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michigan

Michigan's Viral-Video Placemaking

August 3, 2011 by Ari Herzog
with 613 views
3

The beauty of flash mobs is when people come together in public places to entertain others. It’s usually the creative juices of theater company and dance studio executives to galvanize their troops and put on a 5-minute show set to music. Train stations and outdoor plazas are typical locales of flash mobs due to their vast performance... [read more]

Elected officials should ride public transit before making decisions

December 15, 2009 by Buzz Brown
with 148 views
0

I am a supporter of an Oakland County (Michigan), county-wide solution for public transportation. Acquaintances have asked for my comments on the Board of Commissioners decision to recommend the status quo on this important legislation. The status quo allows individual communities to opt out of public transportation causing gaps in... [read more]

Making the case for a county-wide mass transit ballot initiative

September 17, 2009 by Buzz Brown
with 319 views
0

It is no surprise to one living in the Detroit Urban Area (DUA) that we are seriously lacking adequate public transportation services. The DUA ranks ninth in population in the United States but 25th in terms of public transportation passenger trips. Functioning ElementsThe various elements of public transit available within the DUA... [read more]

Windspire Wind Turbine Generating Electricity at Michigan Governor’s House

July 10, 2009 by Adam Shake
with 203 views
0

Wind Turbine Donated by Mariah Power Demonstrates Michigan’s Commitment to Renewable Energy and Greening it’s economy. A few weeks ago we wrote an article about laid off auto workers in Michigan, getting new jobs building Windspires. In that article I wrote that “We are moving toward a future of sustainable responsibility, where we... [read more]

History Matters: why West Bloomfield Township developed without a town center

June 23, 2009 by Buzz Brown
with 215 views
0

Main Street, Cool Cities, Walkable Neighborhoods, Livable Communities; these are buzzwords for the current trend in urban planning and the types of communities that are attracting people today; especially our youth. The phrases refer to a return in city planning that emphasizes thriving town centers. The Charter Township of West... [read more]

Detroit: Urbanist Opportunity

June 13, 2009 by Jason King
with 168 views
0

An interesting post via the Sustainable Cities Collective from Kaid Benfield asks the provocative question "Is Detroit (the city) a lost cause environmentally? Altogether?" and again makes me wonder why it is that Detroit seems to always get framed in thoughts of negativity, versus thinking of it as a potential opportunity to redefine... [read more]

History Matters: What do I need to live on Apple Island?

June 10, 2009 by Buzz Brown
with 169 views
0

I am fortunate to live within the boundaries of a Michigan public school district that owns an island! The island has become a valuable tool for facilitating a discussion about sustainability in an historical context.Which island is older?One of the annual services performed by our local historical society is to conduct tours of Apple... [read more]

Vision for Detroit?

June 8, 2009 by Neil Takemoto
with 180 views
0

The question often asked in Michigan, and the U.S. in general nowadays, is ‘What about Detroit?‘ The mass exodus of jobs is well known. What’s less well known is that much of the city’s historic pedestrian-oriented districts, the very kinds of neighborhoods that are the core magnet for economy-building knowledge workers, have long... [read more]

Speaking Dequindre

May 16, 2009 by Jason King
with 143 views
0

Detroit is still on my mind often as I see the duality of ongoing issues and inspirational stories of rebirth. It was great to see news of the recent opening of the Dequindre Cut, a section of abandoned rail line connecting the waterfront to areas of the Central City. I remember the Dequindre fondly, as when we were on the SDAT trip... [read more]

Detroit: Out-Migration Devastates Michigan (and the Midwest)

April 3, 2009 by Aaron Renn
with 653 views
0

"I have a riddle: Since education makes a person more likely to leave your region, how do you justify your investment in human capital?" - Jim Russell, Return to PittsburghThe Detroit News is running a series on out-migration from Michigan called "Leaving Michigan Behind". (For some reason, the main article is missing from the series... [read more]