In April 2004, the partially-renovated Chevy Creative Services building designed by architect Albert Kahn, opened its doors to Detroit’s start-up community as TechOne. The TechTown concept for an urban, mixed-use research and technology park began in the 1990s, with Irvin D. Reid, president of Wayne State University.

The renaissance of Detroit’s tech industry and subsequent STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) job creation would not have been possible without the partnership between Wayne State, General Motors, and Henry Ford Health Systems, in addition to the support from invested stakeholders, including but not limited to, New Economy Initiative, Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, and Wayne County EDGE. TechTown also boasts a heavy-hitting board of directors.

With 250 companies, TechTown is the world’s largest business incubator providing a variety of programs and services tailored to individual needs. In addition to business seminars, workshops, and networking opportunities, TechTown provides business coaching, branding, marketing, and strategic planning through THRIVE, for new startups, and SOFTLANDINGS, for international companies looking to relocate to Detroit.  TechTown has also had measurable success with its professional development talent programs for mentors, interns, and executives in transition.

TechTown facilities include mailboxes, cubicles, office space, and laboratories with flexible lease options equipped with wireless internet access, computer desktop and network services available, as well as access to conference facilities, large-scale printing services, and administrative services. In addition, TechTown has contracted third-party services to provide business resources and legal advice through Insyght and WSU Law School’s Small Business Enterprises and Nonprofit Corporations Clinic respectively.

CBS Detroit’s Matt Roush reports “since 2007, TechTown has provided support to 647 companies, which have created 1,085 jobs.” In 2011 alone, active and graduate TechTown clients brought in $52 million in  revenue. The success of TechTown is due to strong partnerships and dynamic leadership. According to TechTown President and CEO, Leslie Smith, “Detroit, we are in our halftime huddle. We’re in the locker room making adjustments.” This is just the beginning.

While urban planners have created a 12-block master plan for TechTown 2020, TechTown Champions continue to engage and advise new Detroit startups. Do you have any adjustments to recommend to TechTown?

Credits: Images and data linked to sources.

]]> http://www.globalsiteplans.com/environmental-non-profit/empowered-intentional-bold-techtown-detroit-michigan-values-at-work/feed/ 0 http://www.globalsiteplans.com/environmental-design/hello-goodbye-to-global-site-plans-%e2%80%93-the-grid/ http://www.globalsiteplans.com/environmental-design/hello-goodbye-to-global-site-plans-%e2%80%93-the-grid/#comments Thu, 17 May 2012 07:46:54 +0000 Benjamin Ha http://globalsiteplans.blogs.patsoffice.com/?p=7152 Oh, Global Site Plans – where did those 6 months go?

After I graduated from New York University with a Bachelor’s in English & American Literature, I reached a revelation – I wished I had studied environmental science. During my long contemplation in finding a detour to reach that obscure goal, I realized that I could go to graduate school for environmental science, but first I would need at least some experience with the subject.

This thought process led me to spreading the word to all my friends and family about my career change, which ended up with one of my friends informing me about an internship with Global Site Plans – The GRID. I could not have been more thankful for that turn in events.

I understand that environmental design is not necessarily science, but I knew that this experience would benefit me (and it has!) by exposing and teaching me how environmental science is the fundamental basis to other environmental disciplines and concerns.

My time at Global Site Plans has come to a close after a short 6-months, and during that time, I was exposed to a variety of topics surrounding different aspects of environmental design. My most proud and favorite topic to write about was “Vertical Farming in Los Angeles: Future Skyscraping Architecture” because I feel like this topic best demonstrates the intersection between environmental science and environmental design.

GSP has been the stepping-stone that provided me the knowledge and background to demonstrate my interest and concern for the environment, and my experience writing for The GRID has empowered me with the edge I needed to apply for graduate school.

Thank you Renée van Staveren, for editing my blogs, and essentially being my number one reader. And thank you to everyone who has read my work, and to the environmental topics and companies whose existence inspired me to write.

So for now, hello goodbye GSP.

Urban relocation is often used, whether justifiably or not, as a part of the urban renewal project of Istanbul in its endeavor to become a “world-city.” As the main actor to carry out urban renewal projects, Mass Housing Administration has the authority to relocate squatter communities whenever it’s deemed appropriate, and usually these communities are relocated to public housing projects in peri-urban areas.

One example is a community that was located in an area called Ayazma which is expected to hold international events, and the relocation of this settlement was a part of the cleaning-up and urban transformation process. In their new homes, the community was exposed to multiple layers of exclusion – social, economic, spatial and cultural due to factors such as:

-          The area is occupied by a highly nationalist population, which creates potential and actual violence since the relocated community is mostly Kurdish;

-          They can’t take advantage of a certain payment mechanism called veresiye, which is a form of economic transaction where the payment is deferred, with the expectation that the debt will be paid periodically, depending on the income of the customer, because the stores around the area don’t accept such transactions;

-          The people are financially unable to do grocery shopping and they long for the gardens in their old neighborhood on which they could grow food.

These types of exclusions are not uncommon. So what can be done? Correctly analyzing the social and economic needs of the community is essential during and after the relocation. For example, in addition to personalized solutions, general help like advising on financing, health and welfare issues, assistance in packaging and furnishing the new home and, very importantly, transportation (as these communities are moved from more central parts of the city where they have their network and jobs) can prove to be very helpful.

Here are some statistics discovered during a lecture at Arizona State’s Sustianability lecture series given by D A Simpson, PhD (September 30, 2011):

●       Population in The Valley will balloon from 4 million people to 6 million by 2030, and to 12 million by 2080;

●       Outdoor water use (lawns and pools) currently account for over 58% of the total water use for this region;

●       The Colorado River feeds many other populous areas, namely Las Vegas and Los Angeles.

According to this research, there are three concurrent trends related to water use:

• There is a predicted 33% population increase from baseline in less than 20 years;
• Only 42% of CAP water is used for human consumption and a large portion of that goes to farmland;
• Competition of valley urban planners and politicians to get a fair portion of water.

Coming from the Great Lakes basin, I have never really had to worry about fresh water supply, but here in Tempe, Arizona, I am. As of now, it isn’t. And the water is running out. always conscious about my water use. Unfortunately, however, many local residents couldn’t care less. To make matters worse, I haven’t really seen a huge effort for water conservation on the part of the architects. It should be the architects’ main priority to make water conscious buildings, and a desert is no exception.

What can be done to make people living in a desert, act like it? Why don’t they? If all the water dries up, who will they have to blame?

Credits: Images and data linked to sources.

Beginning in 1902, funds were put aside and architects Hubbell and Benes were contracted to construct a permanent market space. The building is a Neo-Classical/Byzantine architecture brick structure with large interior spaces for stalls and sellers. On the exterior, a larger clock tower caps the southwest corner of the building and is visible throughout the Ohio City neighborhood where it resides. Walking through the building, underneath the cavernous arched brick ceilings, is like a walk through an idealized Wes Anderson film. Butchered meats and produce sit adjacent to bakeries and dozens of ethnic food stalls reflecting the diverse people that make up the City of Cleveland.

Like many Midwestern cities, Cleveland has suffered population drain as a result of suburbanization. By the mid 20th century, many public markets in urban centers were closing, however, West Side Market has weathered population and economic fluctuations for over one hundred years. Its success lies in part to its location on Cleveland’s near west side. Originally home to German immigrants, and currently hosting a thriving Hispanic neighborhood, the area is now benefiting from an influx of young professionals moving back into the downtown area. Ambitious urban planning has filled the neighborhood with new housing, stores, and most importantly, restaurants. Cleveland has a renowned foodie scene and population growth unprecedented for a Midwestern city. West Side Market has latched on to these new trends without alienating its traditional clientele and has maintained its status as a Cleveland landmark.

How does the public market differ from a standard grocery store? Is it actually a viable alternative to the conventional shopping experience?

Credits: Images and data linked to sources.

Think about your audience when applying, was one of the first pieces of advice given by the American Planning Association Resume’s for Today’s Economy panel. Controlling your message, marketing yourself and establishing your ‘brand’ is a large part of standing out to hiring mangers.  Bower suggested re-reading the job advertisement and contacting HR to find out who is involved in making the hiring decision to help you properly highlight relevant experiences.

Merriam called upon the audience to “clean up [their] closets [to] get ready” for interviews by creating a Google Alert for their name, periodically googling themselves, updating their LinkedIn profile and managing their Facebook wall.  Managing what you write online and what is written about you is essential to “maintaining your place in a larger network of professionals.” “Even if you are not looking for a job,” Merriam warned, “you are by default a representation of not only yourself but your company.”

Lilley explained that often the first person reading your resume is not in the profession.  To ensure that the first person reading your resume understands that you are a great match for the position, she suggests you “translate” industry jargon into language a regular individual could understand.

According to Lilley, hiring Managers “have the attention span of a nat.” To get that interview use action oriented words when describing your responsibilities and specific numbers when you can.  You must highlight how your previous experience, whether paid or unpaid, relates to the current employment opportunity you are pursuing.

Collaboration and working in teams is key to the success of any urban planning project.  When describing your responsibilities always indicate whether you worked on a team and how many people you collaborated with. In addition, if you were on a team that won an award, be sure to share that you were an individual part of a team.

All the panelists did not agree on the use of objectives on resumes.  Bower found that an objective could be useful if it aligned with the hiring organization. He explained that he wants to hire people who have special interests or skills and a passion for what his company does.  All of this, he argued could be conveyed in a well-structured objective.  Lilley, on the other hand, found that insincere objectives could get applicants in trouble.  She warned the audience to tailor their objectives to not only the hiring organization but their own, real career interests as well.

Double, triple, quadruple check for typos. In addition to making sure you check spelling and grammar, Merriam advised double-checking that track changes was turned off if you are sending resumes in a Microsoft Word format.   Avoid fancy fonts and layouts and make sure your resume photocopies well.   To ensure your resume maintains its format, the panelists suggested converting your resume it into a PDF.

When asked about the three most important things to keep in mind when writing a resume, Lilley replied, your resume must be:

1. An interesting representation of who you are;
2. Relatable to the position you are seeking;
3. And, accurate.

What do you think is the most important part of a resume? For more tips from the APA conference take a look at the first blog post about the resume session.

Credits: Images and data linked to sources.

Along the way, I learned quite a bit about Tampa, Florida. I’ve lived here my whole life, and I feel like I’ve learned more about the city through writing about tree planting programs, sustainability at my university, and water taxis than I have ever living here. I’ve learned that Tampa is a very unique place and has its competitive advantages. I’ve talked about moving away from here my whole life, but blogging for The GRID has shown me that this place really is not that bad.

Halfway through my internship, I enrolled in an MBA degree program alongside my current urban planning degree program, and I was also hired to work as an intern for a public-private regional planning and economic development firm, finally escaping from that mortgage industry job. When I was hired on to work with research and statistical analysis, I was able to talk about innovative Tampa planning efforts and even impressed my colleagues when I was able to discuss SEO strategies with our web administrators. I felt like everything was finally coming together, and I start working with this company full-time in May. I can definitely credit Global Site Plans and Renee van Staveren for help with that.

I thank Global Site Plans, and Renee, for giving me a chance to show what I had, and I thank every reader out there for reading my thoughts, and for this place I called home every other week. It’s been a pleasure, and I hope to return to blogging one day soon. Until then, GO BULLS!

College lawns are not just for Frisbees anymore.

The UMass Permaculture Initiative snagged top honors at the White House Campus Champions of Change Challenge this March 2012, beating out 1,400 applicants and 15 finalists in a social media voting campaign. The project, founded in October 2010, is just one of many efforts in a growing movement toward sustainable and ecologically responsive landscape management.

The university’s original permaculture design was a no-dig landscape. Instead of removing lawn, the group relied on layers of compost, mulch, and cardboard – saves time, saves labor for other projects down the line. Over time, materials decomposed and provided a healthy foundation for plantings. The edible landscape now provides over 1,000 pounds of produce to the campus cafeterias, contributing to the university’s long-term sustainability goal of adding local food to the dining program. Talk about a transformation. Permaculture, a comprehensive landscape design philosophy, models itself after natural ecosystem principles, paying careful attention to ecological diversity and elemental patterns. UMass Amherst, a leader in the field, boasts over 500 fruit trees, vegetables, flowers, and herbs on its quarter-acre plot. In less than two years over 1,000 students have participated or contributed to the project.

Since its White House recognition, UMass Amherst Permaculture will continue its educational mission: illustrating the possibilities for permaculture as a contemporary design strategy viable for any location and budget. The group plans to spread its knowledge later this spring, hosting the Permaculture Your Campus Conference on June 20-22, 2012. Attendees will learn the steps needed to build coalitions, create an action plan, and market permaculture projects to the powers that be. After all, some people need a little extra convincing about the connection between their lawn and lunch.

Credits: Images and data linked to sources.