A brilliant example of how there’s nothing like a good old-fashioned goofy fun to highlight the good things people, on their own, are doing in the city.  Man, do I love Detroit. (Thanks to Model D for the video.)

I’m sure most Detroiters had this NY Times article about small business entrepreneurs forwarded to them over the weekend.  Some familiar faces (a number of my favorite Detroit businesses are featured) made this fun for me.  But what the NYT doesn’t know is that this culture of young entrepreneurialism is what makes ALL of our Rust Belt cities such exciting places to lives.

I definitely recommend watching the accompanying video, which closes with the quote of a founder of the recently-opened Burton Theatre: “Detroit is just the one place where you can do whatever you want to do.”   I’d add our Rust Belt neighbors to that equation, but otherwise, amen!

Last night I was lucky enough to meet Emily Lin and her brother Andy Lin, the artists and now small business owners operating under the name City Bird, at their new shop (also called City Bird).  I’ve long been a fan of their work–their Detroit soaps are perfect stocking-stuffers–and I wanted to talk with them about making the recent transition from online sellers to retail store owners.

The new City Bird shop features many Detroit artists and crafters, but Andy and Emily are almost equally committed to their Rust Belt sister cities, highlighting the work of crafters from Cleveland, Milwaukee, and elsewhere.

City Bird credit Open City and other small business owners with really inspiring them to make the leap to open their store, and helping them make the practical connections to make it a possibility.  Not surprisingly, they really seem to envision the store as a way to give back to the city they love.  It was great to the city loving them back–I saw shoppers constantly in and out of City Bird and its neighbor, the Bureau of Urban Living, during the hour I spent there.

Emily, Andy and I talked about how easy it was to open their business, why they feel connected to other Rust Belt cities, and what lessons our cities can take from the crafting and small business community and apply to economic development as a whole (hint: it’s about collaboration and supporting your neighbors!).  You can listen to my interview with Emily and Andy HERE.

In 2007, the first US Social Forum drew 12,000-15,000 organizers and activists to Atlanta Georgia.  And in June, 2010, the USSF will be hosted by Detroit.  From the website:

The US Social Forum is a movement building process. It is not a conference but it is a space to come up with the peoples’ solutions to the economic and ecological crisis. The USSF is the next most important step in our struggle to build a powerful multi-racial, multi-sectoral, inter-generational, diverse, inclusive, internationalist movement that transforms this country, and changes history.

Forum organizers have issued this Consulta, a survey designed to obtain guidance and advice from other grassroots organizations, networks, and movements about how well the proposed themes and frameworks for the upcoming USSF fit your needs, your work, and the goals of the movement.  You can offer your feedback due by December 14 by completing the survey HERE.  You can also be sure to mark your calendar for June 22-2, 2010, in Detroit!

Detroit has its share of historic architecture–and more than its share of vacancy and blight.  Consequently, the debates over historic preservation efforts in Detroit’s recent history have been contentious, to say the least.  And the stories about preservation here often say less about the value of a particular piece of architecture than they do about the transparency with which our city government makes decisions, the urgency of the other challenges facing the city, the possibility of re-imagining our physical landscape, and the passion of Detroit’s advocates.

Today I’m sharing an interview with Francis Grunow, who has been long active in Detroit’s preservation circles, including participation with the Friends of the Book Cadillac and four years as the Executive Director of Preservation Wayne.  Francis has been involved in many of Detroit’s recent preservation battles, and in our interview, shares the lessons from a few.  We talked specifically in some depth about the contrasting experiences of the former Madison-Lenox Hotel, which was demolished, and the Book Cadillac Hotel, which has become, as Francis put it, the “crown jewel” of Detroit’s downtown hotels.

We also discussed the different tools that preservation advocates can use, and whether preservation fights remain isolated battles, or are slowly changing the understanding of preservation as a lens and tool for re-making the entire city.  Listen to the interview HERE.

This post is a part of our November series on historic preservation, building rehab, and the triple bottom line.  During week one, we provided an overview of the argument for historic preservation, and last week we shared an interview with preservation advocate Michael Allen, about the relationship between preservation and other urban challenges, and how the Missouri tax credit has enabled preservation is St. Louis.

Photo of the restored Book Cadillac building by Brandy Baker for the Detroit News.

The Dequindre Cut, a one-mile biking and pedestrian parkway, opened in Detroit in May. This strip linked some of Detroit’s landmarks–The Eastern Market and the Detroit River–to neighborhoods, encouraging Detroiters to bike or walk their city and connect with other residents. One day, the Cut will hopefully span about 100 miles and connect Detroit’s cultural, athletic, and residential centers to allow Detroiters to easily navigate their city without a car.

In GLUE cities, new construction like this as well as simple, smaller-scale innovations have made getting around a Midwestern city greener, easier, and more fun. For this photo contest, send in pictures of different types of transportation, whether it be by bike, boat, train, bus, or your own two feet. How do you get around your GLUE city? Remember, each photo contest is now two weeks long! 

To enter the contest, add your photo to the Flickr Group and tag it #transit, or e-mail it to emily@gluespace.org.

Every other Tuesday, GLUE announces a photo contest based around a simple theme. Photo entries should be of scenes in a GLUE city, and you’re free to interpret the theme broadly. Each contest will be open for two weeks, and the winner will get to choose a local business or non-profit that GLUE will feature in a short write-up the following week. It’s a great way to win some attention to your favorite local organization!

Next Wednesday, on August 5th, 2009, the Detroit Agriculture Network will sponsor a tour of urban agricultural gardens and farms across Detroit. Many of these gardens are sustained with help from the Garden Resource Program, a collaborative of Detroit greening organizations that helps Detroiters grow their own food and beautify their communities. This should be an excellent example of how urban citizens can take charge of their environment together.

From the event organizers:

“While foreclosures, unemployment, and rising food and energy prices affect the lives of many Americans, thousands of Detroiters are taking control of their health and the health of their city by building a new food system from the ground up. This new food economy provides more equitable access to fresh, chemical-free food, uses less land, and is more accessible for consumers than conventional models. On Wednesday, August 5th, we invite you to view this new urban food landscape. 

This year’s tour will highlight a selection of prosperous, innovative, and visually stunning gardens and farms that are contributing to the new food system through bio-intensive urban agriculture and commerce between local restaurants and farmer’s markets. The Garden Resource Program Collaborative works to support the emergence of a new, sustainable food system in Detroit through a network of more than 517 backyard gardens, 244 community gardens, and 46 school gardens. The GRPC facilitates resources, education, and training of urban gardeners, farmers, and community leaders through a variety of programming.

Last year’s sell-out tour was attended by over 500 people from across the region. In order to accommodate the growing number of participants, this year’s tour will feature four simultaneous routes. The bus tours will visit east-side, west-side, and central city gardens, while the bicycle tour will weave through gardens located in the Cass Corridor, Woodbridge, and Greater Corktown.”

For more information, or to register for the event, you can contact Ashley Atkinson at 313-237-8736. The fee for the tours is a sliding scale of $1 - $20 to offset costs and help grow Detroit’s agricultural movement.  

Detroit students are speaking out about their public schools, and they want change. Detroit Summer’s Live Arts Media Project (LAMP) uses art and media to voice creative, sustainable solutions to the problems Detroiters face in their schools, neighborhoods, and social society. Summer youth leadership and education programs in Detroit aim to reduce the record-breaking drop-out rate in Detroit Public Schools, make Detroit schools places students look forward to going, and get young people involved in the decisions that determine their lives.

The cornerstone of this project is LAMP’s twenty-two track hip-hop documentary that highlights solutions to the crises in Detroit Public Schools. This disc was produced in 2007 in response to the dropout crisis in Detroit schools and is aptly titled, “Rising Up From the Ashes: Chronicles of a Dropout.” In “Chronicles of a Dropout”, Detroit Summer teens raised awareness about Detroit’s education problems and possible solutions through fun dance and music. The album features spoken word taken from interviews with Detroit students as well as local hip-hop beats.  

After “Chronicles of a Dropout” was released, the LAMP Summer Program of 2008 created three videos inspired by the themes raised in the previous year’s album, specifically cooperative economics, alternatives to criminalization, and respect. These videos developed solutions through participatory research with youth in the city and researched other places where similar solutions have been implemented successfully. 

This summer, LAMP is developing a curriculum around the videos in order to broadcast their ideas throughout the community and beyond. Detroit Summer’s LAMP project is revolutionizing Detroit Public Schools from the ground up, and giving Detroit students the unique opportunity to have their voices heard in a medium that sparks their interest and creativity.

This week, meet Christianne Sims, one of my go-to-when-things-need-to-get-done people in Detroit.

Title, Organization: Director of Fusion, a young professionals program from the Detroit Regional Chamber.  Fusion is one of the fastest growing, most influential young professional organizations in the state of Michigan. Fusion connects young professionals, businesses and the community and serves as a voice for young professionals on issues that affect them.

Describe one of your favorite places or things to do in your city:  One of my favorite things to do in Detroit is walking along the river.  Whether it is on the Riverwalk or along the Belle Isle, Detroit has a beautiful coastline and it is a perfect place to relax or walk the dogs. I especially like to go in the evening when all the lights are on, both on the US and Canada side. It is a completely different perspective at night and makes me feel like I am in different city.

What are the short and long-term goals of your work?

Short Term Goals:

• Continue to grown Fusion throughout the region
• Increase advocacy and outreach efforts, including follow up forums for the Mackinac Policy Conference
• Increase partnerships with other young professional groups throughout the region and state

Long Term Goal:  Increase the number of young professionals in Southeast Michigan and those who are in key decision making roles (boards, commissions, etc), therefore improving the quality of life of the region.

What are the tactics? We will continue to partner with other local chambers and serve as their young professionals organization. Work closer with colleges and universities in getting students involved in the organization so that they feel more connected to the region after they graduate. Plan a series of  issues forums that are follow up events to our state’s major policy conference, including the participation from the state’s other young professional groups. Continue to plan networking events that connect young professionals and key business, civic and nonprofit leaders.

What does Detroit need to do to be successful in the 21st century?  Well, Detroit is different than other major cities in that we are just as much a region as we are a city.  In order for Detroit to be successful, the entire region must be working together and assuming a more altruistic viewpoint.  With regional cooperation, our opportunities are endless and we will also be able to get the funding needed in improve our infrastructure and working environment.  For example:

• Detroit will be able to attract and retain more young professionals and knowledge workers
• Detroit will be able to improve our mass transportation infrastructure and make it a regional system.
• Detroit will be able to save more of its historical buildings and renovate them into live/work spaces, therefore increasing its sustainable practices
• Detroit will be able to once again become a hub for creativity and innovation.
• And most importantly, be champions of ourselves and promote the great things our city and region has to offer.

What do you like about another GLUE city?  Cincinnati is a city that has been able to turn around its most infamous, neglected and crime ravaged neighborhood into a walkable district with independent shops, bars and restaurants. It is now a cute neighborhood with the charm of a small town but in a big city.

Cincinnati has also been able to use its historical buildings and renovate them to modern uses. I love their downtown and how they have been able to keep small business in the city.

Is there an area in which you could serve as a resource to other GLUEsters? If so, what?  I can help other GLUEsters in the areas of working with chambers and how to assist in the collaboration of other industries/groups. It is more important than ever that we start to work together and that this generation has the power to unite our cities and regions.

Every Thursday, GLUE brings you a profile of an active GLUEster.  We like to showcase the range of activities, interests, and passions the GLUE universe contains, and the innovative work that GLUEsters are doing.

Thanks, Dave, for submitting this photo of a vacant factory in the downriver Detroit area.  I know these are being rehabbed due in large part to their proximity to rail.  Yee haw!  Have you been amassing beautiful images of older industrial cities and their environs? Want to share them with us?  Email glueteam@gluespace.org.