Downtown : Features

Le Rouge continues its march through the NPSL, tallying its third straight victory with a 1-0 win over Lansing United in front of a sell-out crowd of 3,112.

The 2013-2014 season of Open City concluded last week at Cliff Bell's, where a panel of city officials and a small business owner broke down the bureaucracy of city hall and discussed how to streamline licensing and permitting processes for Detroit businesses. Aaron Mondry has this recap.

It's no secret that young professionals have gravitated to Detroit's urban center in recent years, but what happens when they start having kids? Nina Misuraca Ignaczak spoke with some families who have made the commitment to stay and raise their kids in the city.

On Monday, April 21, a panel will discuss the best ways for entrepreneurs to navigate bureaucracy in City Hall for Open City's final event of the season.

Matthew Lewis, Model D's new managing editor, muses about the past, present, and future of the publication.

What is a pop-up? The answer might seem obvious, but members of this month's panel came to an interesting conclusion: it is similar to beta testing software in that you can work out the bugs without the risk of a full launch. Aaron Mondry was there.

This is Walter Wasacz's last issue as managing editor of Model D. He waxes sentimental about his predecessors, talks about what's next for him professionally and even declares the coming season "a summer of love."    

Many immigrants and refugees in Southeast Michigan left professional careers behind when they left their native countries. Global Detroit tells us about Upwardly Global, a program that helps immigrants adapt professional skills learned abroad to the workplace in Metro Detroit.

Our eternally youthful Detroit correspondent revisits his skinny, 25-year-old self, and name checks Dennis Archer and Spike Lee to help sort out what's next for the city. Take it away, Sir James Boyle.

Detroit is bouncing back with, among other things, beer. Businesses like Atwater, the Detroit Beer Co, Motor City Brewing Works and Traffic Jam & Snug have established a good foundation for growth, with room for plenty more. Joe Baur says cheers to that.

Make a note of it: Open City returns next Monday at the Park Bar, not at Cliff Bell's per usual. A panel of Detroit business owners will share their experiences starting up a pop-up.

Street photographer Bill Rauhauser, 95, has spent decades documenting Detroit and its people. Glen Morren sat down with Rauhauser and others to explore this legend's living legacy.

A city bus system can only withstand so much disinvestment, and DDOT is on the brink. Mayor Mike Duggan recently appointed Dan Dirks, former SMART manager, to lead DDOT’s turnaround effort. Model D spoke with Dirks to find out how he plans to get the system back on track.

This month's forum took place at Cliff Bell's as usual and was the kickoff event for the first ever #DetroitWeek, a celebration of entrepreneurship and innovation in the city. Matthew Lewis sat in with his notebook.

In this piece adapted from an article written for Fortune Magazine, icon of New Urbanism Duany suggests another, more de-regulated model for Detroit growth and development. As always, we welcome reader comments and robust debate.