News

From the Detroit Free Press
by  Alisa Priddle

Iron cast foundries may evoke visions of Charles Dickens’ novels, but a Michigan supplier has taken bankrupt assets and forged a 21st-Century business model and strategy of aggressive growth.

The company is Grede Holdings, and it was formed in 2010 with the merged assets of three companies: Grede Foundries, Blackhawk Foundry and Citation. read more

Exciting changes are underway in the Southfield City Centre, and a number of pedestrian improvements have been completed in 2012. These amenities will go a long way toward achieving the city’s vision of creating and maintaining a vibrant 24/7 pedestrian friendly mixed-use environment in the area. read more

The city of Southfield was recognized for its work to foster entrepreneurial growth and economic development for a fifth consecutive year in a study by researchers at iLabs, University of Michigan-Dearborn’s Center for Innovation Research. Southfield was honored as a “Five-Star Community” along with 26 other communities across the State. An additional 26 other communities were recognized as “Four-Star Communities.” read more

Lawrence Technological University is starting its men’s and women’s varsity basketball programs from scratch this year, but the coaches will also try to draw on a tradition of excellence in the sport that dates back 80 years.

Both teams play their first home game against Lourdes College on Saturday, Nov. 17, at the Don Ridler Field House, a basketball court that didn’t exist when Lawrence Tech suspended its basketball program in the 1960s. (The first away games began Oct. 31. For the latest information on LTU athletics, go to bluedevilathletics.com.) read more

From the Great Lakes Innovation and Technology Report
By Matt Roush

The Great Lakes Innovation and Technology Report’s Fall Tech Tour gets me the heck outta town to see the latest and greatest research at Michigan’s fabulous universities — research that has the potential to create new businesses and new jobs in Michigan.

But there are also fabulous universities right IN town with research that has the potential to create new businesses and new jobs in Michigan.

Case in point: Lawrence Technological University, which happens to be less than three miles from my office. I did a Tech Tour-style visit to Lawrence Tech Friday and came away asking that musical question: Who knew?

Who knew Lawrence Tech was working on home medical care technology? Or artificial body parts for surgeries? Or developing computer art critics? Or… well, you get the idea. read more

Faurecia is the world’s sixth largest automotive supplier, specializing in the design, development, production and just-in-time delivery of some of the most advanced modules in today’s vehicles.  The company, which in 2011 supplied more than half the vehicles sold in North America and posted total sales of $22.5 billion, is headquartered in Nanterre, France. It employs 84,000 people in 36 countries at 270 sites and 40 R&D centers. Faurecia recently brought 80 new jobs to its Southfield Customer Center, located on the 17^th and 18^th floors of Travelers Tower I. The location, dedicated to engineering, sales and program activities of interior systems for Ford Motor Company, houses over 200 Faurecia Interior Systems employees. read more

Federal Mogul, 26555 Northwestern Highway, Southfield, MI

The City of Southfield Planning Department and the Master of Urban Design (m.U.D) Program at Lawrence Technological University (LTU) have won the 2012 Michigan Association of Planning Excellence Award for Outstanding Student Project. The project, Mid-Century Modern Design Guidelines, engaged graduate level interns from the m.U.D. program to inventory, preserve and enhance the City’s significant Mid-Century Modern structures – some of which are threatened by renovation and new development. The guidelines defined the style, identified significant structures, and recommended enhancements through the use of case studies.  read more

The Southfield City Centre vision and LTU Gateway Plaza project were recently featured on City Cable 15 News. Click the video to see the full report.

Members of LTU’s women’s basketball team stopped by Comerica Park during their walk to raise money for breast cancer research. Left to right are Jackie Hood, Allison Bicknell, Danyel Strauss, Erin Cater, Jazmine Brown, Jill Carland, Jena Repichowski, Hali Butler, Karlie Dieck and Brenda Davis.

The Lawrence Technological University Women’s Basketball Team joined thousands of participants in the annual Making Strides Breast Cancer Walk in downtown Detroit on Oct. 13.  The walk raised $483,870.

The Lady Blue Devils wore pink in proud support of the fight against breast cancer while walking with survivors and helping to raise awareness against this disease that affects one in eight women.  These fund-raising walks have helped saved more than four million women in this country. read more