Rapid Growth Article: Celebrate Heartside

Rapid Growth wrote an article about "Celebrate Heartside," the short film we produced with photographer Brian Kelly. It also talks about the premier party next weekend, and the great work Locus Development is doing downtown.

Read it here or below.

February 5, 2009

Creative groundbreaking for “38” to debut locally-produced short film celebrating Heartside

By: Deborah Johnson Wood

On February 12, Locus Development will host the public at a creative “Heartside Pre-Glow” party that serves as the groundbreaking for Thirty-Eight (38 Commerce), a fundraiser for the Heartside Business Association, and the debut of Celebrate Heartside, a four-minute film written, directed and produced by Creo Productions and Brian Kelly, owner of Brian Kelly Photography and managing photographer of Rapid Growth.

The event venue, the former EQ3 building at 130 Ionia SW, provides the perfect space to debut the film: above the building on the outer west wall of the Cherry/Commerce parking ramp.

The film, shot entirely in Heartside, celebrates the revitalization of the area as a one-of-a-kind entertainment and entrepreneurial community. Brian Vander Ark, of The Verve Pipe, wrote and performed the film’s score.

“Locus Development commissioned the film to show the vitality and uniqueness of Heartside in a fresh way,” says Kelly. “Heartside is becoming the place to be if you want to live downtown in proximity to hip artist lofts and galleries, innovative entrepreneurs, some of the most unique retail anywhere and fantastic nightlife.”

Click here to view a sneak preview of the film.

As to why Locus Development’s John Green and Andy Winkel chose such an unusual groundbreaking event, they wanted to do something that benefits Heartside as a whole.

“We’d much rather allocate the money typically spent on a groundbreaking event and apply that to a worthy cause like the Heartside Business Association,” Winkel says.

Before forming Locus Development early last year, Green and Winkel worked together on two Heartside developments: Hopson Flats and Founders’ Brewing. Green also worked with CWD Real Estate Investment’s Sam Cummings on The Fitzgerald.

Winkel and Green’s newest Heartside endeavor, the $26 million Thirty-Eight, is a creative interweaving of public and private properties into a city parking ramp camouflaged by privately owned “liner buildings.”

The February 12 event kicks off at 5 p.m.; Celebrate Heartside shows at 6 p.m. Brian Kelly and Mayor George Heartwell will be on hand for a few remarks, DJ Shannon Williams will provide music, and guests can sample Founders’ beer and Republic’s menu specialties.

Please RSVP to Jessica Geerling at jessical@locusdevelopment.com. The party is free; however donations to the Heartside Business Association are welcomed.