Second Edition Detroit Vacant Property Toolbox

New Northeast Guidance Center’s “Green” Campus - A Product of Public-Private Partnership in Action

News—Detroit Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) is constantly looking for new and innovative ways to promote and advance its vision of building healthy and sustainable communities throughout Detroit. By bringing non-traditional partners together and leveraging resources, Detroit LISC is spearheading a movement of neighborhood change and revitalization.

Detroit LISC’s involvement in the development of a new “green” campus for the Northeast Guidance Center (NEGC) is a shining example of how community development and private enterprise can work together to address the ever-changing needs of Detroit residents.

NEGC first opened its doors some 46 years ago. Serving the behavioral health needs of residents of Detroit’s eastside, NEGC annually provides mental health services, counseling and recovery services to more than 6,000 underserved adults and children with mental illnesses and special needs.

Connecting To The Future: New Wireless Broadband Network To Launch In The Central Woodward And North End Communities

News—Thousands of low-income Detroit residents who live in the Central Woodward and the North End communities will soon have access to a new, high-tech wireless Internet network. The Central Woodward/North End Collaborative, in conjunction with Detroit Local Initiatives Corporation (LISC), is successfully using technology as a foundation for community development with the introduction of the Detroit Connected Community Initiative (DCCI).

The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation awarded an $810,000 grant to the DCCI for the development of various projects, including the expansion of freely available broadband Internet service.

Linking Public Development Dollars To Local Job Creation

News—Detroit is at a critical time in its history as the metropolitan area deals with a weakened economy and unprecedented job loss. The horizon looks bright as planned investments in the city’s infrastructure present an opportunity to stimulate the economy and create new and sustainable careers – specifically in the construction industry.

Careers in the construction industry and building trades can open doors for Detroiters seeking employment and a better quality of life. As the state and city move forward with new infrastructure improvements, a solid policy is needed to ensure that local workers benefit from significant public investments and key development projects.

Building Sustainable Communities: 2009 and A Look Forward

About us—Learn more about our Building Sustainable Communities model and how it has progressed from an ambitious plan to a proven strategy. Continue…

Unearthing the Historical Treasures of Corktown

News—Detroit was founded more than 300 years ago. Some might say this great city is a time capsule holding three centuries of landmark achievements and historical milestones.

All around the city, the history of Detroit is reflected in its grand architecture, business communities and neighborhoods. Detroit’s Corktown is a prime example. The city’s oldest neighborhood, Corktown is located just west of the downtown commercial district, bounded by Michigan Avenue, Porter Street and the Lodge Freeway.

Southwest Detroit's Weiss Park Receives A Make-Over

News—The Urban Neighborhood Initiatives (UNI), formerly Neighborhood Centers, Inc., has embarked on a collaborative effort with other Southwest Detroit organizations and area residents to redevelop and transform Southwest Detroit's Springwells Village. This collaborative effort is instrumental to the overall comprehensive strategy being led and coordinated by the Southwest Detroit Development Collaborative (SDDC).

Green space development is a key building block in UNI’s plan that is designed to impact housing rehabilitation, infrastructure and quality of life improvements. UNI has identified, and is currently investing in five Southwest Detroit parks, including Weiss Park – located across from the historic Woodmere Cemetery.

Building a Safe, Sustainable Community in Central Woodward

News—Safety is the number one priority for area residents in Central Woodward and the North End. Detroit Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) and the Central Woodward/North End Collaborative have joined forces to address this important issue, as one component of the larger comprehensive strategy for the area.

With support and funding from Detroit LISC, the Central Woodward/North End Collaborative developed and launched a Safety Management Program, designed to significantly decrease crime, while increasing the quality of life for residents and businesses in the area.

Focus: HOPE, an architect for change in the Central Woodward/North End community for 40 years, was selected to become the on-the-ground CDC coordinating the Central Woodward Safety Management Program.

Preserving the Legacy of Historic Boston-Edison

News—A neighborhood is more than the houses that line city streets and boulevards. It is an intricate tapestry woven together by history, memories and the hopes and dreams of its residents. Nowhere in Detroit is this more evident than in the community of Historic Boston-Edison.

Located in the heart of Detroit just off the Lodge Freeway and Chicago Boulevard, Boston-Edison is the largest historic neighborhood in the country, encompassing 36 blocks of beautiful tree-lined streets with 930 elegant homes and stately mansions – most of which were built between 1905 and 1925.

Some of the nation’s and Detroit’s most famous sons and daughters once called Boston-Edison home, including such luminaries as auto pioneer Henry Ford, SS Kresge department store founder Sebastion Kresge, former Mayor and US Senator James Couzens, former Tigers owner Walter O. Briggs, Mark Twain’s daughter Clara Clemens, boxing great Joe Louis, opera singer Celeste Cole and Motown Records founder Berry Gordy.

Detroit LISC Launches Business Planning Phase of Innovative Investment Strategy to Build Sustainable Communities in Detroit

News—Detroit LISC has officially announced implementation of the business planning phase of Organizational Sustainability, and selected a dozen non-profit partner organizations that will receive funding and resources to help move the Detroit LISC Sustainable Communities agenda forward.

This announcement comes at a crucial time when the industry as a whole is adjusting to the impact of the current economic downturn. A catalyst for positive change in the industry, Detroit LISC remains focused on how best to respond to the current economic situation, and at the same time effectively revitalize the neighborhoods of Detroit.

A Call to Action: Southwest Detroiters Unite at Environmental Justice Forum

News—The environment is a hot button issue, especially for the citizens who reside in Southwest Detroit, a community that boasts large-scale industry, as well as many transportation projects.

Newly elected State Representative, Rashida Tlaib, who represents Southwest Detroit, is taking some proactive steps to ensure that this important issue is not overlooked. Recently she organized an “Environmental Justice Forum,” assembling some 83 people at the Latino Family Services headquarters on Fort Street. The forum focused on several topics, from the expansion of the Marathon Oil Refinery to salt mine blasting by the Detroit Salt Co. to air quality and the impact of the proposed Detroit River International Crossing (DRIC) and Detroit Intermodal Freight Terminal (DIFT) projects.

New Southwest Detroit Community Mapping Project Helps Design Neighborhoods of the Future

News—Detroit is a city filled with eclectic and historic neighborhoods that are undergoing an unprecedented social, physical and economic transformation. Southwest Detroit is one of those communities. The Southwest Detroit Development Collaborative (SDDC) has partnered with a group of urbanists to design and launch a unique Community Mapping Project that will help redevelop vibrant, sustainable neighborhoods for the future.

Thanks to a grant by Detroit Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC), the SDDC’s Community Mapping Project will allow CDCs and nonprofits in Southwest Detroit to have access to a valuable high-tech GIS (Geographic Information Systems) mapping tool. While the Community Mapping Project is a pilot program, the SDDC hopes that it can be the framework for a comprehensive database with a website and online interface that will one day be accessible to all CDCs, businesses, residents, civic leaders and other community organizations.