Spend enough time along the Livernois corridor and you may begin to think of this area as “the next midtown”

“Potentially, yes,” says Virginia Stanard, Director of Urban Design at the Detroit Collaborative Design Center at University of Detroit Mercy.  “This area has a lot of the same ingredients as the midtown area.  We have institutions, we have a strong neighborhood base, and we have a lot of strengths that are coordinated as well. “

Wayne State brings students, stability and stature to Midtown.  But the Livernois corridor has both Marygrove College and the University of Detroit Mercy.

Stanard says, “I think that people are excited to get their hands dirty and work on some projects and really move the city forward and it’s an exciting time to be in the city.”

Stanard is currently involved in setting up the Livernois community storefront in a vacant shop on the Livernois Avenue of fashion.  “This will be a place where the community can come, meet one another, converse, learn about what’s going on in the neighborhood.”

The Livernois corridor also has retail – much like midtown.   The shops along Livernois won’t necessarily replace malls and big box stores for neighborhood residents, but they are a welcome addition.

“I think its re-thinking, really providing many options for the way we shop, the way we live, the way we play’” according to Stanard

And the way we dine.

1917 American Bistro is an important part of the neighborhood.  Owner Donald Studvent is optimistic about his part of Detroit.

He says, “ Things are growing, things are changing.  I’ve seen the growth at my business, 1917 American bistro and I’m excited about it.”

The Detroit Future City plan suggests that this part of town be developed as an employment center.   Stanard thinks this could prompt the development of different housing options in this area of mostly single-family homes.

“Because this is a central work zone and a place where students gravitate and we already have a strong residential community, I think it is an area we could explore high density or multiple kind of housing options in this area.”

But the key to the continued success of the corridor is cooperation

“So the business community, the philanthropic community, the faith based community, the residents and CDC and community groups, it’s that collaboration working together that I think really helps jump start improvements.”

That’s beginning to happen in the Livernois corridor.

“We have institutions, we have a strong neighborhood base, we have a lot of strengths that are coordinated as well, could be as strong as the midtown area and we are really getting there.”

The former Pontchartrain has a new owner and a new look.  And the year- long renovation process has been more than a cosmetic facelift.

Because, as you may remember, the final months of the Pontchartrain were plagued with a wide variety of systems problems.

But Assistant General Manager Nick Knight told us, “We actually addressed completely renovating the fire suppression system, ventilation throughout the building, heating pumps, everything is brand new and ready to run.”

But it’s the new design that will attract the attention of guests – beginning with the check in desk.

Each of the hotel’s 367 rooms has been completely updated, including the 88 suites in the new floor plan. And the concierge floor has its own lounge area.  Look out the massive windows and you see Detroit at its best.

According to the Detroit Convention and Visitors Bureau, hotel occupancy in metro Detroit was about 62-percent last year.  So were these new hotel rooms needed?

Nick Knight says, “Absolutely, and we need more.  We’re trying hard to make this the convention city that is deserves to be and adding this room count to the repertoire will really help and I’d like to see more coming.”

For those of us who live here, it’s not as much about the hotel rooms as it is about the restaurants and entertainment options.

When the hotel opens there will be the Jefferson House restaurant on the ground floor as well as the Urban Cellars bar.

Justin Vaiciunas is executive chef.  He told us, “I want to bring the Chicago, the New York, the L.A. dining experience to Detroit. And I feel there’s enough growing population of foodies in this town that want to accept that and enjoy it.”

That means you can expect menu items like a very different kind of crab cake.  “It’s a Japanese pancake that we’ve turned into a crab cake.”

We want to give something more than just a plate of food to the guests.  We want to make it an experience.

That’s especially true for the “Top of the Pontch” restaurant which will open on the 25^th floor in late summer or early fall.  It will have very high end fine dining, but still have the casual feel to it because, “We don’t want to discourage anyone from coming.”

In fact, the goal is to get people from the entire region to come down to the Crowne Plaza

Vaiciunas says, “We need people down here and the more people we bring down here, Detroit thrives as a city and that’s the ultimate goal.”

The official opening date is set for the beginning of July – but Knight and his team are working hard to be able to welcome the first guests on May 30^th.

It’s likely Detroit will welcome them.

Tens of thousands of people will converge on downtown Detroit Saturday for the annual Race for the Cure.

The person behind it is Detroit 2020′s Person of the Week.

They gather to run or walk as survivors—or supporters—and too many times—in memory of lives lost to breast cancer.

Each year thousands fill the streets of downtown Detroit for the Susan G. Komen Detroit Race for the Cure.

“The disease means a lot to me personally. I’m a 22 year breast cancer survivor,” said Maureen Keenan Meldrum. A survivor—and for 22 years—”Mo” Meldrum has focused her energy on fighting this disease as chair of the Detroit event.

“There are 2.9 million survivors in the United States today so we’ll be celebrating that survivorship. We’ll also be celebrating the lives of those who are lost to this disease, 40,000 every year in the United States alone,” Meldrum said.

“I think we are trending up over last year by between 5 and 10 percent,” she said. Which means some 40,000 people will lace up their shoes to raise millions of dollars for local programs and to fund research to find a cure.

“We never know how many people will register on race morning. Everyone is welcome, that’s for sure,” Meldrum added.

For her dedication to the cause—Detroit 2020 honors breast cancer survivor—and Komen Detroit Race chair—Maureen “Mo” Keenan Meldrum as our Detroit 2020 Person of the Week.

Click here to go to the Race for the Cure website.

Add Pot & Box to the list.

Kyle Wiswall of Pot & Box told Detroit 2020, “We have traditional florist products but we do much more than that, we do floral design, container gardening.”

And soon they’ll be doing it in Corktown.

But for now—the D:hive location on Woodward is home.

D:hive’s April Boyle told us, “We’re offering two months of rent free space inside of D:hive for a business or an idea to pop up and test the market and interface with customers and create a really unique retail experience.”

Kyle Wiswall works with Pot & Box owner Lisa Waud.  The Detroit store will be her second location.

Wiswall says, “It takes these external risks out so you can really test your business idea, so you can really fine tune what your message is, what your product is, I think that’s extremely valuable  and it is something that’s very rare and we’re pretty lucky.”

Pot & Box is the first business for the Pilot Program.  Boyle says,  “What we’re hoping is that through the success of the Pilot Program and each project that comes through that we can move them into a permanent retail space out into the neighborhoods, into the shopping districts and entertainment districts.”

And now D:hive wants to give other entrepreneurs with a dream the same opportunity of two-months free rent and support.

“We’re trying to empower Detroiters to create jobs for themselves,”  Boyle says, “And in doing so they’re going to transform the street into these shopping districts and retail districts that will draw from the entire southeast Michigan region.  We haven’t seen energy like this is a long, long time and it’s just a really exciting time to be in Detroit.”

Click here to learn more.

A survey done last September for the Detroit News found 40% of Detroiters planned to move within five years.  But not everyone can afford to leave.

Reynolds says, ” I do have clients who are stuck but then on the other hand you have working middle class people who do have the opportunity to make that move.”

That means many poor people stay while middle class residents leave — taking precious tax dollars with them.

“Middle class people both black and white have left,” according to UDM professor and former Detroit Police Chief Ike McKinnon.  The primary reason, according to McKinnon and the Detroit News survey is crime.”

McKinnon told us, “Probably the greatest problem that we have right now is this increase or the influx of more drugs into the city that’s causing the crime problems we have in the city.”

Reynolds is not only an expert in real estate, he knows more about crime than he would like.  He was living with his family in East English Village on the city’s east side when a neighbor called him at work.  She said, “‘Steve, do you have anybody doing work in your home?’  I said no.  No one is doing work in our home.”

His house was being broken into.  It was the third time burglars had attempted to get into the home.  This time they succeeded in stealing several valuable items.  Earlier his truck had also been taken from his home.

“That was really disturbing to my wife, to myself and we had to think at that time what was the best decision for us.”

The decision was to move to West Bloomfield.  The family was happy there for four years.

“But it was missing one thing,” Reynold said, “We’re missing family– that community feel with neighbors.”

He says that sense of community is what the city needs right now, “Everyone together rolling up out sleeves and working to bring the city back.”

So three months ago the Reynolds family moved to the Palmer Woods neighborhood of Detroit.  They enjoy the tree-lined streets, the beautiful big houses and the neighbors who invite them for barbeques.

They also see their new home as an investment in the city and their future, ” We looked at the trends with real estate and what was going on. ”

The latest trend shows home values have gone up ten percent in April compared to a year earlier.

Reynolds thinks its a trend that will continue.  In fact, he’s banking on it,

“I see a change is going to come.  I’m living proof.  I’m here.”

Campus Martius Park is looking for weekly food vendors and monthly market vendors in Cadillac Square.

The Market at Campus Martius Park is going to feature dynamic retailers, artists, designers, crafters, vintage/antique dealers, craft-prepared food products, and distinctive apparel, home goods, and accessory brands.

A comprehensive marketing and advertising program will spotlight the vendors to bring in more customers.

Cadillac Square is located between the busy streets of Woodward Avenue and Bates Street in the center of downtown Detroit.

The Market at Campus Martius will operate the following days and times:

June 28, 11am – 9pm

June 29, 11am – 7pm

July 26, 11am – 9pm

July 27, 11am – 7pm

August 23 11am – 9pm

August 24 11am – 7pm

Vendors interested in participating can get an application at http://www.campusmartiuspark.org/ and the completed application should be emailed to: OpportunityDetroitMarket@downtowndetroit.org

Summer Time Food at Campus Martius will operate the following days and times:

June 10 – 14            10am – 2pm                    

June 17 – 20            10am – 2pm                    

June 24 – 28            10am -  2pm                    

July 8 – 12                10am -  2pm                 

July 15 – 19            10am – 2pm   

July 22 – 26             10am – 2pm

July 29 – August 2      10am – 2pm

August 5 – 9    10am – 2pm

August 12 – 16  10am – 2pm

August 19 – 23  10am – 2pm

Food Vendors interested in participating in Summer Time Food at Campus Martius Park can retrieve an application at www.CampusMartiusPark.org and emailing the completed application to: OpportunityDetroitFood@downtowndetroit.org.

The soon-to-be Meijer at 8 Mile & Woodward is looking to hire more than 400 employees.

The Grand Rapids based retailer said it is seeking to fill positions that are both full and part-time in all departments.

Meijer will be the anchor of the new Gateway Marketplace. The store is set to open early this summer. It will be the first Meijer store in the city of Detroit.

Click here to search for available positions on the Meijer website. Once on the job posting site, interested candidates should click on hourly professionals, search hourly opportunities, and enter 268 in the keyword search box.

D:hive has announced a new schedule of summer tours, to give visitors and longtime Detroiters an insider’s perspective of the city.

“People are always amazed at what they see and learn on the tours, even if they’ve lived here their whole life,” says Jeanette Pierce, Director of Community Relations at D:hive.

Pierce was the tour guide for a Detroit 2020 bus tour of the city back in 2011.

Here’s a list of the tours:

NEW Free Detroit Riverfront Walking Tour

D:hive, in a new partnership with the Detroit Riverfront Conservancy, offers this weekly tour of the scenic Riverwalk and other happenings along the Detroit River.

When: Every Monday from 1-2pm.

Where: Tours meet on the world map on the GM Plaza on the Riverfront, directly behind the Renaissance Center.

Cost: FREE.

NEW Insider’s Bus Tour of Greater Downtown

You can walk into any major city in the world and take a bus tour, now you can in Detroit, too!

This tour, offered weekly through the Summer, gives attendees the insider’s perspective of the people, places and neighborhoods that make up Detroit’s core including the East Riverfront, Midtown, New Center and Eastern Market.

When: Every Saturday from May to September, 11am – 1pm

Where: Bus tours start at the D:hive Welcome Center at 1253 Woodward.

Cost: $10.00 per person.

NEW Monthly Themed Bus Tours

D:hive now offers monthly, themed bus tours to spotlight just a few of the many great things to do and see in Detroit. Explore Music, African American history, Real Estate, Art and more!

When: Saturdays, May 25^th, June 22^nd, July 27^th, August 24^th, September 28^th.

Where: Bus tours start at the D:hive Welcome Center at 1253 Woodward.

Cost: $20.00 per person.

Free Insider’s Walking Tour of Downtown

D:hive offers this weekly tour of the major sites, public spaces, and recent developments downtown including Campus Martius Park, The Guardian Building, and the Theater District, to name just a few!

When: Every Saturday from 2-4pm.

Where: Walking tours start at the D:hive Welcome Center at 1253 Woodward.

Cost: FREE.

For more information on tours, to purchase tickets, or to schedule a private tour, visit http://dhivedetroit.org/tours/, call 313.962.4590 or visit D:hive’s Welcome Center, located at 1253 Woodward.

D:hive is designed to welcome new recruits and assist existing innovators in the city, in order to grow and retain talent in Detroit. Its storefront Welcome Center provides individuals with information, connections and key tools they need to live, work and engage in the city. D:hive is located in the heart of downtown Detroit, at 1253 Woodward Avenue. D:hive is a project of the Downtown Detroit Partnership, with support from the Hudson-Webber Foundation, Quicken Loans/Rock Ventures and various other partners and collaborators.

From wxyz.com:

Emergency Manager Kevyn Orr released his financial and operating plan to the state that reveals deep fiscal wounds and an impending cash flow crisis in the city of Detroit.

The report indicates that the city of Detroit will run out of cash this summer if the city’s current financial strategy is not maintained and adjusted.

“We’re in very dire financial straits. We need to make a huge change in our direction if we’re going to avoid tougher decisions down the road. That’s the key takeaway from this report,” said Orr’s spokesman Bill Nowling.

Orr worked with Mayor Dave Bing, Detroit City Council, the State Treasurer and other government leaders to  prepare the report which calculates the city’s total debt obligations.

The report states that the city of Detroit’s expenditures have surpassed revenues from 2008 to 2012 by an average of $100 million each year.

The unrestricted deficit at the end of fiscal year 2012 was $326.6 million with a $60 million addition looming by summer time, according to the assessment.

Additionally, the report shows that Detroit is projecting negative cash flows of about $90 million in the current fiscal year and would run out of money in June if the city doesn’t continue to defer payments.

Emergency Manager Kevyn Orr released the following statement about the report:

“The 45-day report I have submitted is a sobering wake-up call about the dire financial straits the city of Detroit faces. No one should underestimate the severity of the financial crisis.  The path Detroit has followed for more than 40 years is unsustainable and only a complete restructuring of the city’s finances and operations will allow Detroit to regain its footing and return to a path of prosperity. This plan offers baseline from which the real restructuring work can begin.”

Click here to read the full report on wxyz.com.

Our person of the week is someone who has unified hundreds of fellow alumni to give back to their school located on the northwest side of Detroit.

Marcy Feldman’s elementary school played a big part in her life.

Now…it’s her mission.

At a reunion, she told her former classmates at Pasteur Elementary School—it’s time to give back. “I said that’s good to get together again but why don’t we have a purpose—why don’t we do something for the kids at Pasteur,” Feldman told Detroit 2020.

From that…the school’s alumni foundation was born. “We decided we would come–we would tutor–we would read and we would do something for the kids and advocate on behalf of the kids and see what’s missing. I can’t believe in the last 16 years how much we’ve done,” Feldman said.

Marcy returns to the school every week. “I work with two preschoolers teaching them the alphabet, teaching them how to write letters, and reading them a story.”

And at the school’s career day this week, more than a dozen alumni inspired the young students.

The group also provides scholarships…buys new books for the students…and even helped send 29 kids and chaperones to Florida last year to see a shuttle launch.

And her work goes beyond the students.

“One of our parents–she was able to secure a job for…and they’re very close now,” said Pasteur principal Sharon Lawson. “She means the world to us–she has such a golden heart,” Lawson said.

Marcy loves all the memories, but it’s the future she cares about.

And for that, we honor Marcy Feldman as Detroit 2020’s Person of the Week.

The Pasteur Elementary School Alumni Foundation is the largest alumni group for a Detroit public elementary school.