What’s happening: In December 2022,
Covenant Community Care broke ground on their new community health center and campus atop a four-acre site in Detroit’s Cody Rouge neighborhood. Now the nonprofit community health center is looking to complement its forthcoming development with the construction of an outdoor public gathering space and wellness plaza, and public walking trail.
What they’re building: Covenant’s Cody-Rouge Health Center in Northwest Detroit is the first-ever new-build health center developed by the nonprofit, which was first founded in 2001. Covenant currently operates three clinics in Detroit and a fourth in suburban Westland.
The new four-acre health campus will feature a 10,000 sq. ft. medical, dental, and behavioral healthcare center that the organization hopes to see completed come fall. Covenant offers its healthcare services to the community regardless of an individual’s ability to pay.
What else they’re building: Covenant seeks to open their four-acre campus to the public with the addition of an outdoor event and wellness plaza that will host cooking demos, weekly summer farmers markets, organized group walks and exercise programming, and more. Plans also call for the construction of a quarter-mile universally accessible walking trail that complies with the city’s stormwater management plan and feature plants native to Michigan. Trees will be planted to boost air quality.
Why it’s important: “Public health is one of the key components of successful urban planning and placemaking but is often overlooked,” MEDC Regional Prosperity Managing Director Paula Holtz says in a statement.
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Related: Read "Covenant Community Care’s Homeless Outreach Program brings compassion to Detroit streets" on Model D.]
How they’re doing it: Covenant Community Care has been accepted by the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) in its Public Spaces Community Places placemaking initiative. Should Covenant successfully raise $50,000 through
a crowdfunding campaign, the MEDC will contribute an additional $50,000 in support of the project.
The deadline for Covenant’s crowdfunding campaign for the “Pathway to Health” project is Friday, Sept. 8, the status of which can be viewed
on the Michigan-based Patronicity platform.
What they’re saying: "Covenant Community Care is proud to partner with the Michigan Economic Development Corporation on our Pathway to Health Patronicity Campaign,” Covenant Community Care Chief Executive Officer Joslyn Pettway says in a statement. “MEDC's matching funds will help us complete the outdoor features of our new health center in Northwest Detroit, including the creation of an outdoor event plaza for farmer's markets, cooking demonstrations, and other programs, and a public walking trail for everyone in the neighborhood."
Covenant’s Cody-Rouge Health Center will be located at 17635 Joy Rd. in Detroit.
Got a development news story to share? Email MJ Galbraith here or send him a tweet @mikegalbraith.
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