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Jay Walljasper

Jay Walljasper's Latest Articles

Detroit Revitalization Fellow: Owiso Makuku

With experience in the Dominican Republic with the Peace Corps, and in various jobs in New York, Boston and Burlington, Vermont, Owiso Makuku comes ready to make a difference in Detroit. Jay Walljasper shows us why. 

Detroit Revitalization Fellow: Erin Kelly

She's studied and worked in major cities in North America, was inspired by the creative scenes in Berlin and landed in Detroit to work for NextEnergy -- and design Detroit's first off leash dog park. Jay Walljasper profiles Erin Kelley. 

Detroit Revitalization Fellow: John Corcoran

From New Jersey, with stops at Cal-Berkely and Georgetown, John Corcoran now serves as manager of real estate projects for TechTown Detroit. He's here because of WSU's Detroit Revitalization Fellows program. Jay Walljasper has the profile.

Detroit Revitalization Fellow: Réna Bradley

She grew up in Southfield, then left the region to attend college at Howard and work as an architect in Washington D.C., where she saw neighborhoods once thought lost rebound to prosperity. Jay Walljasper profiles Réna Bradley. 

Detroit Revitalization Fellow: Dara O’Byrne

Preserving the environment means reviving the city, says an urban planner and designer who relocated from Seattle to Detroit to be part of WSU's revitalization fellows project and live in the West Village. Jay Walljasper profiles Dara O'Byrne. 

Detroit Revitalization Fellow: Tom Habitz, Jr.

Growing up in suburbia, Tom Habitz Jr. heard horror stories about Detroit as a kid -- and believed most of them. Now that he lives and work in the interior city he says he'd rather be nowhere else. Jay Walljasper tells his transformative story.  

Detroit Revitalization Fellow: Marcus Clarke

Although he'd never visited Detroit before applying for the fellowship and moving here, Marcus Clarke was always intrigued by the techno and house dance music scenes here. Definitely our kind of guy, says Jay Walljasper. 

Detroit Revitalization Fellow: Michael Forsyth

He's been in a state of Detroit excitement and discovery ever since his band played Harpo's a few years ago. Now, Michael Forsyth is working with the DEGC on the Shoppes at Gateway project. Jay Walljasper tells the rest of the story.   

Detroit Revitalization Fellow Allyson McLean

It took leaving Detroit to really get to know the city, says Allyson McLean, who grew up in Troy and studied abroad before landing jobs in Pittsburgh and Washington D.C. Jay Walljasper tells her coming home story.  

From Eastern Europe to Eastern Market

A background in finance and urban planning prepared Detroit Revitalization Fellow Jela Ellefson perfectly for her role as Grants and Special Projects Coordinator for the Eastern Market Corp. Jay Walljasper makes the introduction. 

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