Yesterday, someone on Twitter called me out for being silent on the subject of International Village, the $350+ million dollar retail and housing development being proposed for Ypsilanti’s 36-acre Water Street property. According to this person, who was posting under a pseudonym, my silence on the matter was “deafening.” It’s something I’ve heard several times […]
Tag Archives: economic development
My thoughts on International Village
Richard Florida visits Ann Arbor, advocates for affordable housing, warns “When places get boring, even the rich leave”
Richard Florida, the man credited with popularizing the belief that the so-called “creative class” is the primary driver of urban redevelopment, was in Ann Arbor yesterday to address a regional economic forum hosted by Ann Arbor Spark. As I didn’t take very good notes, and don’t have the time this evening to provide anything even […]
Landline Creative Labs in Metromode
A few weeks ago, in an kind of oblique way, I referenced the debarking of a 400-pound slab of black walnut. Well, here, thanks to the good folks at Metromode, is a photo of me standing next to the aforementioned piece of wood in what will eventually be the Landline Creative Labs conference room at […]
Former Ypsi CIty Planner Richard Murphy weighs in with data on gentrification
Last night, prompted by the social media dustup over news that Ann Arbor’s Babo would be opening a location in Depot Town, I posted something here about the looming threat of gentrification in Ypsilanti. I’d encourage you, if you haven’t already, to read through the comments, as, for the most part, they’re pretty thoughtful. Here, […]
OK, Ypsilanti, let’s talk about gentrification
In a text I received today, someone I know referred to Depot Town as “little Ann Arbor.” My sense, given the ensuing exchange, is that he didn’t intend it to be a compliment. He asked me if, since I took a stand way back when about the Quizno’s that had opened in Depot Town, I’d […]