Hey… Jer here. Hope you’re well. Let’s jump into it.
What to know…
» The Lexus Velodrome is deflated. Power outages in the Midtown area and a failed backup generator were the cause. Programming will be off for at least a week while they get things sorted. [Daily Detroit Podcast] [WXYZ]
» We have more information on that ground shift that pushed Dearborn Street at Fort many feet into the air, breaking gas lines and otherwise causing chaos. A large amount of bulk storage was too heavy for the soil. That said, there are currently no rules around how much weight can be stored on property. [ClickOnDetroit]
» The old AMC Headquarters on Plymouth Road is being demolished to make room for an auto supplier as part of a $66 million deal. Auto enthusiast and pundit Eric Trytko takes us down memory lane on what exactly what AMC was. [Daily Detroit Podcast] ….also here’s a story with more. [Urbanize]
»Spkrbox, formerly the Urban Bean in downtown Detroit’s Capitol Park, has been undergoing renovations and the process of getting a liquor license. They share on FB they passed inspections. [Spkrbox FB]
» The Winter Blast looks like it is moving permanently from Downtown Detroit to Downtown Royal Oak. Formerly funded by the Rock Community Fund, it’s now going to be paid for in large part by the City of Royal Oak and their Downtown Development Authority. I guess I was silly to think that old Southeast Michigan regional habits like grabbing events from our neighbors would ever go away. [Fox 2 News]
» Who could be liable when it comes to the Oxford Shooting? Attorney Vince Colella stopped by the podcast to talk about government immunity and how it impacts the cases at hand. It was an in-depth conversation you won’t want to miss if you’re interested in this case. [Daily Detroit Podcast]
» A Detroit urban survival firm is in the national spotlight after their TikToks get spoofed on Saturday Night Live. Kenan Thompson plays the role of owner Dale Brown. If you live in the Palmer Woods area you may have seen their Humvee providing security to the Detroit neighborhood. [YouTube / SNL]
..and where to go
» Jack White is going back on tour after four years. The Supply Chain Issues tour kicks off in April at the Masonic Temple. For details and ticket info: [Third Man Records]
» Taylor has a Winterfest on Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 5-9 p.m. This is a “Holiday Stroll” with all kinds of family-friendly characters, ice carvings and more. It’s at Pardee and Northline Roads [City of Taylor]
» Sunday at 10:30 a.m. is the monthly Canine To Five pack walk. This is on the Detroit Riverfront. Winter dog walks will start and end at Valade Park on Atwater. Stay after to enjoy hot chocolate, s'mores, and more. Remember to bring your dog's leash, fresh water, and bags. They’ve partnered with Michigan Humane, so there will be adoptable furry friends on the walk, too. [Canine To Five]
The University of Michigan has a pair of projects going on in greater downtown Detroit.
We now know more (officially) on what’s going on with the Detroit Center for Innovation.
It's going to take up a full square block of the District Detroit - on Grand River at Elizabeth. It's currently a surface parking lot, and is very close to Beacon Park.
Construction is expected to start in 2023 on the $250 million project, funded in part by Detroit-born billionaire Stephen Ross.
If you remember, this was originally going to go at 375 and Gratiot. But according to what was said at a press conference, COVID kind of derailed the plans for the fail jail site as Dan Gilbert’s Bedrock wants to get moving and the timing on this has changed.
The four acres will be donated by the Ilitch family. The vacant Loyal Order of Moose Lodge will turn into a business incubator, among other smaller projects tied to it.
The DCI will have a research focus, as well as classes for undergrads later in their course of study and graduates.
Me & Devon discuss it on today’s show. We’re kind of holding our breaths until a real shovel, not a ceremonial one, goes in the ground. Here’s the full press release.
The outside of the Rackham Educational Memorial building looks like something from a movie set.
The $40 million project, approved last week by the Board of Regents, means that the 121,000-square-foot building will get major infrastructure updates, classrooms, multipurpose rooms and maker spaces for nearly 500 students.
U of M currently leases a bunch of space around the city and their work will be consolidated at Rackham. This include the Detroit Center and an office for undergraduate admissions, the A. Alfred Taubman College of Architecture and Urban Planning, College of Engineering, and the School for Environment and Sustainability.
Built in 1942, it was gift from Mary Rackham. The Rackham family made a bunch of money off of the founding of Ford Motor Company.
Although pretty on the outside, Rackham hasn't been updated as far as the internals in a major way since construction 80 years ago.
The university is looking for the approval for schematic design bids in the spring of 2022.
On the podcast: Building up Detroit's creative energy from the inside
Khary Frazier is the founder of the (now) non-profit community group Detroit is Different.
Started in 2014 and based on Clements street on Detroit’s West Side, Detroit is Different — and Khary, the engine behind it — has been on the ground making things happen.
This year he had a successful “A Lot of Studio” project where he had live panel podcasts with audiences by his urban garden.
But as anyone who has actually done things knows, the groundwork for success was laid over a long time.
Whether it’s in media, local agriculture, or myriad other ways, Khary is not only bringing the community together, but showing one way grassroots projects can take hold.
Listen to audio on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.
More Detroit is Different here.
There has been a lot of investment energy around hotels, meeting spaces, restaurants, convention facilities and more in Detroit before the pandemic hit. So what are the trends we’re seeing in business and leisure travel? Will we need to adjust our plans as this unfolds?
Morning Consult Travel and leisure analyst Lindsay Roeschke joins me to talk about two recent surveys and what’s ahead.
Have a listen on Apple Podcasts.
More reading:
https://morningconsult.com/2021/11/18/business-travel-return-normal-pandemic/
https://morningconsult.com/2021/12/02/holiday-travel-spending/
A few housekeeping things
» If you subscribe to the podcast on Google Podcasts, make sure you're on the right feed. It’s this one. Google’s found another feed and we got some complaints we hadn’t updated in awhile. That’s because that’s not the right feed! So go here, Google Podcast users, for the Daily Detroit feed. We have a hundreds of followers there and I want to make sure you’re in the right place.
» Spotify Wrapped came out and I was blown away. We have more listeners there than we do Instagram followers! It’s crazy. We’re up 42% since January 1, so thank you.
» Our listeners tell us they want more newsletters, but are we doing what you need? dailydetroit - at - gmail -dot- com. I’d love to hear from you.
» And of course, I can’t forget that our Patreon members are awesome. You can join them here. Every dollar makes a difference, and we have a special tier for underwriting where you’ll get your stuff on this very newsletter and on our very special podcast. And if you’d like to do more, dailydetroit - at - gmail -dot- com.
Alright, friends. Take care of each other and I’ll see you around Detroit.
-Jer
