Integrated Architecture (IA) has announced the hiring of three architects and one engineer, with plans to add more professional staff in the upcoming months. "Many of the projects that went away last year are now coming back," says Trish Spaulding, PR manager of IA. "February was crazy busy, like someone turned on the faucet." Hired were: Darrel DeHaan, AIA, Project Manager Kevin Mersman, PE, Mechanical Engineer Doug Smith, AIA, LEED AP, Project Architect   Ed Talaga, AIA, Project Manager "It's a good time to be hiring," Spaulding says, pointing out that all the new hires came from the local talent pool. She adds that for firms looking to add talented professionals, there is certainly no lack of qualified candidates. As the IA team sifts through resumes and conducts interviews, look for a "slew of new announcements" coming soon, Spaulding says. Although there is no one industry leading the way in the recovery, Spaulding says health care and higher education are both strong markets for IA.   To learn more about IA and their potential employment opportunities, you can visit their website here. Source: Trish Spaulding, Integrated Architecture Writer: John Rumery, Innovation and Jobs Editor

The City of Grand Rapids adopted a "Complete Streets" resolution at a recent meeting. This resolution provides a commitment by city planners and engineers to use a more holistic approach on all future transportation projects by taking into account not only the needs of motorized vehicles, also but pedestrians, cyclists, wheelchairs and public transit. This resolution was greeted enthusiastically by Tom Tilma, executive director of the Grand Rapids Bicycle Coalition. "We are thrilled with the commitment of the mayor, city commission and the work of the planners and engineers. The city of Grand Rapids is being a leader by adopting the resolution." Tilma explains that "designing a complete street will encourage more walking, cycling and transit use and will promote a more active community with more vibrant retail districts."  He also is believes that these type of initiatives will make the city more attractive to "millennials and knowledge workers" who embrace a more active lifestyle. The first tangible result of this resolutions will be the pilot program of "slimming down" Division Ave. this summer. "I think people are going to surprised on how well it will works," says Tilma, who also indicates that even if changes are not permanent on Division Ave., the city is committed to this process in targeting neighborhoods throughout the city. The Greater Grand Rapids Bicycle Coalition is a grassroots organization that is dedicated to transform metro Grand Rapids into a safer cycling community. To learn more about this organization, including an upcoming conference on cycling, you can visit their website here. Source: Tim Tilma, Greater Grand Rapids Bicycle Coalition Writer: John Rumery, Innovation and Jobs Editor

Four design teams established by the Grand Rapids City Commission last summer have set about the task of streamlining a variety of services provided by the city. City commissioners formed the teams -- independent teams of city staff, public and private stakeholders and city commissioners -- after the concept was proposed in July 2010 by Commissioner James White, says Tom Almonte, assistant to the city manager and member of the customer service design team. Each team reported its progress at the city commission's retreat on Feb. 22.The four teams are:Improving Customer Service -- Completed. A study of the city's customer services processes. Recommendations include establishing a 24/7 online payment system for water bills, property taxes and other payments, and creating one point of contact for any inquiry about city services thus eliminating the need to contact individual departments. Consolidating City Assets -- Completed. A review of city services, real estate practices and properties, and strategic facility planning. Recommendations include selling for private development five commercially zoned properties, including 1501 Monroe NW across from the water filtration plant and 427 and 354 Market Ave. SW, the current Amtrak station and parking lot, and not selling the much-debated parcel at 201 Market Ave. SW until the economy improves. Transforming Parks and Recreation Services -- Ongoing. Charged with developing more sustainable short- and long-term strategies for the parks system. "We focused on getting a baseline on where our current parks system stands and did a park audit to benchmark against other communities," says Steve Faber, executive director of Friends of Grand Rapids Parks and a member of the design team. "We're half to a third of where we should be by national standards."Recommendations include developing more revenue streams for the parks, which only has three compared to other parks systems that have 15 to 20, Faber says. Transforming Police and Fire Service Models -- Ongoing. To examine opportunities to contribute to the city's financial sustainability by transforming police and fire services. Current recommendations include a system review of current emergency medical services, and development of two potential models for police services consolidation: 1) creating specialized regional teams that could include K-9 services and crime scene analysis, 2) possibly transitioning to a Metropolitan Police Service that might include consolidation with the Kent County Sheriff's department."We're now developing a transformation action plan and will have between fiscal year 2011 and fiscal year 2014 to implement everything that will be outlined in that plan," Almonte says.He adds that a first draft of the plan will be presented to the city commission on April 8.Source: Tom Almonte, Assistant to the Grand Rapids City ManagerWriter: Deborah Johnson Wood, Development News Editor

Taking advantage of advanced manufacturing technologies and the emerging market for electronic and hybrid vehicles, an Otsego-based company is thriving. According to excerpts in MLive: A small motor helps operate a pump inside the engine of Nissan's new Leaf electric-powered vehicle. The motor pushes fluids used to cool batteries and electronics. Polymer-coated magnets, made by Tengam Engineering Inc. at its 545 Washington St. plant in Otsego, help that motor operate. You can read the complete story here.

A report from WOOD-TV8 says that although housing starts are down nationwide, some West Michigan builders have seen double-digit growth in demand.According to excerpts from the story:Last week, the U.S. Commerce department reported a 17% drop in new home sales nationwide, but some West Michigan builders said that's not the case for several local communities. Total housing permits for the Grand Rapids market are up 16% from one year ago; which may be surprising, considering the inventory of existing homes. One builder said the boom is happening in a very narrow segment of the market -- communities where buyers are not finding what they want in the $300,000 to $500,000 range. "They're finding the homes, but needing a lot of work," said Matt McCollum, a builder for Forest Hills Homes. "And I think these people don't want to spend ($30,000) to $50,000 to update the kitchen and flooring, so they are considering building." Read the complete story here.

What started out as a joint venture between the Van Andel Research Institute and Grand Valley State University has emerged as one of the newest additions to the medical mile after raising $5 million dollars in a series B fundraising effort. Grand River Aseptic Manufacturing (GRAM), located in a 12,000-square-foot facility on Front St. NW, will manufacture clinical trial drugs in small-run batches -- a task larger pharmaceutical companies are not able to do as efficiently. The primary products being manufactured are sterile and freeze-dried compounds which, according to a press release from the company, is a $4 billion segment of the $9.2 billion total market for pharmaceutical contract manufacturing organizations. This type of "21st century manufacturing" is a real coup for Grand Rapids, according to GRAM CEO Jerry Arthur. "Over the past several years, every nation, every state (and) every locale all have civic goals to attract the life science industry. This is a dent. Hopefully, this company will grow." Arthur indicates they officially began in January and have added 12 jobs with a goal of 16. Source: Jerry Arthur, CEO, GRAM Writer: John Rumery, Innovation and Jobs Editor

"It's a new way for shooting video," explains Kyle Hilla, CEO of <a target="_blank" href="http://apptopusinc.com/">Apptopus,</a> Inc and inventor of <a target="_blank" href="http://collabracam.com/">CollabraCam,</a> a recently released iPhone app.<br><br>According to Hilla, the inspiration for this app came from his experience working with a local TV station several years ago. Recalling the amount of effort, expertise and cost required to produce a professional show, he knew that with mobile technology, there was a better way to provide amateur filmmakers and hobbyists an improved experience. <br><br>The collaborative system is set up for use by up to five -- four iPhone "cameramen" and one iPhone "director." Unlike traditional filming, the editor is on site and provides real-time cues to the other four cameras. &nbsp;<br><br>Hilla estimates that the total production costs for a professional video shoot can easily exceed $20,000, but you can download his app for $9.99 and be up and filming within minutes.<br><br>Besides simplifying the filming process, CollabraCam also transforms the post-production process. The rough cut of the video can be viewed in the app and then exported for easy editing via an editing app or saved via file sharing in iTunes to edit on your home computer.<br><br>Hilla has filed a provisional patent and has several other complimentary products in the pipeline. Reflecting on the development process, Hilla says "it's an amazing feat to achieve."<br><br>You can learn more about <a target="_blank" href="http://apptopusinc.com/">Apptopus </a>and<a target="_blank" href="http://collabracam.com/"> CollabraCam</a> by visiting their sites.<br><br>Source:&nbsp; Kyle Hilla, Apptopus, Inc<br>Writer: John Rumery, Innovations and Jobs Editor <br><br><iframe title="YouTube video player" width="480" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/43nQwJBayHA" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>