Convention is less than a month away!  Are you ready to participate in the Race for the Cup?  The regions have chosen their winners and this week we are offering a sneak peek at the regional finalists’ Community Excellence Award projects.  Check out their projects and get ready to vote for your favorite during Convention! 

Monday

September 8, 2008

Region 4
AuGres Community Library/Cultural Arts Center

The AuGres Community Library/Cultural Arts Center was constructed in 2003/04 by the City of AuGres and a group of dedicated volunteers who saw a need to preserve a community library. The building being used for a library was the city's old DPW garage and for 50 (+/-) years was operated under a cooperative arrangement between City of AuGres and 3 adjoining townships.  This building was condemned.  The cordial cooperative arrangement was strained when other units were requested to contribute to construction of a new building for continued library operations.  After 2-3 years of meetings, discussions, and all other financing arrangements were turned down by the governing units, community leaders and volunteers organized a fund raising campaign to replace the old structure.

Fund raising activities were held for two years and raised approximately $170,000 from the community activities.  Activities were a memorial brick walkway, silent auctions, golf outings, a spaghetti dinner, a 50/50 drawing, and many donations by dedicated citizens, civic groups, and foundations in the community.

The city of AuGres received two state grants to assist with the funding, and also supported the efforts with contributions of over $450,000.  The library has a cultural/arts meeting room that is available to the public.  In 2005, Iosco/Arenac District Library held a successful district-wide millage proposal which enabled the library to expand hours of operation from 20 hours weekly to 33 hours weekly, and many children's activities, programs and events are now being offered in the cultural/arts community room.  The library is located on the AuGres River, has a scenic river walk adjoining on each side of the river connected to the city campground and recreation area by pedestrian bridge.

Subsequent to the construction of library/cultural arts centers, other improvements have evolved in the downtown area surrounding this construction. The City of AuGres conducted a survey to determine low/mod income status.  The city submitted applications for three additional grant funding sources to make major improvements to the infrastructure; funds from CZM to expand the lighted riverwalk from the pedestrian bridge crossing to the library/cultural arts building; funds from MEDC to fund storm drainage infrastructure and improve drainage conditions on adjoining Mackinaw Street; and funds from MDOT to make safety improvements to US 23/Mackinaw Street intersections.  The City of AuGres has matched the grant funding sources with its own funds and has completed three street projects in the "downtown" area.  In addition to new streets, curb and gutter, storm drainage, street trees, and sidewalks, the city is in process of adding decorative lighting to the area.

This area of city's "downtown" is what we refer to as our urban renewal area, and city planners are beginning to see results of putting an "anchor" such as the library in this district.  Several old, vacant buildings have been removed and downtown improvements are beginning to occur.

Tuesday

September 9, 2008

Region 5
Marysville New Axle Assembly Plant

First, let me start by introducing myself.  My name is Daniel Coss and I am the Community Development Director for the City of Marysville.  The City of Marysville is located just south of Port Huron on the beautiful banks of the St. Clair River.  We are a city of approximately 10,000 residents and 6.5 square miles in size.

The City of Marysville was the recipient of the Region 5 Community Excellence Award and will be competing for the “Cup” at the League Annual Convention in October.

The presentation will be for an economic development project, industrial manufacturing in nature, which was put together by the City of Marysville and several other agencies.  This project includes over $350 million dollars in investment and several hundreds of jobs created in our community.  The challenges associated with this project reached far and wide, but in the end were accomplished by a very dedicated and hard working team consisting of professionals from several organizations in a very short amount of time.  The facility consists of 700,000 square feet of manufacturing space and is built on a 211-acre site, which required annexation to the City of Marysville. 

I serve on the League Government Finance Committee and at a recent meeting Dan Gilmartin talked about some key issues he has been covering in his Public Policy Forums throughout the state.  One of the issues was job creation and how it is important for communities to embrace the small entrepreneurs creating 10-15 jobs and help them expand from there, because the large manufacturing facilities that bring hundreds of jobs at a time are a thing of the past.  (A sentiment I believe whole heartedly in)  It was then at that moment I realized how fortunate Marysville was to land a development of this size. 

You are probably wondering why I have not told you what company decided to locate in Marysville.  If you really want to know, I guess you will have to attend the League Annual Convention in October to find out.  The suspense is almost too much to bear, I know.  One thing is for sure, once you hear the rest of the story you will have no doubt that Marysville deserves your vote.  VOTE FOR MARYSVILLE!!

Wednesday

September 10, 2008

Region 7

Two Cities Join Forces to Energize Community Vitality
Michigan’s two most northern cities, Houghton and Hancock, are eager to share their success story of partnering together to establish new, high-tech business growth in the region.  The plan, which is now blossoming in its fifth year, has resulted in new economic vitality for the entire Keweenaw Peninsula region.

This is a story of economic growth driven by the willingness of two communities to work together instead of apart from each other.  It is a model that other communities may learn from, with a message of cooperation woven through the story.  In tough times, as much of Michigan is facing, it is time to put away old thinking and eliminate lines in the sand wherever possible.  Houghton and Hancock took a bold step forward to make this happen.  They show us it is possible to work together to grow new ideas to make this state vibrant again.

For other cities and communities, it may be looking towards each other—cities and counties partnering.  City and village clusters working together.  Building off of the strengths you may have right in front of you versus depending on outside interests to drive economic vitality and growth.

Houghton and Hancock, two cities separated by a bridge across the Portage Canal, have been historically competitive and inwardly focused.  Both towns, whose major growth occurred as a result of a tremendous boom in copper and iron mining over 75 years ago, have completely independent city functions—from schools to taxes and public works.  Neither had ever worked on a joint partnership.  In fact, the cities have been competitive for regional state funding dollars as well as community pride.  (Houghton High and Hancock High battle each year in hockey, football, basketball, etc).

In 2003, City Managers Scott MacInnes (Houghton) and Glen Anderson (Hancock) saw an opportunity that helped them better link their two cities.

The first opportunity was recognizing the natural assets of the area—Michigan Technological University and Finlandia University.  Despite city differences the universities both helped link the communities together.  Michigan Tech has historically been a global leader in engineering technology, both in research and academic performance.  A natural asset of the university was the existence of young, idealistic engineering-based entrepreneurs who needed help in exploring the commercialization of new high-tech business ventures.

The second opportunity unfolded when Michigan Tech, the City Managers and the local economic development organization (KEDA) aggressively pursued the Michigan Economic Development Corporation to be awarded one of 12 “SmartZones” in the state.  The SmartZone concept provides four distinct geographical locations where technology-based firms, entrepreneurs, and researchers locate in close proximity to all of the community assets that assist in their endeavors.  SmartZone technology clusters promote resource collaborations between universities, industry, research organizations, government, and other community institutions, growing technology-based businesses and jobs.  New and emerging businesses in SmartZone technology clusters are primarily focused on commercializing ideas, patents, and other opportunities surrounding corporate, university, or private research institute R&D efforts.

The result?  In five short years, the SmartZone concept created twelve start-up companies which have driven 160 new family sustaining jobs to the area.  And recently the concept has proved to be expandable, with two Fortune 100 companies (General Electric and Ford Motor Company) coming to the area to capitalize on the link between the universities and state/city incentives to provide office space where young, bright engineering students can work on basic engineering projects for the corporations.  This concept has kept jobs in America, as both companies were previously exploring volume-engineering work being developed overseas.

More important, the SmartZone concept has linked the two cities together as never before in history!  Two cities—one community is now a regular part of the local vernacular.  Downtown business districts are collaborating.  An entire resurgence is underway in the once economically depressed region due to the focus of innovating new business thinking, driven by high-tech business interests.

Three large vacant buildings have been renovated into vibrant work centers with increased tax value to support the SmartZone platform.

There has been 68.3 million in public and private investment leveraged because of the efforts in just a few years, including 15 million in grant monies.

Downtowns and businesses are becoming more vital.  Major building and public works initiatives have been stimulated.

Over 500 spin-off jobs have been attributed to the focus on high-tech business growth through the SmartZone concept.

And best of all, two cities that used to battle each other have now figured out a way to work together to energize community vitality for the region.

Thursday

September 11, 2008

Region 2
Armory Arts Village—Jackson, Michigan

What does a community do with the 175-year-old former State Prison that most recently has been occupied by the National Guard, and is soon to be vacated when the new National Guard facility is completed?  The buildings are in need of considerable repair, and sit right in the middle of a Renaissance Zone that is part of the community’s plans for the renewal and diversification of its economic base.  How do you deal with large amounts of underground contamination, which are discovered after a portion of the property is transferred to a non-profit development group?  How do you raise funds and creatively reuse this property for the long-term benefit of the community?  What group of people like to be in old buildings with large window areas, exposed brick, large rooms that were used as drill halls, smaller rooms that while they are not easily converted to living space, they can be used for small offices, workshops, or teaching areas?

The answer in Jackson was to convert the original State Prison into an artist colony.  The buildings remaining from the original State Prison fit all of the eclectic needs of artists of all types.  There are spaces to display artwork both large and small.  There are areas that can be converted to artists studios and teaching areas.  There are former cell block areas that can be remodeled, modernized, and turned into living and work space for artists and their families.  The surrounding grounds can be improved and beautified to not only meet the needs of the artists, but draw the community to the location.  This sounds like a pipe dream, but in Jackson, with the community working together has made this happen.  The original State Prison is now home to 62 affordable, live/work apartments, most of which are occupied by artists from all parts of the United States.  There are artists of every type from painters, to sculptors, to pottery makers, to musicians, and even a storyteller in residence.  The development is a prime example of a public/private partnership between the city, the county, the Enterprise Group, and a private developer with substantial assistance from the state of Michigan through MSHDA and other state and federal assistance.

The first phase involved renovation of existing buildings.  The second phase will involve new construction that includes apartments and retail and artist space within the original walls of the first State Prison.  The project has already spawned spinoffs of additional renovation of adjacent buildings for artist space and retail development, as well as new construction medical offices in the immediate vicinity.  An arts and music school has moved into adjacent space drawing students and their parents into the neighborhood.  The entire project has brought new life into an old neighborhood in Jackson, and is part of an ongoing effort to build a new economic base in what was an old heavily industrialized city. 

There cannot be another project in this year’s competition that has had a stronger impact on the community and its future than the Jackson Armory Arts Village.  Come to the League Annual Convention on Mackinac Island at the beginning of October to find out more about this exciting redevelopment in the city Jackson, and then cast your vote for Region 2 to win the Community Excellence Awards competition!

Friday

September 12, 2008

Region 3
Feel the Zeel—Zeeland’s Innovative Branding Campaign
In 2007 Zeeland leaders knew it was time to take a break from our traditional reputation and think outside of the box.  So we set out to develop a city-wide marketing campaign.  Not only did we have a catchy new brand for the community—Zeeland: Feel the Zeel—but we also had some extremely clever attention-getting tactics up our sleeve for unveiling the new brand to the public.  Guerrilla marketing is an unconventional creative approach which is practically unheard of when it comes to branding a city…especially a city that is known to be as traditional and conservative as Zeeland!  In designing the campaign, we looked at what makes Zeeland such an extraordinary place to live and work, we realized that it is a commitment to tradition and innovation.  That commitment is why people are so passionate about this community.  It’s an earnest zeal for life in Zeeland.  Feel the Zeel is based on this concept of passionate people who love Zeeland and want other people to understand what makes it such a unique city.

To unveil the new marketing campaign the City of Zeeland launched two unexpected stunts over the course of a week; a midnight spray paint scandal where a group in hooded sweatshirts spray painted the new logo all over town.  The second stunt, also occurring at night, introduced the new tagline as spray painted on the City water tower.  The stunts were documented on video and released anonymously via two YouTube videos, video 1 & video 2.  The second video “catches” Zeeland’s mayor, Les Hoogland in the act!!  These videos worked like a charm and popped up in email inboxes all over town courtesy of a viral email blitz.      

The fresh paint around town, the new slogan on the water tower, and puzzling YouTube videos caused a lot of excitement and questions—but what made the whole incident even more thrilling and mysterious is that when asked about who was responsible, city officials claimed “No Comment.”  This created a regional media frenzy with headlines and news clips stating, “Graffiti or marketing campaign?  Zeeland officials are mum,” “Feel the Zeel spreads across Zeeland,” and “Officials cryptic about spray-painted logo.”

One week later at the Zeeland Christmas Parade, the city officially announced Feel the Zeel was indeed the result of the new Zeeland marketing campaign.  The parade was led by city council and youth council both proudly toting Feel the Zeel signs.  New City banners were also hung that day to declare the implementation of the new brand.  The new logo and tagline has also been applied to all city-branded areas, city letterhead and printed materials, logos on the doors of city vehicles, and the creation of a new marketing website www.feelthezeel.com.  Additional YouTube videos have been created, featuring business owners and residents giving their testimonial for the City of Zeeland.  Locals use static cling Z! stickers on their cars and windows to show their support of the new brand, and retailers now use the logo in their personal print advertising efforts.  Other expansions off of the new campaign include a Feel the Zeel business recruitment packet, Home ZWEET Home (a city award program for beautiful homes and yards), a Feel the Zeel branded annual report for our city utilities, and coming soon, new gateway signage to incorporate the Zeel brand at our city entrances.

Feel the Zeel is a brand with a lot of energy behind it; it is a brand that we look forward to expanding even more as we continue to promote our city, and it is a brand that we hope YOU support in your vote for the 2008 Community Excellence Award!! 
Vote for Zeeland!  Feel the Zeel!