metromode - Features

Hubbell Remembered

Tue, 26 Aug 2008 00:00:00 GMT

From city officials to local business people, Colin Hubbell touched many with his warmth, positive energy, passion, and often frank advice. Or all of the above. Here are some words from people who knew him well and worked with him over his long career as a city servant, real estate developer, teacher and mentor.

Colin Hubbell's Detroit: A Tribute to a Developer, Champion and Friend

Tue, 26 Aug 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Colin Hubbell taught many people how to love Detroit. A father, husband, real estate developer, teacher and avid city biker, he was also a mentor, volunteer, great supporter of local business and inspiration to those who knew him. The city was his home, his office and his playground. Model D's editor Clare Ramsey offers this tribute to Colin, who died last week at 49.

Metro Detroit On Deck

Thu, 21 Aug 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Now that the waning days of summer are upon us, the opportunities to sip and sup by moonlight are dwindling. Metromode points you toward some of Metro Detroit's best patios, decks and balconies for outdoor drinking and dining.

Michigan Green Jobs

Thu, 21 Aug 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Everything's gone green around here. Architects, retailers, entrepreneurs, big buys, little guys -- they are all starting to look like Kermit. But it's no wonder. Companies that embrace green-thinking, make green products and offer green services are bringing in bucks and building jobs in Michigan.

No Biz Like Show Biz: Making Movies Stick in Detroit

Tue, 19 Aug 2008 00:00:00 GMT

How does Detroit get Hollywood's attention and keep it for the long haul? Kelli B. Kavanaugh talks with Erik Tungate, who is working to attract more film business to Detroit, and who is one of the speakers at this week's Model D Speaker Series.

An Appetite For Atmosphere

Thu, 14 Aug 2008 00:00:00 GMT

It's said that the average American eats 198 meals out a year, spending an average of $855 million per day. So, what makes a restaurant 'hot'? Food, yes. But also its sense of place. Metromode takes a look at a trio of Metro Detroit eateries that provide a feast for the eyes as well as the belly.

Model D Speaker Series: Hollywood and the Detroit Film Boom

Thu, 14 Aug 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Model D's Speaker Series is back from a summer break with a look at the burgeoning film industry in Detroit. What does Hollywood have to offer the Motor City? Sign up today to attend the Aug. 21 event.

Metro Detroit Rocks YouTube

Thu, 14 Aug 2008 00:00:00 GMT

It wasn't what Gil Scott Heron envisioned, but the revolution just may yet be televised. As YouTube becomes the place to be seen, Metro Detroit's savvier rock bands are using Internet video to create their own scene.

Sign Of The Times

Thu, 07 Aug 2008 00:00:00 GMT

They say music is a language common to all humanity. Enter Sean Forbes and D-Pan, his Ferndale-based organization dedicated to bridging the gap between the hearing and deaf world via music videos.

Turning Brownfields Into Greenbacks

Thu, 07 Aug 2008 00:00:00 GMT

The old philosophy was knock it down and build anew. But what do you do with polluted or blighted land no one wants to take responsibility for? Creative economic incentives are transforming these unwanted brownfields into successful (and sometimes unexpected) properties.

Hot Art Starts at Furnace Design Studio

Tue, 05 Aug 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Does stretching and shaping molten glass into all manner of art and objects sound cool? Learn how from the masters at Furnace Design Studio, bringing art, learning and stewardship to a corner of Southwest Detroit.

Metro Detroit Spins

Thu, 31 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Despite the all-encompassing digital age, vinyl has gotten its groove back, filling a high-end niche that CDs and MP3s just can't seem to scratch. Metromode crunches the numbers, charts the trends and points you toward Metro Detroit's best (and still thriving) LP peddlers.

Ann Arbor's On The List

Thu, 31 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Ann Arbor's one of the brainiest, greenest and most walkable cities in the country. Not to mention a great place for sandwiches, bicycling and getting pregnant. Too bad it's also one of the worst places to find a job. This SE Michigan community sure ends up on a lot of lists. Best of, Worst of, what does it all mean?

Save Tiger Stadium, Save the World (or at Least a Corner of It)

Tue, 29 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT

It's going, going, but not quite gone.

At a Corner steeped in memories, a smart, creative reuse and scaled back version of Tiger Stadium would be an incredible victory for the city. Francis Grunow urges Detroit to act smart, and think outside the box before it's too late.

Design Democracy: The Next Evolution In Manufacturing?

Thu, 24 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT

The inalienable right to have furniture designed the way you want it. That's what Kerry And Bryce Moore are after. But that's not all that's behind their "Design Democracy" movement. The owners of Context Furniture intend to revolutionize Michigan's entire approach to manufacturing.

Could Life Sciences Become Michigan's Core Industry?

Thu, 24 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT

The handwriting is on the wall: SE Michigan's economy needs to develop new industries in order to thrive. Given the power and prestige of our local research universities and the fact that biotech startups are popping up like dandelions, some see the life sciences industry as our next best hope.

Michigan's Blue Bubble

Thu, 17 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Given that The Great Lakes account for 21% of the world's fresh water supply, Michigan's rivers and lakes are its most important and strategic natural resource. Will we ever start acting like it?

Mind, Body & Spirits: A Green Brew Pub

Thu, 17 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT

From its LEED construction to its geothermal heating to its all local, all organic menu, Mike Plesz is a man with a mission: to turn a historic building in downtown Rochester into the greenest brewpub in Michigan.

Drinking beer never felt so responsible.

Rockin' The Suburbs

Thu, 10 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Come on feel the noize! Detroit's School Of Rock And Pop not only teaches adults to pump up the volume, they help them find bandmates to jam with. Whether it's power chords, bubblegum pop, head banging or groovin' to a funky bass line, think of it as rock and roll night school.

How Historic Preservation Can Help SE Michigan

Thu, 10 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Everything old is new again. And profitable. Historic preservation is more than just a longing for the old ways. It can be an economic driver for those SE Michigan communities that know how to leverage what they've got with where they're going.

UFOs Land in Detroit: Art Scene May Never Be the Same

Tue, 08 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT

This is what happens when you mix silver paint, noise and lots and lots of cardboard. The UFO Factory produces some unusual sights and sounds in Detroit.

Learn To Earn: Internships Work

Thu, 26 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT

University students, no longer content with working yet another McJob, are pursuing internships as their path to a new economy career. While smarter local companies and leaders are getting the hint, there's still a lot more that can be done to keep these top talents in Michigan after graduation.

Regaining our Competitive Edge: A National Blueprint for Prosperity

Thu, 26 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT

It's a different world today and yet our federal government is still stuck in the 80's, says Bruce Katz of the Brookings Institution. But what if Washington did things smarter? What if they actually planned for our urban future? Katz's national Blueprint for American Prosperity is a call to action for those who care about their cities.

Happy Fourth Of July

Thu, 26 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT

We hold these truths to be self-evident: That even the editors and writers of Metromode deserve a week off to lie around in a hammock or catch up on the latest superhero blockbusters. So, fear not that your email box is empty of our newsletter next week. We'll be back on July 10th with more star-spangled tales of innovation and growth in Metro Detroit.

From Scratch: Aqaba Technologies

Thu, 19 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Ramsey Sweis was 2.0 before the term was invented. Leaving his engineering job at General Motors behind while the Internet was still in its infancy, he jumped head-first into the wireless world and never looked back. Now, his web-optimization firm Aqaba Technologies is connecting SE Michigan to the rest of the world.

Going Hollywood: How To Make Your Community Film Friendly

Thu, 19 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Last year Hollywood only shot two films in Michigan. Then two months ago the legislature passed the most ambitious film tax incentive package in the country and everything changed. At last count, 22 productions are looking to set up shop in the state. So, how do you get Clint Eastwood to bring his production to your community? Metromode tells you how.

Sign Up For Model D's 3rd Anniversary Party & Speaker Series

Thu, 19 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Model D is celebrating its 3rd year with a special speaker series, music and party on June 20 at the Max -- in conjunction with the DSO's 8 Days in June. Sign up for the free event, now. And as our b-day gift to you: Readers get a discount on that evening's 8 Days in June show.

Ferndale's New Neighbors

Thu, 12 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Once upon a time Ferndale was a dying inner ring suburb. Then the gay community moved in. Now it's one of Metro Detroit's fastest developing cities, drawing a hip, young and diverse population to its walkable neighborhoods. How did longtime residents react? They not only embraced the change, they voted in Michigan's first openly gay mayor.

DSO Lets Its Hair Down for 8 Days in June

Thu, 12 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT

The times they-are-a-changin', and 8 Days in June shows that the grand old DSO is still kickin'. The innovative festival is still classy, still quality, but it will challenge your perceptions of what an old guard classical music institution should and can be.

Share The Ride, Share The Pain

Thu, 05 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT

If you watched TV in the 70s you probably remember shows depicting happy dads catching their carpool to work. Well, with gas reaching $4 a gallon, happy days may be here again. With few mass transit options at hand, interest in vanpools, zipcars and rideshares is rising in Metro Detroit.