Daily Detroit

Food and fun today on your Daily Detroit!

Norris tried the new brick and mortar Waka in Eastern Market; Jer stopped by Cafe Noir's second location that's new in downtown Detroit by the Huntington Place convention center. Plus, Little Ghost is opening a second spot in the Pointes, plus we get into some other favs of ours.

Plus, Detroit City won their final home game while a man down, bringing a playoff match to Detroit. Norris talks about the Black Arrow winner (MVP) and why he likely got the nod.

The rundown:

01:47 – Waka & East African Eats in Eastern Market

04:10 – Cafe Noir's New Location & Downtown Coffee Spots

06:55 – Local Restaurant Expansion: Little Ghost

08:52 – Blasphemous Food Hot Take

11:00 – Patreon Member Thanks

12:15 – Detroit City FC Home Finale & USL Power Rankings

16:30 – Why Haruki Yamazaki won the Black Arrow MVP

Feedback as always, dailydetroit - at - gmail - dot -com or 313-789-3211.

With less than a month to go before Election Day, the Daily Detroit panel dives into Michigan's key debate matchups and the changing political dynamics across the state.

Jer, Norris, and Devon break down the first head-to-head general election debates for Michigan Governor and U.S. Senate hosted in Grand Rapids.

The crew discusses the contrast in styles, the lack of concrete policy proposals on big-picture challenges on one side, and whether progressive messaging is reshaping the state's traditional political coalitions.

Plus, a look at shifting voting demographics in Metro Detroit and why local media coverage of policy issues continues to miss the mark.

Show Chapters:

01:57 – Debate Takes: Jocelyn Benson vs. John James

11:57 – Abdul El-Sayed vs. Mike Rogers

18:13 – Is the Democratic Coalition Remade If Abdul El-Sayed Wins?

20:50 – Shifting Latino / Hispanic Votes & Wrap-Up

Daily Detroit is an independent, community-supported news project. Help us keep going as we approach 2,000 episodes by supporting our Patreon at patreon.com/dailydetroit.

What do you think? Hit us up, [email protected] or 313-789-3211.

Jer is alive after judging a Malört cocktail contest at the Old Miami. Norris joins in, and on the heels of Grandma Bob's opening a West Village location... says that Detroit is the Pizza Capitol of America.

The Rundown:

00:58 - Malort Madness: The Best Malort Cocktail In Michigan, as tasted at the Old Miami

06:19 - MoveDetroit makes grants to support growing the city's population, and claims early successes

10:11 - Detroit is the capital of Pizza in the United States, and Grandma Bob's is opening in the West Village neighborhood

What do you think? Hit us up, [email protected] or 313-789-3211. Thanks for your support on Patreon!

The Rundown:

01:04 - Favorite Halloween costumes

03:54 - The Lions were bad, the Wings feel dead, but there is a second-place Detroit sports team to get on the bandwagon for

09:00 - It's Michigan Debate Week: Governor, Senate candidates square off Tuesday, Thursday

20:31 - New Affordable Housing project near Eastern Market

23:44 - A little Old Miami love.. and yes, I'm gonna drink Malort

Feedback as always: [email protected] or 313-789-3211. Thanks for your support on Patreon!

On today's episode, fall is in the air! From where to go to the news you need to know, we have you covered.

The Rundown:

Fall Outings in Metro Detroit - Devon makes the case for why you should take your family to the Heritage Park Petting Farm in Taylor, and Jer talks about his sneek peek of Elmwood Alight, a sensory light-mapping and art installation inside Detroit's historic Elmwood Cemetery.

Senate Passes the 'Protect College Sports Act' - We discuss what's in the bill, what's maybe good, what's maybe bad. But bottom line, do we trust Washington to actually fix the system? Or will it just make for a whole 'nother set of unintended consequences with major college teams and conferences leaving the NCAA altogether?

Data center debate - The Wayne County Commission voted unanimously to override Executive Warren Evans's veto of $125 million in tax breaks for Google's proposed 1-gigawatt data center, "Project Cannoli," in Van Buren Township. We talk about the public pushback against data centers, local municipal moratoriums (including on Devon voted for in Dearborn), and the widening disconnect between elected officials, technology leaders, and the community.

What do you think? Hit us up, [email protected] or 313-789-3211. Thanks for your support on Patreon!

Detroit development, better bus stops, and a major manufacturing push lead today's show.

• Waka by Baobab Fare is now open in Eastern Market!
• Ferndale Pride moves to August 7, 2027, as West Nine Mile in Downton Ferndale gets resurfaced.
• Lee Plaza's first phase is on track for year-end completion, working on 117 affordable apartments to West Grand Boulevard.
• Arcterra, the 288-unit downtown apartment building at the former Statler site, sells in receivership for $75 million — despite reported 96 percent occupancy. What does it say about Detroit's apartment-development math?
• Transit update.. DDOT is adding hundreds of shelters and benches through 2027, with elevated boarding platforms also going in along East Jefferson.
• Ford, JPMorganChase, Michigan Central, Newlab, and the state launch MichiganLIFT to help Michigan manufacturers scale. We discuss why potential customers, and not just grants, matter.
• Detroit opens up 16 North Corktown parcels near Michigan Central for housing proposals and puts $2.5 million behind small apartment projects citywide.
• Plus: TechTown events coming in October, Norris has hot takes on Jalen Duren's contract standoff with the Pistons, and DCFC's playoff push.

Daily Detroit is powered by members! Support local media at Patreon, and send feedback to [email protected] or 313-789-3211.

Detroit's budget picture continues to improve. But what does that mean for residents, city services, and the big redevelopment projects now under discussion?

I sat down with expert Steve Watson of Watson & Yates to talk through the current situation and the financial logic behind why Detroit needs growth.

We look into the proposed Renaissance Center redevelopment we talked about on the show last week, including the $548 million in requested public incentives tied to a proposed $2.2 billion investment by GM and Bedrock.

We break down where that money would come from, how the Renaissance Zone and Downtown Development Authority structure works, and why a proposed payment-in-lieu-of-taxes (PILOT) agreement matters for the city and Wayne County.

We also look at Detroit's updated revenue outlook.

The city's estimates rose by about $50 million, driven largely by stronger-than-expected income-tax collections and investment-income projections.

But that is not a blank check for new programs in the context of a roughly $1.5 billion general-fund budget. The additional revenue is more likely to help Detroit sustain current services, manage rising costs, and prepare for firefighter and police labor contract negotiations.

To wrap up, Steve and I talk about the larger equation. The math behind why growing jobs, wages, businesses, and population matters for Detroit's ability to deliver the things residents want from city government.

The city has significant economic potential, but only about one-third of Detroiters currently earn a living wage for their household. That makes inclusive growth as important as growth itself.

What do you think? Hit us up, [email protected] or 313-789-3211.

Thanks for your support on Patreon!

Big show to wrap up the week. Today we are on location at Jabal Coffee House on Mason Street in West Dearborn to kick off Dearborn Coffee Week!

Norris, and Devon join me around the table to taste-test Yemeni lattes, Sanani coffee, and tasty cakes while talking about what to know and where to go in Metro Detroit. Topics:

Dearborn Coffee Capital: How coffee shops have officially taken over as Metro Detroit's third space, the rapid rise of Yemeni coffee culture, and why local shops are expanding nationally.

A $30 Million High-Rise Repair Bill: Routine facade work on Detroit's historic Water Board Building revealed serious structural issues. We debate the best future for this iconic 23-story tower.

Expanding the People Mover: A new mobility study lays out three potential routes to expand the transit loop to Corktown, the Riverfront, and Eastern Market. What do you think?

Dearborn x Detroit: Busting online myths about the border, historical context vs. lived reality, and the community block party happening this Sunday.

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Got feedback or story tips? Email us at [email protected] or leave a voicemail at 313-789-3211.

What do you do with 5.3 million square feet of concrete and glass when the world it was built for no longer exists?

Built in the 1970s as a corporate fortress to keep the city out, the Renaissance Center in Detroit stands today as a monument to a mid-century urban planning thesis that has completely collapsed.

RenCen office occupancy sits under 10%, construction costs are up 55% over the last decade, and downtown real estate demands an entirely new model.

My guests are Jennifer Stallings Dewey, the Senior Counsel, Community Engagement at General Motors; and Jake Chidester, Vice President of Strategic Initiatives at Bedrock.

In this episode, we dive into the multi-billion-dollar proposal by General Motors and Bedrock to demolish two 39-story towers, tear down the concrete podium, and turn an isolated corporate island into a connected, walkable riverfront district. We answer a ton of listener questions, as well.

The process is ongoing for community feedback.

Here's a calendar of events at their East Riverfront Community Hub: https://detroit-riverfront.bedrockdetroit.com/events

And here is a link to the project survey: https://detroit-riverfront.bedrockdetroit.com/survey

What do you think? Let me know, [email protected] or 313-789-3211.

Thanks for your support on Patreon! That's how we're able to fund this independent work.

We brought the mobile studio out to the Detroit Sandwich Party to talk with you about all things between two slices of bread.

In this episode, we tackle the big questions.

• Matt from Detroit shares his grilled cheese mayo trick and explains why a sandwich needs to be a stable delivery system.
• Terry stops by to show some love for fried bologna and sweet tea.
• Lauren breaks down her favorite New York deli creation and why horseradish is cathartic.
• Zena makes the case for where hot dogs sit on the food spectrum.
• Finally, Shelby from Corktown drops a hot take on why calzones, Uncrustables, and Pop-Tarts are dumplings.

Thanks to Carlos Parisi for putting together a wonderful event. I think this may be the beginning of a mini-series as we had so many good takes and only so much time.

Make sure to mark your calendars for Detroit Sandwich Week, between Christmas and New Years.

Shoutout to our Patreon members for keeping local media strong. You can support the show at patreon.com/dailydetroit.

Feedback is always welcome at [email protected]