What’s happening: Community development projects in Detroit’s Corktown, North Corktown, and Hubbard Richard neighborhoods have received a financial boost totaling $40,000, it was announced late last week. The four projects will each receive $10,000 microgrants courtesy of the
Michigan Central/Church Street Fund as managed by the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan.
Who was selected: The Community Foundation has approved $10,000 grants for the
Mexicantown Community Development Corporation,
St. Peter’s Episcopal Church,
North Corktown Neighborhood Association, and the
Matrix Theatre Company.
Where it’s going: In the Hubbard Richard neighborhood, the Mexicantown CDC will launch street-level beautification efforts; and the Matrix Theatre Company will develop and perform theater pieces inspired by neighborhood murals.
In Corktown, St. Peter’s Episcopal Church will use the $10,000 toward plantings and environmental solutions for managing stormwater. And in North Corktown, the North Corktown Neighborhood Association will expand and increase a fund for minor home repairs.
How it’s happening: The Community Foundation’s Michigan Central/Church Street Fund began as the Michigan Central Community Impact Fund, a $750,000 contribution from the Ford Motor Co. resulting from their
billion-dollar redevelopment of Corktown’s Michigan Central Station. The fund was recently bolstered by a $100,000 contribution from Oxford Perennial, the firm responsible for
a $200M+ mixed-use development in Corktown. Both endowments resulted from Neighborhood Advisory Councils as required by the City’s Community Benefits Ordinance.
The endowments and grants are managed by the Community Foundation, and the grants, totaling anywhere from $35,000 to $40,000, will be awarded each year in perpetuity.
Why it’s important: “The grants provided via the Michigan Central/Church Street Fund are a great example of these major projects continuing to invest in their neighborhood and show the effectiveness of Detroit’s Community Benefits Ordinance in ensuring inclusive and equitable development outcomes,” reads a statement from Antoine Bryant, director of the City’s Planning and Development Department.
“As more of the Michigan Central and Oxford Perennial redevelopments come online, and as more grants are rolled out in the years to come, we are going to see an incredible transformation in the Corktown, North Corktown and Hubbard Richard communities.”
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