Both the building at 1 S. Saginaw in Pontiac and the McGowan family have deep ties to Michigan history. Through their redevelopment of the Crofoot building from abandoned office space to a ballroom, the family proved that the recipe for downtown revitalization is one part historic preservation, one part innovation, and a dash of rock 'n roll.

With its low barrier to entry and seemingly endless demand for new product, the phone app market is inspiring a tsunami of start-ups. That wave has struck downtown Pontiac, with Future Help Designs not only making the city its home but establishing an incubator for like-minded efforts.