Communications and Outreach Coordinator

Woodward Corridor Initiative

In late January, Challenge Detroit (CD) and Excellent Schools Detroit (ESD) gathered school administrators, community leaders and parents to discuss one of the most vital issues schools in Detroit are facing: declining enrollment. This crisis, according to ESD, affects every K-12 school in the city of Detroit regardless of type. In an effort to understand why schools are facing this problem, ESD engaged CD, a one year fellowship program where fellows live,
work and give back to the city through monthly challenges. In late December, the fellows researched what issues aced parents who attempted to enroll their children in a Detroit school and developed concepts to address them.

The fellows presented their concepts for the attendees consideration: a school enrollment hotline, a common application system , an mobile enrollment information center and lastly establishing better connections between early education centers and K-12 educational facilities in a round robin style allowing for individual feedback prior to the group discussion. The consensus of the larger group was that each activity would have limited success if implemented in isolation, but if packaged could yield high successful results. ESD will continue to work with CD and other community partners over the coming months to create a strategy to address this crisis based in part on the information gleaned during this session. For more information on ESD, contact Armen Hratchian at 313-285-9156.

Communications & Outreach Coordinator

Woodward Corridor Initiative

Vanguard Community Development Corporation (VCDC) recently expanded their  capacity to develop small businesses in the corridor through it’s partnership with ProsperUS Detroit (PUD) a program of Global Detroit, hosted by Southwest Solutions and funded by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation. This program is a place-based entrepreneur training and micro-lending program. Different from other small business training programs in Detroit, PUD partners with community-based organizations to find untapped talent in neighborhoods, host entrepreneur trainings within neighborhoods and connect low-income immigrant and minority entrepreneurs with character-based lending. VCDC recently  graduated 7 co-horts from its first class who businesses ranged from music production to hospitality.

PUD entrepreneurs are from diverse backgrounds and, while all participants have talents and skills, most have barriers that may inhibit success. To reduce barriers, trainings are conducted within neighborhoods by trainers who understand the community and the cultural histories of residents. The first round of entrepreneur training courses was launched in September 2012 in Cody Rouge, Southwest Detroit and the North End. The PUD program is modeled after the work of the Neighborhood Development Center (NDC)  in Minneapolis/St. Paul. Currently VCDC is accepting application for its second class of co-horts.The deadline for application is Monday, January 28.  For more information about VCDC and the application process  please contact Regina Ann Campbell at (313) 556-2013. For more information on the ProsperUs program please contact Kimberly Faison, ProsperUs Director via email at kfaison@swsol.org.

Last month, education stakeholders in Detroit gathered at the Skillman Foundation to discuss one of the most daunting obstacles in providing children a quality education, transportation and safety. School leadership from both public and charter schools met with transportation experts from the Detroit Public Schools Office of Transportation, MDOT, Wayne RESA and more to start dialogue that will lead to solutions. This convening was a follow up to a larger educational meeting held by the Woodward Corridor Initiative (WCI) in May, where transportation ranked as the number one concern of school administrators addressing the needs of students.

Key issues included unsafe routes to schools, lack of safety controls on public busses and the absence of bussing options for students. During brainstorming sessions a number of solutions were suggested including the ability of charter and private schools to buy into the current DPS transportation system and the creation of a gas card program to incentivize car-pooling among parents. Administrators also advocated for the involvement of the City of Detroit to resolve lighting, blight and vacant property issues around schools. For more information on the WCI education strategy please contact Program Manager, Alana White at awhite@midtowndetroitinc.org.
 

Earlier this month, the Detroit Jobs Alliance (DJA) held their first Detroit Jobs Alliance Academy. The all-day learning session focused on effective employer engagement strategies and creating a culture of collaboration to support Detroiter’s as they pursue family-sustaining careers. Dan Varner, CEO of Excellent Schools Detroit, was the keynote speaker sharing his thoughts on education and its connection to workforce. As a member of the DJA Steering Committee, the Woodward Corridor Initiative’s, (WCI) role has been to provide input and help to shape a common vision, shared agenda for action, and a set of norms about how workforce development organizations, the public and private sector, as well as community organizations can work together.
Over the last few months the DJA Steering Committee has focused on defining the mission, vision, values, goals, and areas of focus. In Q1 of 2013, the DJA will focus on creating action plans for members and staff to implement policies and programs that will directly impact the Detroit workforce. “This was a great opportunity to share Midtown Detroit’s employer engagement strategy with the workforce development community of Detroit" said Midtown Detroit, Inc. Small Business Manager and event panelist, Scott Benson.

The Detroit Jobs Alliance is a collaboration funded by the Detroit Regional Workforce Fund. The DJA’s vision is A Detroit in which all residents have the skills and resources needed to have sustainable career pathways and livelihoods and can participate in the current, growing, and future economy of the Detroit region. The mission of the DJA Is to build an alliance of stakeholders who collectively have a measurable impact on Detroit’s ability to connect the skill and employment needs of its residents with employers’ workforce needs. For more information on the Detroit Jobs Alliance please contact Michael DiRamio at mdiramio@skilledwork.org.
 

Last month, I participated in a panel entitled “Data as a Tool for Systems Change” as part of Living Cities’ Data Day for The Integration Initiative sites. During this panel, I discussed the work of my organization, Data Driven Detroit (D3), and our efforts to provide accessible, high-quality information and analysis to drive informed decision-making throughout the Detroit area. Detroit’s effort, the Woodward Corridor Initiative (WCI), focuses on using Midtown Detroit’s multiple anchor institutions to drive reinvestment in the city; create a denser and more vibrant area to attract businesses, residents, and talent; generate greater benefits for area residents; and create systems change in regional land use and local regulatory policies. From D3’s vantage point, data can support all WCI strategies, as well as the entire systems change theory. Despite the important role data can play in this work, there are many challenges to using data in Detroit, including:
• Data-free decision-making – Choices about policy, strategy, or other actions are made without critical examination
of evidence of problems.
• Data duplication – Critical data are stored and edited by different actors who are not transparent about methodologies
and do not share the data.
• Data discomfort – Data can be intimidating and overwhelming to the average stakeholder.
• While these challenges can inhibit the goals of WCI strategies, D3 believes that we can overcome these obstacles through greater transparency and sharing of data.

*This three part series is a reprint from the Living Cities publication, At The Table. This article, authored by Erica Raleigh,appeared in its entirety in ATT in its Fall 2012 edition. In the next issue of “The Transformer”, Erica will delve deeper into how we can end data-free decision making and avoid duplication of vital data.

Sasaki Associates Inc.

Planning for TechTown continues to move forward. Last Thursday began with a stakeholder committee meeting at Midtown Detroit Co-Lab, where the team reviewed innovation district precedents from around the world and explored district framework ideas and public realm strategies for TechTown. Design ideas centered on a phased approach that focuses early investment at the intersection of Burroughs and Cass Avenue..

In the afternoon, approximately 30 people attended the second event in the Open Forum series. The event began with a presentation by Anthony Townsend from the Institute for the Future, whose presentation, entitled “Technology-Led Economic Development: The New Role of Innovation Districts,” highlighted how cities around the world are pursuing the creation of innovation districts, and how these partnerships connect to and support building- and street-level interventions and regional efforts.

The team then presented precedents, findings from the MyDistrict survey, and design framework ideas for the district, along with a detailed public realm strategy. Scott Page from Interface Studio complemented this effort with a presentation on job growth and innovation derived from his work on the DetroitWorks Project. Following the presentation, the audience broke out into smaller groups and gathered around large printouts of the proposed district. Using post-its and markers, each group commented on what they liked best about the proposed vision, what they perceived to be the key challenges to achieving this vision, and solicited input on the first three things that should be done to achieve this vision:

To better understand how and where we should prioritize initial investment, each participant received three coins. Individuals could place their coins in one of seven boxes to reflect where they would like to focus initial investment. Boxes represented different seven different categories of investment including:

- Streetscape and parks
- Housing
- Innovation spaces (fabrication labs, etc.)
- Cafes and restaurants
- Temporary events and activities
- Office and research space
- Paid parking garages

Results from this exercise suggest that initial investments should focus on housing (17 votes), streetscape and parks (16 votes), and cafes and restaurants (15 votes). Office and research space and paid parking garages received the fewest votes, with two and no votes respectively. The team will be back in Detroit in January to advance the design ideas and develop transformative catalytic investment strategies. For information on the Tech Town Master Plan Project please visit www. techtowntalk.tumblr.com.

Real Estate Manager

Midtown Detroit, Inc.

Over 50 of Detroit’s leaders in community and real-estate development along area finance industry professionals met last month for a presentation on the interim findings of a study of the City’s capacity to absorb private investment for public purposes. The study findings were presented by Karl Seidman of Mt. Auburn Associates and Robin Hacke, Director of Capital Absorption with Living Cities and included in the “Baseline Analysis of the Community Development Finance System”. Facilitating the discussion was Woodward Corridor Initiative (WCI), Project Director and Midtown Detroit, Inc. (MDI) President, Susan Mosey. Robin opened the session stating, “Private investment capital is analogous to aircraft looking for a runway to land in Detroit. This study is about evaluating and ultimately improving the landing strips so the capital can arrive.” The goals of the study were to:

• Test application of Capital Absorption Framework
• Enhance local understanding of capital absorption barriers
• Inform priorities to improve the community investment system

The presentation, “Detroit’s Capital Absorption Analysis: Initial Findings”, analyzed existing conditions in five different areas (Vision and legitimacy, Enabling environment, Pipeline, Management and monitoring, as well as Innovation. Karl also presented a list of issues and opportunities. Robin, challenged the group’s perception of Detroit’s ability to absorb capital versus its reality with the, “Capital Absorption Capacity of Places Self-Assessment Tool”.Following the presentation, this brain trust engaged in a discussion aimed at addressing the issues related to capital absorption with real estate development professionals sharing their perspectives. This spurred a discussion regarding the barriers and issues present in the Detroit market. The dialogue concluded with several suggestions on how to strengthen the local community investment system. For many, this was the beginning of a conversation that has the potential of creating a unified vision for capital deployment in the City of Detroit and enabling an environment that will result in profound changes to the City.

On December 17th Midtown Detroit, Inc. will host its Quarterly Business Owners Meeting (QBOM) at the Michigan State University Detroit Center, 3408 Woodward Ave., from 8:30am – 10am.  The QBOMs are a way for Midtown Detroit’s small business community to come together and discuss topics that assist business owners in reducing their expenses, increasing their revenues, or learning of new ways to become more efficient in their day-to-day operations. 

The focus of this quarter’s meeting is keeping area revenue local by using a district currency.  Midtown Detroit is working with the creators of Detroit Cheers, which is the brain child of John Linardos from Motor City Brewing Works, Tim Tharp from Foran's Grand Trunk Pub and Jerry Belanger from Park Bar, as a means to get Detroiter’s to buy local.  The basic premise is that consumers who use the scrip are essentially making a decision to buy local, since only businesses within the city accept the currency, which in turn supports the local economy by ensuring Detroit money stays in Detroit.  This local currency is similar to Berkshares, which are accepted at more than 350 businesses in southern Massachusetts, and were launched in the fall 2006. There have been more than 2 million Berkshares circulating to date, with five different banks and a total of twelve branch offices now serving as exchange stations.

While a local currency is the focus, some of the other topics to be discussed at the next meeting will be:
• Detroit Employment Solutions, Corp – how DESC can help employers find employees and save money                                                                                                                                                                                
• Flock Tag – new customer engagement system for increased profit & customer traffic                                                                                                                                                                                 
• EnerCom Energy – energy savings for your small business
• Chalk Fly – socially conscious and low priced office supplies

To register please CLICK HERE.. Contact Scott Benson if you have any questions at sbenson@midtowndetroitinc.org.

                       
Please join WCI & D3 for this important workshop and discussion. 
When: Wednesday,  December 12, 2012 
Where: Wayne State University, State Hall 
5143 Cass Avenue   
Room 223
Detroit, MI 48201
Time: 2p.m. to 4p.m.

State Hall is located directly behind the main branch of the Detroit Public Library. Street parking is available in addition to a visitors lot located at Putnum and Woodward. Please click here for a map of the venue.

Please RSVP by Tuesday, December 11th to Nicole Brown, nbrown@midtowndetroitinc.org or (313) 420-6004.

Communications and Outreach Coordinator 

Woodward Corridor Imitative

Code for America (CFA) and the Detroit Department of Transportation (DDOT) recently announced the launch of a realtime bus arrival information data system. The “Text My Bus” mobile application is now available for DDOT customers. This program was developed in conjunction with the other CFA work in close partnership with the City of Detroit and community organizations such as Vanguard Community Development Corporation (VCDC). ”Text My Bus” allows riders to text their location either an address or intersection to 50464. DDOT will then return a list of the routes closest to them. Riders will select the route they would like to know about and can then quickly find out how many minutes until the next bus arrives. The service is currently able

to deliver messages to: AT&T, Verizon Wireless, Sprint, T-Mobile, U.S. Cellular, Alltel,Boost Mobile, Nextel, and Virgin Mobile.

This data will give DDOT customers power over their daily commute. The program also allows the City’s primary public transportation system to track routes that experience issues that affect driver’s ability to maintain their published schedule. For more information on “Text My Bus” email them at detroit@codeforamerica.org.