Grandmont Rosedale wraps up forward-focused neighborhood planning series

When the times get tough, the tough get creative. At least that’s the attitude that Grandmont Rosedale Development Corp. (GRDC) took with the four “Community Conversations” that they hosted this fall. Covering transit, sustainability, housing and public services, the community delved deep into “big picture issues that we felt we needed to address as a non-profit, as a community,” says GRDC Executive Director Tom Goddeeris. “(We took) on subjects beyond what we would normally look at.”

The topic “A Leaner, Greener Detroit” looked at transit and sustainability, two concepts that Goddeeris says have “never been big priority issues in our community, never been discussed very much.” After hearing about the current regional transportation plan, which calls for a light rail line down the community’s main street, the present-day importance of transit became clear. “We’ve been a very car-oriented neighborhood … (we need) to think about how we can provide more options for people,” he says.

Some “outside-the-box” concepts that were discussed include future mixed-use development on Grand River as well as community-based enterprise, the concept of community-owned or operated business as a route to commercial revitalization. While GRDC is not prepared to take on any of these ideas immediately, Goddeeris says they certainly will inform the organization’s planning, particularly while the economy is not currently supporting new developments. “We want to think about things we can do now to lay the groundwork,” says Goddeeris. “This is a long-term perspective … we are changing our whole mindset towards the future.”

The presentations are available for view at GRDC’s website here.

Source: Tom Goddeeris, GRDC
Writer: Kelli B. Kavanaugh