3 neighborhood commercial districts to receive boost from city

Ed. note: This item originally appeared in our Jan. 9 issue. Some of the information was not correct. The text below reflects the corrected information. Model D regrets the error.


The City of Detroit Office of Neighborhood Revitalization (ONCR) has selected three Detroit neighborhood commercial corridors as ReStore Detroit districts. The community development corporations (CDCs) of the designated areas will receive technical assistance and operational support for five years in the areas of business attraction and retention.

The neighborhood organizations that were selected are:

• Greater Corktown Development Corporation for Michigan Ave, between Sixth and Twentieth Streets;
• Gratiot-McDougall United CDC for Gratiot from St. Aubin to McDougall; and
• East Warren Businesses United/U-SNAP-BAC for E. Warren from Devonshire to Cadieux.
  

ONCR is designed around a five-point approach to commercial strip revitalization that includes committees to address the following issues:

• safety and cleanliness;
• promotion;
• design;
• organization; and
  
• and economic restructuring.
  

Over five years, the districts will receive $400,000 in operational support, $175,000 in façade matching grants, $10,000 in staff and volunteer training and $15,000 in promotions and marketing support. Organizations were required to raise $25,000 in matching funds by the end of 2006 to qualify for the designation.

"ONCR will allow GCDC to continue its implementation of our 'Main Street' efforts, hire staff and assist area businesses along Michigan Avenue with facade improvements," says Ronda Moore of Greater Corktown.

Sources: City of Detroit; Ronda Moore, GCDC