Placemaking

Design renderings of the Chandler Park Skatepark

Groundbreaking ceremony planned for Chandler Park Skatepark

"The Chandler Park Skatepark is a great example of how a community can come together to create a unique space to benefit young people,” says Tony Hawk, professional skateboarder and chairman of The Skateboard Project.

Latest in Placemaking
Architect, developer, and owner of Rebound Construction, Steven Harris sees better days ahead despite COVID-19's impact in the industry.
New food and coffee projects to boost Detroit’s North End rebound after COVID-19

Developer Steven Harris is partnering with some of Detroit's most popular chefs and baristas in a new North End project, the revitalization of a complex on John R Street. The space will include art installations, community spaces, and initiatives from chef Max Hardy (from Detroit Shipping Co.'s Coop) and barista Emily Steffens (owner of The Gathering Coffee Co.).

“We believe we should be able to live affordably in the city of Detroit and be entrenched in the amazing culture of our city,” Oren Goldenberg says.
Dreamtroit mixed-use development expected to be completed in early 2022

“We believe we should be able to live affordably in the city of Detroit and be entrenched in the amazing culture of our city,” Oren Goldenberg says. “This project is about reimagining old structures in new ways and contributing to Detroit's reinvention of itself and its icons.”

Playa Vs. Playa Gaming Lounge features gaming consoles that appeal to a range of generations, from the original Atari system to the highly coveted PS5.
Video gaming lounge and event space to celebrate grand opening in Fitzgerald neighborhood

“You see everything going downtown but I want to see more things in the neighborhoods. That’s where I’m drawn,” says Lance McGhee. “I want to go where there’s a need for these types of things.”

Les Lance, business manager for J&G Pallets, says the building they renovated on Mack Avenue likely would have been demolished without intervention.
Non-profit helping to build resilience in Detroit’s small businesses

Business manager Les Lance says he feels like his company has taken the hardest hit they've faced yet: “And we did it standing up.” It's this kind of resilience that LISC Detroit is fostering with loans for Detroit's small businesses. 

Baobab Fare was celebrated with a ribbon cutting ceremony on Thursday, April 1.
East African restaurant and market Baobab Fare celebrates grand opening in New Center

“We are proud to open our doors and bring East African cuisine and culture to our community,” Hamissi Mamba says. “Baobab Fare is more than a restaurant; it is a gathering place where all are welcomed and embraced. Detroit is our new home.”

Walter Baker stocks the shelves at his Detroit shop, Baker's Bible and Bookstore.
Family-owned bookstore helps Detroit’s religious community turn the page on COVID-19

Family-owned Baker's Bible and Bookstore has seen its share of ups and downs over the quarter-century it’s been in business. In the wake of COVID-19, the independent religious bookstore continues its mission of being 'a light in the community'.  

“What I’m trying to do is bring something that’s a little different to the city,” Masten says.
Detroiter brings London’s underground nightclub scene, house music to new Grandmont Rosedale lounge

“This is going to combine a London underground club with Detroit industrial chic,” says Herschell Masten, owner of HM Style Lounge & Chill Room.

Zero-interest loans help Fitzgerald residents repair homes

More than 70 loans from Fitzgerald homeowners have been approved in a 0%-interest program designed to help residents repair houses in the neighborhood. With $1.05 million invested and 42 of those projects already completed, organizers want to get the word out. 

Jason Johnson carefully selects what he stocks in Midtown's Bob's Classic Kicks.
Detroit entrepreneur proving people wrong with sneaker success story

When Jason Johnson started his Midtown business, he had no idea the sneaker industry was about to take off. Now the owner of Detroit's iconic Bob’s Classic Kicks store is surviving COVID-19 challenges with a bit of help from his community. 

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