Consider this article an antidote for anyone who doubts that economic growth took hold in Ann Arbor over the past year.

Below you'll find 21 companies with local over the past year representing a collective investment of at least $1 billion.

Continue reading "Paula Gardner: Business Review announces nominees for Deals of the Year" »

What's the best course of action when the financial world is imploding?
After watching Wall Street for the past month, we don't have an answer.

The uncertainty can be distracting - even paralyzing.

And now we're now hearing colleagues admit that they're postponing regular business activities because they're transfixed by the daily horrors in the financial sector.

It's understandable. And it even helps to hear that others are just as affected by the hourly dose of bad news and scary predictions.

But it's also not healthy.

Continue reading "Seeking an action plan amid chaos" »

Michigan's life sciences industry is lobbying hard for a ballot proposal that would repeal the state's ban on the destruction of embryos in stem cell research, but opponents say the state's economy wouldn't benefit from the proposal's approval.

The moral issues with embryonic stem cell research have turned Proposal 2 into a debate over which political stance is more pro-life. Meanwhile, experts on both sides are debating the issue's impact on the state's suffocating economy.

Continue reading "Michigan's life sciences industry lobbies for Proposal 2 and repeal of stem cell ban" »

As the University of Michigan/Urban Land Institute Real Estate Forum comes to West Michigan for the first time since the event began 22 years ago, organizers have a lot to tell newcomers about the region.

The forum will be held Wednesday, Oct. 15, through Thursday, Oct. 16, at the Amway Grand Plaza Hotel in Grand Rapids. An estimated 250 to 300 people will attend presentations, panel discussions and roundtables led by community and business leaders. (For a complete schedule, see October's Square Footage.)

Continue reading "West Michigan's DNA: Regionalism" »

Freshness may be in bloom for Dot&Cross and others in the film industry looking to capitalize on Michigan's aggressive tax breaks aimed to court the film industry, but not everyone's smelling the roses.

Critics of what Gov. Jennifer Granholm called the most-aggressive film-incentive program in the country say the up-to 42 percent refundable tax credit offered to film companies that work in Michigan is too costly.

Continue reading "Alternate ending for Michigan's film incentives?" »

Pfizer Inc. continues to consolidate its Veterinary Medicine Research and Development operations into downtown Kalamazoo, with two recent developments indicative of such efforts.

Although the drug maker has planned to eliminate human-health research and development in the area by the end of the year, the global headquarters for the research arm of Pfizer Animal Health remain in Kalamazoo.

Continue reading "Pfizer brings additional veterinary R&D to Kalamazoo" »

After a series of expansion announcements this year, Ann Arbor's information technology sector has reasserted its role as the region's top job growth engine.

Five IT companies with existing local offices and one outside firm this year have revealed plans to add nearly 1,000 jobs over the next few years. Together, that would equal almost double the number of employees that Google has today at its AdWords headquarters in Ann Arbor.

Continue reading "Five Ann Arbor IT companies to add nearly 1,000 jobs in 10 years" »

While the national financial crisis has ground the flow of credit from commercial and investment banks to a halt, less traditional lending service providers say they're seeing an increase in loan activity.

The bottom line for businesses hungry for capital, the lenders say: Capital is still available - if you know where to look and are flexible.

Continue reading "Non-traditional lenders see an increase in loan activity" »

Barracuda Networks, the Internet security firm that set up shop in Ann Arbor in 2007, is expanding into the First Martin-owned spec building at 201 Depot as it prepares to add more than 150 jobs.

The company will take over 12,200 square feet in December.

Continue reading "Internet security firm Barracuda Networks to expand, add jobs" »

Showing confidence in the future market for student housing, a mid-sized campus landlord is continuing its campaign of additions and renovations to its rental housing stock near the University of Michigan.

Bartonbrook Investments, which owns more than 25 rental properties, filed site plans with the city on Sept. 29 to add on to and reconfigure three of its homes near the U-M central campus.

Continue reading "Campus landlord Bartonbrook to renovate, add student housing" »

The exodus this month of Pfizer Inc.'s last workers from its 2-million-square-foot Ann Arbor campus comes as the pharmaceutical giant is poised to ramp up marketing efforts for the site.

But the global financial crisis - which is limiting credit availability for even the most frugal companies - could cramp Pfizer's efforts.

Continue reading "Drugmaker Pfizer vacates Ann Arbor site this month" »

For the Ride Boutique, the decision to expand its North Main Street bicycle store was all about traffic.

But not the traditional foot traffic that many retailers thrive on. Co-owner Chad Johnson said the site nestled between Main Street and the Ann Arbor Greenway provides exposure to hundreds of bicyclists that go past each weekend on club rides starting in nearby Wheeler Park to Huron River Drive to the north; foot and bike traffic from the greenway just feet from the store; and the auto traffic that can easily access the store from M-14 and take advantage of the large parking lot.

Continue reading "Ride Boutique, fed by bicycle traffic, expands North Main store" »

Nederveld Inc., a Grand Rapids architecture and planning firm, is opening a permanent office in Ann Arbor - and it hopes that its new building north of downtown shows potential clients what the company is all about.

After residing in temporary offices for more than a year, the company is moving into the first floor of 920 N. Main, a building owned by Peter Allen & Associates with residences on the upper stories.

Continue reading "Grand Rapids architecture firm Nederveld Inc. opens Ann Arbor office" »

The Saline Adult and Pediatric Medicine physicians office operated by St. Joseph Mercy Medical Group is planning to relocate from its current office on Michigan Avenue in Saline to the Gateway Center near the intersection of Michigan and Industrial.

Susan Moore of McKinley Commercial Services represented the doctors and landlord, Inroad Investment, in the transaction, which closed Oct. 1.

Continue reading "St. Joseph's Adult and Pediatric Medicine office in Saline to relocate" »

A small Ann Arbor IT firm that offers customized engineering software services is leveraging a relationship with an Ontario firm to boost its national profile.

Sungrace Software, founded in April 2005, helped Rowan Williams Davies & Irwin Inc. tweak an internal software program to conduct wind engineering calculations more efficiently for skyscraper construction.

Continue reading "Sungrace Software of Ann Arbor helps Ontario firm with wind engineering program for skyscrapers" »

Toyota's Oct. 9 grand opening ceremony in York Township reflects the automaker's recognition of the engineering talent in the region and the area's ability to drive automotive innovation.

But lost in the shuffle of Toyota's years-long, $187 million expansion project at its location near Saline are the company's close relationships to local universities and understanding that internships are a terrific vehicle for acquiring talent.

Continue reading "Nathan Bomey: Toyota has a knack for cultivating engineering talent" »