Since it was founded, personal blogging has proliferated and competing websites have appeared in the city. Most notably, after 174 years the city’s daily printed newspaper the Ann Arbor News shut down in June 2009. At its close, newspaper company launched AnnArbor.com, a blog-like website with comments and a small core of full-time writers.

I think there’s a lot to learn from this case. One of the most important lessons is something Lisa Williams (of Placeblogger.com) mentioned to me during a conversation we had last fall. She said longevity alone isn’t necessarily a good measure for success of online citizen journalism projects. Given changes in the internet and broader media landscape in Ann Arbor, it seems right to shut down the site. I trust the community members will work to ensure what it achieved will continue somewhere online: a source for information about local issues and a venue for (mostly) civil discussion.

The Data
The parking lots and structures in downtown Ann Arbor are operated by a quasi-public organization, the Ann Arbor Downtown Development Authority (DDA). Together with their parking vendor, last April they implemented a system that provides real-time information about the number of parking spaces available in several lots and garages through digital signs at each garage and through their website. An old Ann Arbor friend Brian Kerr wrote a simple script to scrape that page every 20 minutes and record the number of spaces available at each facility. After letting it run for about two weeks, he posted the data file online. Subsequently a local blogger interviewed the DDA’s IT manager about how the system was implemented, and even posted some charts encouraging visitors to match the chart with the garage. The data sparked a bit of interest on local blogs but the conversation soon died out.

At the time of the completion of a recent parking study in 2007, the DDA operated lots and structures containing 5,770 parking spaces in downtown Ann Arbor. These facilities are concentrated in a relatively small physical area, as shown in this map from the study:

For my first pass at the data I thought I’d look at just one garage, indicated by the arrow above. As is shown, the Maynard Street structure is near two movie theaters, a busy commercial district, and one block from the University of Michigan Central Campus Diag, with many classroom buildings and a large auditorium. The first chart is the number of spaces available in just one day – Monday, April 7, 2008:

The first thing to notice is that the garage is never full during any 20-minute measurement. Although the technical capacity of the garage is 797, the garage flat-lines at 618 (perhaps due to long-term permits or construction). The garage is only filled over 90% of this reduced capacity for one 40-minute period, from 1:40 p.m. to 2:20 p.m, or roughly 2.7% of the entire 24-hour period.

Expanding the time frame for the next 7 consecutive days reveals this pattern:

The spikes correspond with the midday rush, and the garage only fills once, around 1:00 p.m. on Friday, April 11th. This seemingly dry data can tell a rich sociological story; everyone rushes in just after nine, with various people lingering around into long into the evening. In a sense, the curve represents a unique DNA of the local land uses and the preferences and customs of their auto-using patrons, residents, and visitors.

Observations
Based on the data we can make a couple observations. First, the vast majority of the parking lots and structures are almost totally empty the majority of the time. This means they represent a huge amount of inactive urban space. A common rule of thumb is each structured space takes up 300 square feet of floor space for the bay and associated aisles and ramps. If we use this standard, the same floor area in this garage could be 239 apartments (assuming they average a generous 1,000 square feet). Certainly good design would demand a residential structure be taller or configured differently on the site. However, given the extremely fickle use of the garage now, a residential use would mean more people physically at the site on average than are now.

Second, from the chart above we can see that parking demand at the DDA’s prevailing price structure is very spiky, with extremely high demand only at limited times. (This garage costs $.80 an hour, or $175 for a monthly permit) It would seem logical for the DDA to use variable or tiered pricing to create a market incentive for a more efficient use of their space. For example, parking overnight could be inexpensive given the very low demand, with parking around the midday peak much more expensive. Even a modest form of performance parking may change this observed pattern.

Overparked?

Despite nearly 5,800 spaces the DDA continues to develop more parking, this October publishing on their website details about a proposed underground lot near the library boasting green design. How will the city know when they have enough parking? After all, parking policy guru Donald Shoup points out one can rarely provide enough of something that’s under priced. The proposal for the new garage advises readers to “review the findings of the 2007 Parking Study to learn why vehicle parking is needed even with extensive investment in alternative transportation.” Unfortunately the 2007 Parking Study doesn’t exactly settle the matter, including as one of its final recommendations “Maintain a formalized process for determining when new supply is needed.” The study, by the alternative transportation experts Nelson/Nygaard, is chock full of state-of-the-art policy suggestions (including variable pricing discussed above) but avoids the sticky question of determining how much is necessary. Perhaps it’s because like other seemingly scientific questions in urban planning the answer is not scientific but value-laden and political. (A similar question: How many freeways and/or lanes do we need?) And in Ann Arbor, the people want more parking.

Parking in the Real-Time City
In another vein, publishing this real-time data (especially on a still forthcoming mobile format) could itself have profound implications for the transportation system. Could real-time data allow people to avoid full structures and make use of the resource more efficient? The Washington, D.C. suburban rail station lots tend to fill up early, and I’ve heard stories of people driving downtown stopping at each station to look for a spot. What if the space was beamed to their home computer or car? (The more important question might be, “How much parking should they provide to begin with, and what should it be priced?” One suggestive study I saw of San Francisco’s BART concluded replacing parking with offices would boost the agency’s riders and revenue) If the DDA makes summary data available on the website, it would make costly data collection unnecessary for this data point. All citizens would know exactly how full or empty the garages were, and the DDA would be able to observe the impact of pricing or policy changes in real time.

> Previous parking posts: The Urbanists’ Panacea: Parking Reform, Are Expensive Parking Meters Fair?, more
> Homeless Dave’s Interview with the DDA’s Stephen Smith
> Ann Arbor Downtown Development Authority

Although it has been a while since I’ve written about the University of Michigan, I thought I would note the publication of a book by my friend and U-M senior Mollie Bates. An Art and Design senior, in collaboration with the progressive paper the Michigan Independent, Mollie has designed and produced an 80-page, full color book on progressive campus activism at the university titled The Michigan Independent’s Guide to Campus Activism. The book features detailed descriptions of activism from 2003 to 2007 (Students Supporting Affirmative Action, The College Democrats, Voice Your Vote and The Coke Coalition), historical information dating back to the 1960s, and a how-to guide for future activists. I had the opportunity to peruse a copy this summer and was duly impressed. You can get a copy of the book by getting in touch with Mollie at mollie.bates at gmail.com. She informs me it will eventually be available for purchase online, and I will update this post when that happens.

> Preview the book on Mollie’s online portfolio

Almost everyone has had a printer at one time or the other. This is the age of lexmark printers. Throw away the old ones, and get new printer accessories and start printing right away.

The Ann Arbor blog Left Behind in the Fishbowl has posted what appears to be a copy of lyrics of a song written to be used during initiation rituals by Michigamua/Order of the Angell, titled “YMCA (Pride 2008)”. Whether or not the document is authentic of a sophisticated parody, it makes for hilarious reading.

There’s been a lot of talk lately about Michigamua/Order of the Angell because they just inducted new members. Readers of this blog will know I think the group should be abolished since it is a shameful blemish on the history of the University of Michigan, but I won’t belabor the point. I think my views are a quite reasonable conclusion based on my research. It seems some basic history is a good starting point.

1. At its founding, the group created an elaborate invented mythology using their views of Native American culture, which they proceeded to use for nearly 100 years.
2. For 90 years of their history most internal communication (including all newsletters) was in a stylized speech (see below for examples)
3. The group first admitted women in 2000
4. The organized had privileged space in the Michigan Union from the 30s until 2000, had close relationships with administrators for many years, and even at one point had a special university account for their finances. For years, they used university property outside downtown Ann Arbor for special events.
5. They agreed to abolish all references to native American culture in 1989, however the tower occupation revealed numerous objects and a wigwam retained by the organization

Whether it is even possible — or even desirable — to whitewash this history with a quick name change I think is an open question. This is not to mention the appropriateness of having such a group with such an elitist past (and present) claiming to act “for Michigan.”

Here are the new members, from the Daily:

“Pride of 2008″
-Sarah Banco – Women’s soccer
-Lindsey Cottrell – Women’s soccer
-Steve Crompton – Dance Marathon
-Lindsay Davis – Women’s golf
-Alessandra Giampaolo – Softball
-Sam Harper – College Democrats chair
-Michael Hart – Football
-Jen Hsu – Co-chair of the Michigan Student Assembly’s LGBT commission
-Nellie Kippley – Women’s gymnastics
-Matko Maravic – Men’s tennis
-Doug Pickens – Baseball
-Randal Seriguchi – VP of the National Pan-Hellenic council, MSA
-Sejal Tailor – Multicultural Greek Council president
-Alex Tisdall – ROTC
-Tyrel Todd – Men’s wrestling
-Alex Vanderkaay – Swimmer
-Zack Yost – MSA president
-Michael Cromwell – A capella
-Nicole Wojcik – Marching Band
-Anup Shah – IASA
-Rohan Patel – Dance Marathon
-Kelly Sanderson – Women Engineers
-Gervis Menzies – Residence Hall Association

Here’s some images I pulled from my collection:

Newsletters from the 1940s

Class of 1966

Induction ritual photo and account from 1960s

This letterhead was used well into the 1970s. Ironically, this copy contains notes from a meeting where negotiations with Native American students was discussed.

Note, donations from this 1980s fundraising letter are payable to a “University of Michigan — Michigamua Account”

Objects discovered in the “wigwam” during 2000 Student of Color Coalition occupation.

Recent News
> Michigan Daily: “After seven years, group recognized by ‘U’ once again”
> Michigan Daily: “The secret society that lived: New name alone can’t cover blemishes of a shady past”
> Michigan Daily: “Jim Toy Viewpoint: To build a bridge” (Community member describes why he is working with group)

Resources
> Native American Student Association — Michigamua “Guide to Understanding”
> The Order of Angell Maize pages entry
> The Order of Angell website
> Michigamua Members: 1999-2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 (For previous years just drop me a line, I have a printed directory going all the way back to 1902)

More
> Previous Michigamua Posts

In this thesis, I argue that students individually and collectively were agents of change in this period of major alterations in the educational project of the university, in local and university housing policy, and in federal housing policy, making significant contributions to urban development even while they worked within a structural framework of national economic depression and world war, changing federal housing policy, suburbanization, the emergence of the research university, and urban crisis and revitalization. This consideration of student housing, then, is an effective means of examining the changing relationship between the city and the university in twentieth century American urban history.

I’ll also be interested to see what comparisons could be made with College Park from his finished work, and what insights he uncovers on the topic of student voting rights. A year ago I blogged about an interesting group, the Student Voting Rights Campaign, but sadly just noticed their rich trove of articles collected in 2004 was lost to a server crash. Here’s to hoping it’s backed up somewhere.

> Urban Oasis: “Allow Me to Introduce Myself“

Tent State University is a campaign that started in 2003 at Rutgers University and has been taken on by about 10 other schools so far. It is the realization of an alternative university in the midst of the old university. It symbolizes our dissatisfaction with the direction of the education system in the United States. With tents, workshops, alternative classes, open assemblies, and free art and music, we will build parallel democratic institutions to challenge the undemocratic control of our education. With your help, Tent State will take over the Diag this Spring, 2006!

Mourners flock to funeral for ‘just a pizza guy’
Faz Husain recalled for his many kind acts and concern for others
Saturday, March 11, 2006
BY JO COLLINS MATHIS
News Staff Reporter

Jon Strite planned to visit Faz Husain at the University of Michigan Hospital Friday afternoon with a big surprise. After reading that Husain was dying of a lung disease, Strite asked Ann Arbor Mayor John Hieftje to write a proclamation honoring Husain for many things, including enriching “the lives of every person he encounters.”

Husain, the gregarious pizza store owner who enjoyed the spotlight and collected pictures of himself with celebrities, would have loved it.

But instead of taking the proclamation to Husain’s hospital bed Friday, Strite took it to his funeral.

Husain, widely known in the Ann Arbor-Ypsilanti area, died Thursday evening at the University of Michigan Hospital, his immediate family at his side and his large extended family in the hall. He was 54.

“He was the type of guy nobody could ever dislike,” said his cousin, Afraz Ahmed of Ypsilanti, whose deep voice and Indian accent are nearly identical to Husain’s. “He was always optimistic and loving. We will miss him immensely.”

Husain moved from India to Ypsilanti 40 years ago when his father was recruited for a job at Eastern Michigan University.

Kevin Kerr remembers his fellow Ypsilanti High School student as the same outgoing, loving guy as he was until the end.

“There wasn’t anybody who wasn’t his friend,” Kerr said.

Over the years, Husain got a big kick out of meeting and being photographed with celebrities, from Muhammad Ali to Bill Clinton to Queen Elizabeth. He was working on a book about how to meet famous people.

Husain was a member of the Ypsilanti City Council in the early 1980s, and ran unsuccessfully for mayor. He owned several pizzerias over the years, the latest of which is Hello Faz Pizza on West Liberty Street in Ann Arbor.

Local sports teams received countless pizzas from Husain at cost that they sold at fundraising concessions.

Many in the Ann Arbor Public Schools were upset Friday morning to hear that Husain had passed away, said Mary Anne Jaeger, principal of Dicken Elementary School. She called Husain a community icon and said people will miss the “Faz love” he dished out.

Strite, a physical education teacher and coach at Slauson Middle School, recalled how eagerly Husain helped the schools any way he could. He said he had been in the process of getting Husain a proclamation as honorary mayor of Ypsilanti.

When Manish Mehta of Ann Arbor read of Husain’s terminal illness in The Ann Arbor News last month, he arranged an ecumenical prayer/meditation service. Husain, a Muslim, often talked of God and spiritual matters, and was a big believer in unity among people of all faiths.

Mehta met Husain years ago at a U-M football game when he gave his sons a free pizza. “Since then, I have followed the achievements of this very special do-gooder,” he said. “As an Indian-American, I have also supported Faz on a couple of his altruistic acts, which have ranged from collecting clothing donations for his mid-1990s visit to Mother Teresa’s ashram in India, to helping disaster victims locally. He exemplified the diversity and caring nature of Ann Arborites with his flamboyant acts intended to serve humanity.”

Husain read the obituaries every day in The Ann Arbor News, and attended hundreds of funerals over the years to show the grieving family his support.

Ahmed said his cousin’s funeral Friday at the Islamic Center of Ann Arbor was standing-room-only, with people waiting outside. About 500 people attended the burial at Highland Cemetery in Ypsilanti. The family plans to hold a memorial service next week, and will announce details when they are finalized.

In an interview with The News at his house last month, Husain said that he had idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, an incurable, untreatable scarring of the lung.

Husain said he would have liked to grow older, and especially regretted leaving behind his 11-year-old son, Ismail, a sixth-grader at Slauson Middle School, and his wife, Nikki, whom he wed in an arranged marriage in India in 1977.

Other survivors include his son, Ali, 22, a University of Michigan senior, and his daughter, Nadia, 26. Husain had spent years trying to find a man he believed was good enough for his daughter. She married Naumaan Mallhi last month in a wedding moved up so that her father could attend. He wasn’t well, but he was there.

In the recent interview, Husain said he was satisfied knowing he did as much as he could for as long as he could.

“I’m just a pizza guy,” he said. “But I hope I’ll leave a loving mark.”

STATE OF MICHIGAN

IN THE WASHTENAW COUNTY CIRCUIT COURT

CHRISTOPHER BELL,
JOHN DOE,

Plaintiff class representatives,

v CASE NO. 06- CK

MICHIGAMUA
REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN,

Defendants,

________________________________/
CHRISTOPHER J. BELL (P63324)
Attorney for Plaintiffs
3188 Bolgos Circle
Ann Arbor, MI 48105-1564
(734) 646-5650___________________/

COMPLAINT

NOW COME CHRISTOPHER BELL and JOHN DOE, by and through their attorney,

CHRISTOPHER J. BELL, and say,

GENERAL ALLEGATIONS

1. Plaintiff class representatives are individuals, and residents of the County of Washtenaw, State of Michigan.

2. Plaintiff class representative, CHRISTOPHER BELL (“Bell”), is a Native American who was a student at The University of Michigan between November 1, 1989, and February 6,2000.

3. Plaintiff class representative, JOHN DOE (“Doe”), is a Native American who was a paid employee of The University of Michigan between November 1, 1989 and February 6, 2000, and because plaintiff is still currently employed by Defendant, desires to remain anonymous to avoid any sort of retribution as a result of his status in this action.

4. Defendant REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN (“University”) is

the governing body of The University of Michigan, a public university of the State of Michigan.

5. Defendant MICHIGAMUA (“Michigamua”) is an unincorporated voluntary

organization within the State of Michigan.

6. The amount in controversy is greater than $25,000.00, and is, therefore, within the

exclusive jurisdiction of this court.

COUNT I – BREACH OF CONTRACT

7. Plaintiff class representatives incorporate by reference their allegations contained

in paragraphs 1 through 6.

8. In 1901, the group Michigamua was formed at The University of Michigamua.

Within a few years, ceremonies, rituals, activities, individual nicknames for members, costumes

for members’ activities, and songs and poems were developed that were all related to Native

American or at least pseudo-Native American traditions and culture, generally as popularized in

mainstream white society through the media of the time. Much of such activities can be charac-

terized as a one-dimensional, early Hollywood caricature of ignorant white depictions of Native

American culture and traditions. For many years, only white males from the student body were

selected to be members by the previous year’s membership.

9. By 1930, Michigamua had been given exclusive, and essentially permanent, space

by University in the top floor of the tower of the Michigan Union. Over the years, the group

transformed the large room into what was intended to look like the inside of a huge wigwam.

For years the group involved every President of the University in their annual spring ceremonies,

which often took place right on the lawn of the President’s house. Early still photos and video in

storage at the University’s library show depictions of members of Michigamua dressed in

loincloths and feathers, with some in full headdresses, smoking a big pipe and carrying on in

Hollywood fashion.

10. Sometime during 1973, a Native American student filed a complaint with the

Michigan Civil Rights Commission claiming that such activities, some of which were regularly conducted outside in full view of all students at special places in the middle of campus, were

demeaning, belittling, and disrespectful to Native Americans. A subsequent decision by that

body stated that such activities should not take place in public where they can be injurious to

Native American students.

11. In 1989, another Native American student complained about the continuation of

such activities by the group Michigamua. On November 1, 1989, a written agreement

(“Agreement”) was signed by the student complainant, representatives of Michigamua, and by

representatives of the University, a copy of which is attached as Exhibit A.

12. Sometime between September 1, 1993 and December 20, 1994, while a student at

the University, Bell heard the sound of pseudo-Native American singing and drumming coming

out of the top floor windows of the tower of the Michigan Union. Bell learned that it was

performed by members of Michigamua, and could be heard every week during their late night

meetings. Bell was incredulous that such activities could still be taking place on campus. Bell

felt betrayed, demeaned, insulted, belittled. Bell was not aware that the Agreement existed,

and did not find out it existed until sometime after February 6, 2000, when Michigamua’s tower

space was entered and occupied by student protesters.

13. Doe became aware of such activities of Michigamua between November 1, 1989

and February 6, 2000. Doe felt demeaned, insulted, degraded, and mocked by the singing and

drumming. To him, such trivializing of what he considered to be serious activities when carried

out by Native Americans, was an insult and a desecration. Additionally, because he was a paid

employee of University, Doe felt that his work environment was hostile and offensive. Doe

was, also, never aware of the existence of the Agreement until after February 6, 2000.

14. The Agreement is a contract among the signatories to it, with a bargained-for

exchange of obligations assigned to all parties, for which they all provided substantial

consideration. When the University and Michigamua signed the Agreement they were aware

that Native Americans considered the Michigamua “ceremonies, references and representations”

to be “offensive”, and therefore agreed, as a result, to “hereby eliminate all references to Native

American culture and pseudo-culture and extensions and parodies thereof . . . for now and

forever.” By suggesting that violations may result in “prosecution to the fullest extent of the law,

including involvement of the [Michigan] Civil Rights Commission”, all signatories to the

contractual agreement understood that the subject of the contract was maintaining the civil rights

of Native American students, staff, and faculty who must try to work in an environment which is

not hostile or offensive to their beliefs, traditions, customs, or values.

15. The University has considered the group Michigamua to be a student group, like

dozens of others that it oversees through one of its various departments. There are regulations

that all prospective student groups must abide by before they can be considered an official

student group, and to which they must abide in order to maintain that status. Those regulations

require that they at all time respect the dignity and diversity of those around them. Healthy

debate and disagreement is one thing, but disparaging another group’s culture is not allowed.

Therefore, being on notice that one racial group has repeatedly complained about Michigamua’s

behavior and activities and, more importantly, being aware that Michigamua had contracted to

never engage in such activities again, the University, and through its Regents, had a duty to make

sure that Michigamua abided by the contract. As a signatory to the Agreement the University

implicitly bound itself as monitor and overseer of Michigamua to ensure that the group did

not violate the agreement.

16. The University breached the contract by failing to monitor that Michigamua abide

by the contract and not engage in the prohibited behaviors. The University either knew that

Michigamua was continuing to violate the contract, or it engaged in deliberate blindness in not

inquiring or monitoring Michigamua’s activities. Upon information and belief Michigamua, as a

group and its individual alumni, have significantly contributed financially to the University.

Because of the pecuniary benefit that the University receives from Michigamua, the University

continued to ignor or acted indifferently toward Michigamua’s violation of the Agreement.

17. Native Americans who were either students, staff, or faculty between November

1, 1989, and February 6, 2000, are third party intended beneficiaries of the Agreement, and

have been injured by Defendants. Their civil rights have been violated. Defendants’ malice and

wilful and wanton reckless disregard for plaintiff class’ rights, have inspired in them feelings of

humiliation, outrage, and indignity.

Plaintiff class representatives, Bell and Doe, request the following relief:

A. That it be declared that Defendants breached the contract with Plaintiff class, all

Native Americans who were students, staff, or faculty anytime between November 1, 1989 and

February 6, 2000 who were not aware of the existence of the contract until after the occupation of

the tower on February 6, 2000.

B. That such class be certified upon subsequent motion by Plaintiffs.

C. Plaintiffs request judgment against Defendant in the amount to be determined by

the trier of fact, including compensatory and exemplary damages, and costs and attorney fees.

D. Plaintiffs request a jury trial.

DATED:____________________ ____________________________________
CHRISTOPHER J. BELL (P63324)
Attorney for Plaintiffs