On the watch list for January: Fresh snow, more minutes of daylight, and the newly expanded Zingerman's Deli.  The two-story, 10,200 sq. ft. addition is close to complete. Workers are digging a new section of basement between the existing deli and the new building and connecting the two buildings on the basement and first floor levels. Zingerman's Deli Managing Partner Grace Singleton expects to open the addition to the public by mid-to-late January. Zingerman's is targeting LEED Silver, or possibly LEED Gold, certification for the project. Among the eco-friendly features are a parallel rack system for the refrigerator units; instead of 25 separate compressors, there are four.  "Refrigeration makes waste heat, and so we're capturing that waste heat and using it to preheat water for the hot water tanks," Singleton says. The building also has a white roof. "They've done a lot of studies to prove that actually the most energy-efficient roof is a really light-colored roof that reflects the sun in the summer, because you use more energy to cool than you do to heat." The expansion will add another 140 seats plus a second-floor deck with seating for 60 during warm weather to the 100 seats at Zingerman's Next Door, which will keep the same dining capacity, albeit more reminiscent of its original roots.   "Because it's always been our overflow seating, it kind of had almost two personalities," Singleton says, adding, "We're probably going to bring the bulk of coffee and tea over there, add some more of the sweets and confections and chocolate display we have...It'll still be open the whole time, but we'll be able to really focus on it as more of the coffee shop versus the coffee shop / overflow seating for the Deli." Zingerman's forecasted adding another 60 jobs within five years of opening the new space, which has amenities such as a bathroom for the staff with a shower to encourage staff biking to work, Singleton says.  "We were working in the confines of the building we had, so we're very excited to have a much better workplace for our staff, where we have a break room and more restrooms, and we have an elevator to move freight around. And the flow of the work becomes much easier versus all the logistical hoops we had to jump through when we were in the older cramped kitchen...It was one of the main motivators for doing our project." Source: Grace Singleton, managing partner of Zingerman's Deli Writer: Tanya Muzumdar

Dexter-based k-Space Associates is celebrating its 20th year of being in business and Darryl Barlett, the firm's general manager, attributes its success to two things: "It's making products people can actually use," Barlett says. "That's No. 1. The No. 2 is giving people good technical support. The manufacturer and tech firm develops and makes diagnostic tools for the semi-conductor industry. It recently doubled the size of its manufacturing and research-and-development facility, moving into the new space last summer. The company has hired four people over the last year, expanding its staff to 25 employees and the occasional intern. The new hires include engineers, assembly workers and technicians. Barlett expects to hire two more people in 2013 and has one open position for an internal technical sales person. "We need that person right now," Barlett says. Source: Darryl Barlett, general manager of k-Space Associates Writer: Jon Zemke Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.

Mobile and health-care work is driving some significant growth at Logic Solutions. The Ann Arbor-based business has hired 35 people in 2012 and is looking to add another five. The job openings include sales, project managers and technical leads. The company now employs 190 people with most of its growth coming through its mobile applications. "Our mobile practice is just booming right now," says Bruce Richardson, president of Logic Solutions. "We doubled in size in both revenue and people." Logic Solutions specializes in custom strategy and development of mobile and web applications. It acquired Quantum Compliance Systems, which develops software that embeds sustainable environmental, health and safety practices into a company's daily operations, earlier this year. Richardson expects the growth at his company to continue for the next year. That growth is expected to come from the rebounding economy, health-care expansion and the mobile sector's rapid rise. "I think we're going to experience some significant growth," Richardson says. Source: Bruce Richardson, president of Logic Solutions Writer: Jon Zemke Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.

Last year, 3.7 Designs had a goal of migrating its workload from one-off projects to more steady customers and its own software. As the Ann Arbor-based firm enters 2013, it has found its execution on this plan has led to steadier work and a bigger bottom line. Its customer base has become steadier and it has allowed the company to raise its rates. It has also hired a project manager to its staff of four employees and two interns. "It has been a win-win for the company," says Ross Johnson, CEO of 3.7 Designs. "I see us continuing to grow revenuewise." 3.7 Designs specializes in building websites. The 6-year-old company started out doing basic website work but has grown to also offering marketing and upkeep services for the websites its builds. It also creates software for things like training modules. Johnson has also moved onto teaching classes about the Internet at Michigan State University and Washtenaw Community College. Source: Ross Johnson, CEO of 3.7 Designs Writer: Jon Zemke Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.

At the Mount Brighton ski area, snow is green. Vail Resorts, Inc., owner of the eponymous Vail ski resort and other major mountain resorts in the Colorado Rockies and Lake Tahoe regions, has entered into an agreement to purchase the ski destination located about 40 miles west of Detroit and 20 miles north of Ann Arbor. "We believe there's an opportunity for us to look at key urban markets where there's a concentration of skiers and riders and where there are local ski areas. And we believe there's an opportunity to connect our destination resorts in Colorado and California with those markets by owning some of these resorts in these key markets, and then creating a conduit between that particular ski area and market back out to our western destination resorts. A lot of our guests currently come from Michigan, as an example," says John Garnsey, president of global mountain development at Vail Resorts, Inc. Over 307,000 skiers and snowboarders live in the Detroit, Lansing, and Ann Arbor areas, according to the company. Vail Resorts will also purchase another urban ski area, the Afton Alps resort near Minneapolis. The combined price for both properties is $20 million. Mount Brighton is owned by the Bruhn family, which has requested that their component of the sale price not be disclosed at this time. The deal is expected to close later this week or early next, according to Garnsey. Consequently, an overhaul is forthcoming for the property, which opened in 1960. It has 26 trails on 130 skiable acres, seven chair lifts, night skiing and snowboarding, and an 18-hole golf course. Garnsey says the company plans to upgrade and build upon the existing snowmaking system, evaluate the chairlifts, and also look at expanding the 15-acre terrain park, improving base facilities, and adding more summer activities. Company representatives plan to meet with Brighton's community leaders and seek their input, says Garnsey. "We'll certainly work with the existing team there and get a lot of feedback from them and pick their brains on what they'd like to see relative to improvements, et cetera. I think that next summer you'll see some activity at Mount Brighton." Source: John Garnsey, president of global mountain development at Vail Resorts, Inc. Writer: Tanya Muzumdar