Motor City Re-Store: Website Development

Motor City Re-Store is a program dedicated to improving the curb appeal of established Detroit businesses. In continuing our relationship with the Detroit Economic Growth Corporation (DEGC), we developed and built the Motor City Re-Store website with the concepts we created during the initial branding project.

Developing a Customizable Website

Similar to all of our web development and design projects, we began by outlining wireframes. DEGC was involved in every step of the way until we reached a layout that perfectly met our client’s needs. Knowing there were similarities between Motor City Re-Store and DEGC’s other program, Motor City Match, we were able to pinpoint some key enhancements and include them within Motor City Re-Store’s website to ensure a better user experience for website visitors and administrators alike.

Motor City Re-Store’s website was built with a custom CMS that gives administrators extensive control over the content on the site. They are able to easily and immediately edit the content, including application links, update the homepage banner, and change images on all the pages. The website also features advanced custom fields and three unique “post type” options such as, Construction Providers. This post type allows the admin to add, edit, or remove the providers on the constructions services page to only show the available services offered in the program. Admin users are also able to select which category each construction provider is in. Additionally, with half of DEGC’s users coming from their mobile phone, we ensured the mobile experience was seamless.

Elevating the Brand

In order to maximize brand consistency across all of Motor City Re-Store’s web platforms, we created a custom header and footer that appear on their application which is generated through Submittable. The website’s design also mirrors the pamphlets and other marketing collateral we created by focusing heavily on real imagery and highlighting the existing businesses in Detroit. As soon as users arrive at the home page, they are greeted by a rotating banner with pictures of Detroit business owners.

Lastly, we helped our client partner with search engine optimization and created social media channels for them. The result was a stunningly modern website and concise brand that created a solid foundation for Motor City Re-Store’s debut.