Since January Concentrate has shifted its narrative a bit, choosing to ask provocative questions about where our community is heading and why. For Ann Arbor's downtown that's meant assessing what makes it a vibrant, diverse and forward-thinking destination that pays respect to the past and readies itself for the future. While our two-part feature on Liberty Square Plaza (Pt.1 , Pt.2) attracted its fair share of eyeballs, there were many other fine stories that focused on the downtown ground game.
Fourth and Washington: Retail Rejuvenation
What a difference a single successful retail business makes. With Literati bookstore serving as an anchor, the retail shops (mostly locally owned) along Fourth and Washington in downtown Ann Arbor have brought vibrancy and energy into an area that once lived in the shadow of Main Street's restaurant row.
Where Did All the Retail Go? How and Why Ann Arbor's Downtown is Changing
Yes, there are more restaurants and fewer retail stores in downtown Ann Arbor than there have been in recent years. But don't freak out. Downtowns evolve, change and respond to what the community needs. And the changes are less drastic than you might think.
Are We Really Thinking Local First?
...Or maybe the real question is: Are we spending local first? The latest Independent Businesses Survey gives a better idea of what Ann Arbor's locally owned commercial ecosystem looks like. The results, as might be expected, are both positive and negative.
Over the last six months Concentrate has also decided to start asking locals to weigh in on how they view the region and its needs. From public art to transportation to politics, we've found a healthy mix of both pride and criticism.
Exit Interview: Mayor John Hieftje
Part One.
Part Two:
As Ann Arbor's longest serving mayor John Hieftje has been instrumental in establishing what our community is today and helping chart what it'll become tomorrow. In a two-part interview Concentrate chats with the out-going city leader about his achievements and frustrations, final plans and hopes for the future.
OpEd: Building a Better Bike Culture
The city of Ann Arbor is set to get its bike share program rolling this summer. Nick Helmholdt, operations manager for the ArborBike program, opines on why we need to park our cars and pedal to the store.
Cool Jobs: Bruce Worden, Science Illustrator/Comic Book Creator
What do salamanders, blood cells, Keith Moon and zombies have in common? They are all creative fuel for local artist Bruce Worden. A U-M grad who's decided to raise his family here, Worden is inventive and civic-minded - exactly the kind of young professional Ann Arbor says it wants to keep around. He's also got strong opinions about where Ann Arbor is heading.
As the conversation heats up about how Michigan contiues to not only lose population but also its educated youth, Concentrate decided to look at the local entrepreneurial ecosystem – what it needs and how some continue to succeed.
Duo Security: More Than Just a Workplace
Can a cutting edge startup be both success-minded and fun? According to Duo Security's Dug Song, the answer is an unequivocal "yes." Achieving astounding growth over four years, this Ann Arbor Internet security firm has not only become the local company to watch, it has developed a family-like workplace that's creative, supportive and innovative.
Ann Arbor Startups That Don't Start in Ann Arbor (But We Wish They Did)
Ann Arbor may be Michigan's hotbed for innovative startups but sometimes those innovations have trouble gaining a toe-hold in the local market. From healthcare apps to wind energy technology, Concentrate takes a look at a trio of technologies we'd like to see more of here.
5 Things Ann Arbor Could Do To Attract Young Professionals (But Isn't)
Communities change whether we plan for it or not. In charting Ann Arbor's next stage responding to the needs and desires of the Millennial generation (76 million strong) is not simply a matter of indulgence but a social reality. They are, literally, our future. So how do we attract and keep the best and brightest of them? We have some ideas...
Finally, Concentrate has a sister publication y'all may not know about. Metromode covers similar topics that impact metro Detroit. Here are a few stories that impact Washtenaw County that you might have missed.
Michigan Land Banks: 10 Years of Struggles and Successes
Blight, foreclosure, real estate speculation -- they can degrade a neighborhood's value and compromise the social and economic health of a community. For the last decade, land banks have been used as a tool for revitalization. Embraced by some and reviled by others, Metromode takes a look at where the programs have worked and why.
Can Metro Detroit Develop a Wind Power Economy?
Developers trying to get a wind turbine project off the ground often face steady headwinds in otherwise progressive urban communities. Metromode asks why, and also takes a look at successful renewable energy projects at Detroit Metropolitan Airport and in the Downriver communities of Taylor and Southgate.
Three Common Sense Solutions for Local Transit (That Metro Detroit Isn't Doing)
Believe it or not, improving mobility in metro Detroit doesn't necessarily mean we have to blow billions of dollars on highway expansions. Metromode presents three fairly inexpensive ideas for how to improve our struggling transportation system.
Urbanizing Metro Detroit's Suburbia
The lines between suburban and urban are finally blurring in some Metro Detroit communities. And none too soon. Though our region ranks last in terms of urban revitalization among the 25 largest metros, things are looking up. "You're moving in the right direction," says Christopher Leinberger, senior fellow at The Brookings Institution.
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