Doug Schmidt | Windsor Star

First-time home buyer Jude Malott has plenty of prep work left before move-in date — like ripping out the no-longer-groovy shag carpeting — but gone are the sleepless nights and high anxiety of hunting for a starter home in the midst of a crazy-hot real estate market.

He’s now lord of the manor, king of his own urban castle, no longer paying rent for someone else’s property.

“It was incredibly stressful — I lost a lot of sleep,” he said of the search.

Working with an agent and recognizing the local housing market has been on fire the past several years, Malott’s offer on the first address that drew his interest was a whopping $100,000 over the asking price — but he still lost out to someone else’s even higher bid.

And it only got worse. (more…)

MJ Galbraith | metromode

What’s happening: Lawrence Technological University and its home city of Southfield recently celebrated a $1 million grant from the Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Foundation in support of their Centropolis Accelerator, a manufacturing small business accelerator created in partnership between LTU and the city’s Business & Economic Development Department. 

Why it’s important: The $1 million grant will provide capital for the Centropolis Accelerator’s C³ Evergreen Investment Fund. The fund provides non-equity, zero-interest investments to southeast Michigan companies in the fields of advanced manufacturing, manufacturing technology, Industry 4.0 technologies, cleantech, recycling, and COVID response companies. There is also a focus on products that benefit an aging population and those with disabilities.

The space itself: The Centropolis Accelerator is located on LTU’s Southfield campus and features 6,000 sq. ft. of coworking space and a high-tech product prototyping lab, complete with 3D printers, metalworking, and virtual and augmented reality equipment.

A different kind of business accelerator: While many small business accelerators focus on developing high-tech software companies, the Centropolis Accelerator focuses on developing high-tech hardware and manufacturing companies. 

More investments, more Michigan: “The demand for our services has grown significantly. This funding will help support our ability to scale and make direct investments in more Southeast Michigan hardware, physical product clients in commercializing and making their products right here in Michigan,” says Dan Radomski, executive director of the Centrepolis Accelerator.

“The economic impact from this effort cannot be overlooked, as we help our hardware clients grow we are also sending significant business to the local supply chain that is directly helping with their design, engineering, prototyping, testing and manufacturing.”

Read the original article here.

Candice Williams | The Detroit News

Developers celebrated Tuesday the groundbreaking of a $10.8 million apartment building on Detroit’s west side.

The 38-unit Sawyer Art Apartments at 7303 W. McNichols is expected to open in mid to late 2023, officials said. The development sits in Detroit’s Live6 community and is part of the city’s Strategic Neighborhood Fund initiative.

The development team is URGE Development Group, N’Namdi Holdings LLC and Hosey Development.

“The Sawyer Art Apartments is a great example of Detroiters rebuilding Detroit in a way that is affordable for the residents who stayed in this community,” Mayor Mike Duggan said in a statement Tuesday. “This is a development team from Detroit that is truly community-focused. This new development will build on the energy and revitalization we have been witnessing along McNichols since we completed our streetscape project this fall.” 

The development is entirely Black-led, with developers Roderick Hardamon, George R. N’Namdi and Richard Hosey at the hem. It is partly funded by Invest Detroit and Capital Impact Partners through the SNF initiative.

“The Sawyer Art Apartments is an example of the type of catalytic projects that are needed and possible throughout the neighborhood in Detroit,” said Hardamon, CEO of URGE Development Group. “These projects are challenging and need the collective support of the city, state, private financing and foundation support. But when done right, the impact cannot be understated.”

The building is named after Detroit artist Tylonn Sawyer, who will create art on the exterior of the building. Sawyer’s painting “White on White: Stone Mountain” was the first work the Detroit Institute of Arts acquired this year for its permanent collection from its African-American Art Acquisition Fund established in 2020.  

The building will feature eight studios, 17 one-bedrooms and 13 two-bedroom units. All of the units will be affordable housing with rates set based on 60%-80% of the area median income, officials said. The building’s 6,186 square-feet of retail space will be available at reduced rates to appeal to small-business entrepreneurs.

The groundbreaking follows the completion of the $7 million McNichols streetscape makeover, also part of the Strategic Neighborhood Fund.

Read the original article here.

Nathaniel Bahadursingh | Archinect

The Hip Hop Architect Michael Ford has surprised a high school senior student in Detroit with a $10,000 scholarship from The Hip Hop Architecture Camp to study architecture.

Sarah Shaw-Nichols is a student at Ford’s former school Cass Technical High School. The scholarship was awarded through Ford’s initiative that aims to introduce underrepresented youth to architecture, urban planning, creative placemaking, and economic development through the lens of hip hop culture. 

The funding for the scholarship came from Herman Miller, which has recently collaborated with Ford on a variety of projects, such as the Conversations for Change program and a custom Eames Lounge Chair and Ottoman piece.

Read the original article here.

Illustrations by Olivia Fields | The Atlantic

Many assume that building wealth alone will create greater contentment—but social science shows that how we use our money is the key to lasting joy and satisfaction.

Six years ago, Imani Day was living the dream. Or so she thought. An architect in New York City, Day was working for some of the most prestigious firms in her industry, learning from a series of brilliant designers, and building a resume that would help her climb the career ladder and make a lucrative living. But there was just one problem.

“I was absolutely miserable,” Day says.

Many people believe that increased wealth will invariably bring them happiness—that just a few more digits in one’s paycheck or bank account will act as a one-way ticket to deeper joy and lasting contentment. I wanna be rich, go the lyrics from a chart-topping 1980s pop song. For a little love, peace, and happiness.

However, social science suggests that this expectation is misguided. Researchers studying human happiness consistently have found that other factors—namely, relationships, our faith, and our sense of purpose—are far more important for our sense of well-being.

As for the role of money? That’s more nuanced. By itself, studies show, increased income has a real but limited and diminishing impact on how happy we feel. After a certain level of prosperity, in fact, just having more cash doesn’t seem to make us any happier.

Instead, what matters is how that money facilitates the parts of our lives that are more likely to produce happiness. While wealth in a vacuum can’t buy satisfaction, purposeful spending, saving, and investing can build and strengthen the foundations of a life well-lived—enabling and empowering us to pursue and find happiness as we each define it. (more…)

Please join the AIA Detroit Board and membership at our 2021 Virtual Annual Meeting, taking place on Tuesday, November 9th, beginning at 6:30pm via Zoom Meeting. This meeting will include the annual report to the membership; the election of the 2022 AIA Detroit Board of Directors; and a reflection on this year and how that will affect the organization going forward.

We will also include a question & answer session with questions submitted either through Eventbrite or during the meeting!

We hope you will attend! The Annual Meeting is one of the few times throughout the year that we, as an organization, can reflect on our progress and discuss the future of AIA Detroit with our members.

Those unable to attend the 2021 Annual Meeting may request an absentee ballot by emailing elections@aiadetroit.com with your name and AIA Member number by Nov 8, 6pm. Absentee ballots must be completed by 2:00pm on November 9th. (You must be an AIA Detroit Member in good standing to vote)

RSVP Here for the 2021 Annual Meeting

GET TO KNOW THIS YEAR’S SLATE OF CANDIDATES… (more…)

The Mayors Innovation Project is a national learning network for mayors committed to shared prosperity, environmental sustainability, and efficient democratic government. This year, they partnered with The American Institute of Architects (AIA) to help mayors build zero carbon, resilient, healthy, and equitable cities.

AIA National is bringing together communities, civic leaders and architects to re-imagine a built environment that addresses the urgent needs climate change presents through their Blueprint for Better Campaign. Three cities, including our very own Eastpointe, have been offered the opportunity to partner with an architect to tackle a local renovation, reuse or retrofit challenge that aims to reduce environmental impact and equitably serve the surrounding community.

Architects know that the greenest building is the one already built. And many cities across the country have an overabundance of vacant, deteriorating, or underused buildings that could be transformed into community assets.

EASTPOINTE’S PROJECT: TRANFORMATIONAL FARMER’S MARKET

The City of Eastpointe is planning the installation of a permanent open-air gathering space that will be set up similarly to a farmer’s market in the City’s Downtown Development Authority (DDA) District.

AIA Detroit will be hosting a Designer’s Charrette on November 20th to generate ideas around this concept.  Please contact the AIA Detroit Staff (staff@aiadetroit.com) if you are interested in participating virtually or in-person.

(more…)

All current AIA Detroit Members are encouraged to save the date for the AIA Detroit Annual Business Meeting taking place on Tuesday, November 9th.  This meeting will include the annual report to the membership on milestones, events, and activity throughout the past year, and the election of the 2022 AIA Detroit Board of Directors.

Please send nominations for the 2022 AIA Detroit board to elections@aiadetroit.com. Nominations are due by 5pm on FRIDAY, OCTOBER 15th.

2022 Board of Directors
Open positions and Certified Candidates

Director Positions eligible for election:
• (1) Detroit Director (3-year term)
• (1) Affiliate Director (Must be Professional Affiliate Member; 1-year term)
• (1) Associate Director (Must be Associate Member; 1-year term)

Executive Committee positions eligible for election:
• (1) Secretary (Must be Architect or Associate Member; 2-year term)
• (1) Vice President/President-Elect (Must be Architect Member; 3-year term, including succession to President and Past-President)

Declare Your Candidacy

By Elizabeth Blair | NPR

President Biden announced his intention Tuesday afternoon to appoint four new members to the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts, the body that oversees design and architecture of federal buildings in Washington, D.C. Their positions are appointed by the president and do not need to be confirmed by the U.S. Senate. (more…)

Co-founders, Mona Lisa Development

By Kirk Pinho | Crain’s Detroit Business

They grew up together and went to college together. Now they live together and have a development, general contracting and consulting firm together.

Not much can separate Monique Becker and Elyse Wolf, who have been best friends since they were 4 years old. Even the name of their company, Detroit-based Mona Lisa Development, is a combination of their first names, a testament to their lifelong bond. (more…)