at Smart cars, says Jason Dietrich, manager at Scoot Around Town, a full-service scooter shop in Ypsilanti that serves Ann Arbor and the west side of Detroit.
"They're buying scooters because they're of sick of high gas prices, sick of it being hard to park in downtown Ann Arbor, and because they want to have fun," Dietrich said.
"And some people just don't feel comfortable on a motorcycle. They're just more comfortable on a scooter."
Dykhouse also joined the seven-month-old Ann Arbor Area Scooter Club. Unlike a lot of clubs, the A3SC isn't limited to any one brand of scooter. It's members meet weekly in Ann Arbor to ride and socialize, and several, like Dykhouse, would rather scoot than drive.
"It's a lot more fun to drive a scooter," Dykhouse said. "Parking for my scooter is free, where I have to pay to park my car, and I can also park in a lot more locations. And it gets 90 miles to the gallon."...
Read the rest of the article at MetroMode
Beal Inc. Targets Demolition Niche
by Greg Migliore
September 13, 2007
An Ann Arbor-based demolition company recently signed a contract to tear down 27 vacant buildings in Pontiac - a deal that will push its 2007 revenue to $1.25 million, a five-fold jump from the previous year...
...The company also specializes in historic preservation and asbestos abatement. Beal goes after a variety of work, and said his current range for contracts is from $5,000 to $5 million.
The company has four office workers and 25 people who work at sites. It's one of the latest ventures for Beal, a 24-year-old developer.
Another one of his firms, Beal Properties LLC, renovated a mixed development in downtown Ypsilanti, West Michigan Lofts. It has 20 apartments, restaurants and retail in five historic buildings. He also is spearheading revitalization efforts of the Thompson Block in Ypsilanti, a Civil War-era structure he's trying to re-make into an office and retail development.
Read the rest of the article at the Ann Arbor Business Review
Retro Road Trip
by Melinda Clynes
9/13/2007
On well-trodden roads that served Michigan travelers long before the U.S. Interstate, you’ll find a smattering of well-preserved, still-in-operation diners, drive-in restaurants, and drive-in theaters. Erupting out of the ‘40s, ‘50s and ‘60s like a cap off a Faygo bottle, many of these establishments withered with age or simply crumbled under the advent of fast food drive-thrus, VCRs and cable TV, or even the onset of daylight savings time.
But a few fine relics have been left on Michigan roadways, and there’s no better time than now to hop in your jalopy for an end-of-summer retro road trip that may well involve a double feature or double chocolate malted...
Chick Inn Drive-in
When a sandwich has a name like Paul Bunyan, expectations can be nothing but large. At the Chick Inn Drive-in, open since 1953, the Paul Bunyan consists of a half-pound cheeseburger on a sesame seed bun with lettuce, a thick slice of onion, and secret Paul Bunyan sauce. On trips home, former Ypsi residents have been known to cart back bags of burgers like precious contraband to their new residences. Legendary Paul Bunyan aside, the Chick Inn also has renowned shakes (try the strawberry-pineapple) and cheese steak hoagies – all delivered with a smile to your vehicle by a friendly bunch of carhops (sorry, but the dribble down the front of your shirt is your own responsibility). The ambiance is mid-20th-century hip, with lots of neon, a TIME TO EAT clock on the front sign, and, of course, happy chicken heads decorating the premises...
The next Ann Arbor? Ypsilanti hopes to learn from its neighbor
by Bill Shea
9/10/2007
Ann Arbor's success at attracting new, diverse investment is held aloft as proof Michigan cities can blossom amid the domestic auto industry's tribulations.
Now, local leaders hope, it's neighboring Ypsilanti's turn.
Cheaper real estate, a major university and the same talent pool from which Ann Arbor draws are the selling points Ypsilanti business and civic leaders plan to use in efforts to attract new investment and jobs...
Read the rest of the article in Crain's Detroit Business
Depot Town's Cafe Luwak
Voted Best Sandwich Shop in Detroit for 2007 by WDIV, Channel 4 TV
See their award page at WDIV TV
Brewmaster
10th anniversary of fest celebrated
by Dan DuChene
August 2, 2007
Back in full effect at Riverside Park this weekend was the Michigan Brewers' Guild Summer Beer Festival, with 35 breweries pouring more than 250 beers.
For the 10th anniversary of the festival, the guild took to calling Michigan the "great beer state," and I couldn't agree more. Over the two days of the festival, I was able to sample beers from 23 breweries, and was more than impressed with what I found...
Read the rest of the article at the Ypsilanti Courier
Ypsi water tower triggers some unusual postcards
by Jordan Miller
July 13, 2007
The shape of the Ypsilanti Water Tower has sparked many conversations since it was erected in 1889.
The city considers it no more than a historic landmark, and officials blush at the mention of its unusual architecture.
Ann Arbor photographer Shela Palkoski has re-invented the old joke with a tongue-in-cheek postcard that has sold almost 5,000 copies since last fall...
Read the rest of the article at the Ann Arbor News
Festivals, Fried Food, & Flying Tomatoes
by Kayak.com
6/14/2007
"Festival comes from the Latin word "Fes" meaning small, cheaply made trinket you win by shooting a water gun, "ti" meaning any food that is fried, and "val" meaning the more beer consumed, the better the local bands will sound. It's time for summer festival season, so bring some sunscreen, an empty stomach and your dancing shoes because we're taking you on a whirlwind tour of our favorite summer festivals...
...If lobster in New England is too high brow for you, follow us to the Tenth Annual Summer Beer Festival on July 27th and 28th in, wait for it... Ypsilanti, Michigan. That's right, you'll get your drink on at Riverside Park in Historic Depot Town where you'll find over 100 beers to sample--all brewed in the great beer state of Michigan (step aside Wisconsin)..."
Read the rest of the article and see how Ypsi's Summer Beer Festival stacks up against Bunol, Spain's Tomatina Festival and Rockland, Maine's Maine Lobster Festival at www.kayak.com
A generous soul
Downtown buisness to donate profits to city
by Dan DuChene
June 7, 2007
A local business has decided to donate 10 percent of its sales in Ypsilanti to the city government.
Look in the Attic and Company, a downtown business selling vintage-style home decor, will be running the program from now until the end of the year. The company's president, John Williams, expects the program to garner increased sales, inspire more companies to participate and attract more consumers downtown...
Read the rest of the story in the Ypsilanti Courier
VG Kids moves downtown
Business hopes to add to community with new downtown location
by Dan DuChene May 31, 2007
An established business in Ypsilanti will be stepping into the spotlight with a new location downtown.
Having been in business in Ypsilanti for more than eight years, VG Kids has attracted thousands of clients from across the country. The screen-printing company produces an average of 1,000 shirts and 10,000 stickers for its Internet and local customers every week.
"People are really loyal to this town," said James Marks, who owns VG Kids. "We wanted to show people we are here and we care about Ypsilanti."
Though its downtown location, at 216 W. Michigan Ave., is open, its grand opening is scheduled for Saturday from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m...
Read the rest of the article at the Ypsilanti Courier
Q&A: Stewart Beal
Young property owner talks about Thompson Block
May 31, 2007
The following is a Q and A session with Ypsilanti property owner, developer and young entrepreneur Stewart Beal.
The 24-year-old Beal is a 2006 graduate of Eastern Michigan University and currently is president of Beal Inc., a demolition contracting service that boasts 40 employees, and president of Beal Properties, a property management and development company.
Beal also is a managing member of Historic Equities Fund L.L.C., a real estate investment company; a managing member of Go Downtown, L.L.C., a real estate holding company...
Read the rest of the interview at the Ypsilanti Courier
New grocery store headed downtown
by Dan DuChene
May 24, 2007
Two Hispanic brothers' search for good tortillas has led them to open two grocery stores, including a new location downtown.
The two brothers, or dos hermanos in Spanish, plan to open their grocery store, called Dos Hermanos Market, on Michigan Avenue, west of Abe's Coney Island. The building is near completion, with some exterior work and an inspection keeping the store from its grand opening...
Read the rest of the article at the Ypsilanti Courier
Ypsi airport planning firm sees 400% growth in five years, to add positions
by Jon Zemke
5/3/2007
Jacobsen/Daniels Associates (JDA) just signed a contract with Cleveland International Airport to provide on-call planning. It's just the latest success for the Ypsilanti-based firm which has seen 400% revenue growth in the last five years.
From concept and planning through design and construction to facility management and operation, JDA client list includes some of the largest and busiest airports in the world, with projects around the country that have a total value of $3 billion dollars...
Read the rest of the article at MetroMode
Taking It Downtown
by Dennis Archambault
4/5/2007
...In the 1800s, southeast Michigan was a region of small towns surrounding a bustling Detroit. Today, it's a region of small restored downtowns, competing with and complementing each other, in the absence of a dominant downtown in Detroit...
..When towns like Ferndale, Royal Oak, and Plymouth became absorbed by suburban sprawl their downtowns lost relevance. Stores and restaurants either closed or relocated. With the economic prosperity of the 1990s, suburban Detroiters began searching for common ground. Walking, shopping, and entertaining in small, quaint downtowns regained popularity; in fact, it became "cool."...
.."The function may have changed, but the purpose of downtown as a community center remains vital, explains Brian Vosburg, director of the Ypsilanti Downtown Development Authority. "We may not go downtown to shop at the department store anymore, but it still serves as the psychological and social center for the city."
Ypsilanti was one of the first communities to realize the potential of restoring its downtown in the 1970s. Ypsilanti's two historic downtowns - Depot Town and Downtown - are the social hubs of the city, featuring local bars, restaurants, coffee houses, musical venues. "That's where people get together," he says. "You run into neighbors, you talk politics..."...
Read the entire article at MetroMode
Tap Room bar, restaurant merge
March 26, 2007
One of the small changes on the new face of Ypsilanti will be a big reason to change your way of living east of Ann Arbor. Two years ago the owners of the Tap Room purchased Louis Cafe. Shortly after, they renovated it and turned it in to the Tap Room Annex. Yes, and it is still a restaurant; it just has a new look and a new menu.
They also own the Tap Room and the property where Fast Eddies Music sits so they've decided as of February 1, 2007, they will not renew the lease to Fast Eddies Music. Yet instead they will be knocking down the walls separating the Tap Room from the Tap Room Annex, and combining the restaurant with the bar...
Read the rest of the article at the Eastern Echo
EagleOne Card saves you cash
by
March 26, 2007
Students spend buckets of money every semester for classes and housing and even just having that college ID. But what if that EagleOne Card everyone carries around could save you money?
That is exactly what Theodore Coutilish is trying to do for Eastern Michigan University. Coutilish is working to launch a program that allows students, faculty and alumni to receive discounts when they use their EagleOne Card in Ypsilanti.
Read the rest of the article at the Eastern Echo.
DIY Design
by Kimberly Chou
3/22/2007
"You lose a lot of time and a lot of money it's hard to be able to stick it out and do something like this, stuff that you feel good about," says Maynard, publisher (alongside wife Linette Lao) of Crimewave U.S.A. magazine and an ardent supporter of the city of Ypsilanti. "So you kind of have a support network for it."
With the initial idea to provide professional support for their "lo-fi" businesses, a handful of consigned artists (including Maynard) and designers at Jennifer Albaum's Henrietta Fahrenheit --an Ypsilanti-based indie fashion and gift shop that has relocated to the web-- came together two years ago to form The Michigan Design Militia...
Read the rest of the article at MetroMode
Creativity blossoms at Enchanted Florist
by Janet Miller
March 15, 2007
When Laura Lanzon opened Enchanted Florist nearly five years ago, she threw away the cookie cutter.
She wanted a flower shop that focused on individual taste and personality, not on mass-produced designs or ho-hum arrangements.
Take, for example: A flower arrangement in the shape of a carp for a man who loved to fish. Or wedding flowers for a bride and groom who were chefs that were accented with parsley and mint.
Read the rest of the articel at the Ann Arbor Business Review
Officials studying new train depot
Railway would connect Ypsilanti, Ann Arbor to Detroit areas
by Dan Duchene
March 22, 2007
Almost 170 years after the first train rolled through Ypsilanti's Depot Town, city officials are studying the possibility of reprising the old stop.
"I think that would be great for our city," said Ypsilanti Mayor Paul Schreiber. "It would put the depot back in Depot Town."
Schreiber announced he had signed a letter of support for the idea to have an Amtrak stop placed in the area for a commuter rail during last week's City Council meeting.
Read the rest of the article at the Ypsilanti Courier
on May 9, 2008 6:57 pm
