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U of M Proposes Automated Transit System To Link Campuses

U of M Proposes Automated Transit System To Link Campuses

Morning, Ann Arbor! If you haven’t yet, head to the Arb to see the peony garden! According to their online tracker, Friday was peak bloom!

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Percent of Ann Arbor Reading: 1.76%

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ANN ARBORITES SHOULD KNOW

University of Michigan | Campus Plan 2050

🎓 Campus Plan 2050: Earlier this month, the University of Michigan released a preliminary draft of Campus Plan 2050, a 25-year framework outlining possible future developments on campus. Designed to be high-level and flexible, the ideas represent options for development, not concrete decisions. Some of the ideas presented for:

Space Planning, development, and land use
- Hotel and conference center
- Graduate, family, and workforce housing
- New indoor and outdoor fitness spaces
Landscape and open space
- Network of gardens and courtyards
- New pedestrian pathways
- Extend woodlots by reforestation
Campus mobility
- Dedicated bike lanes
- Dedicated bus lanes
- Automated transit system (pictured above)

🐶 Dog Days Of Summer: Gracie, a bernedoodle therapy dog at Wines Elementary, is at the center of a local custody battle. In 2022, Gracie was donated to the school and the Wines PTO paid $15,000 to train her to become a certified therapy dog (here’s a quick video of Gracie in action). In March, the kindergarten teacher who volunteered to be Gracie’s caretaker informed her principal she was leaving the state and taking Gracie with her. Last month, the principal took Gracie back from the teacher, and this month, the teacher sued the school district for stealing Gracie from her.

🏦 M Den Financial Troubles: According to reports that surfaced last week, The M Den faces multiple legal challenges over unpaid debts, including a $4 million lawsuit from a sportswear manufacturer and possible eviction from Briarwood Mall for $66,766 in unpaid rent. The M Den was first started in 1976 and has been the official merchandise retailer of the University of Michigan since the early 90s. The M Den currently operates six brick-and-mortar stores: four in Ann Arbor, one in Novi, and one in Detroit.

👮‍♂️ Pro-Palestine Encampment Cleared: Early Tuesday morning, University of Michigan police cleared the pro-Palestinian encampment on the Diag, citing safety risks including non-compliance with fire safety requests. In a letter to U of M faculty, students, and staff, President Ono emphasized the university’s commitment to free speech but noted that the protest violated university regulations and disrupted campus operations.

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MICHIGANDERS SHOULD KNOW

Progressive Companies

🏗️ Grand Rapids Outdoor Amphitheater: Last week, Grand Rapids held a ceremonial groundbreaking event for the Acrisure Amphitheater, a new 12,000-capacity outdoor venue along the Grand River. The $184 million venue hopes to draw national acts to Grand Rapids and revitalize the riverfront. Construction of the amphitheater is set to be completed by the spring of 2026.

🤖 Beach Cleanup Bots: This summer, the City of Detroit is deploying a BeBot, a 1,300-pound, remote-controlled robot, on the beaches of Belle Isle to pick up trash. By sifting through a couple of inches of sand at a time, a BeBot is capable of cleaning 32,000 square feet of beach per hour (here’s a 20-second example video). Similar BeBots have been deployed on beaches in Petoskey, Muskegon, and Grand Traverse Bay.

🏡 April’s Housing Market: RealComp, a Michigan real estate data company, released a report on the state’s housing market. Last month’s year-over-year (YoY) highlights:

Median Sale Price:
- Michigan: +6.8% YoY ($260,000)
- Washtenaw: -1.1% YoY ($396,500)
On-Market Listings:
- Michigan: +8.7% YoY
- Washtenaw: -29.2% YoY
Avg Days on Market:
- Michigan: -5.4% YoY (37 to 35)
- Washtenaw: +12.9% YoY (31 to 35)
Closed Sales:
- Michigan: +11.5% YoY (8,633)
- Washtenaw: -4.8% YoY (314)