Community Revitalization Newsletter
494 Lakewood - Detroit, Michigan 48215
Work in Detroit...and Live there too
Revitalife Program Announcement
In Case you missed it...recent articles from the Detroit Free Press and the Duluth News Tribune
Work in Detroit...and Live There Too
I’ve heard several prominent Detroit executives extol the virtues of the city and its importance to growing their businesses. I won’t question their commitment, I believe that they are sincere, but let me point out one glaring irony in the hopes that someone might be listening:
Dear Detroit CEOs,
Tell your corporate relocation firms to include some Detroit neighborhoods when working with potential employees. You never know, they might actually want to live in the city in which they are planning to work.
If the firms are unaware of any viable neighborhoods, please call me and I will show you some nice, stable, safe Detroit Neighborhoods that surpass anything available in the suburbs.
Believe it or not, you can live in Detroit. I have for almost two decades.
Sincerely,
Jay C. Juergensen
A few years back, a friend of mine was being recruited by a major Detroit
corporation that is active in supporting revitalization efforts in the
city. The relocation firm hired by the corporation never showed my friend
a single Detroit neighborhood. Not one. Had he not known me, he would
not have been made aware of some of the great neighborhoods available
in the city.
For those of you not from Detroit or unfamiliar with its environs, Detroit
does in fact have some very vibrant and affordable neighborhoods.
The list of great residential neighborhoods is endless. They include
numerous historic districts including Indian Village, Corktown, Palmer
Woods and Boston Edison. A well known and stable residential community,
the various Rosedale Neighborhoods might be an option.
In
the mood for a funky up and coming ethnic enclave, check out a resurgent
Southwest Detroit and it's Latino community. For truly upscale
living, there are a number of high-end waterfront communities including
Greyhaven and Rivertown.
These
neighborhoods, far from a blighted war zone, are made up of quality
built historic homes. The city has a variety of offerings to suit
just about anyone or any family willing to take a chance on city living.
They also have the added
luxury of being close to regional amenities such as Eastern Market,
the Woodward Entertainment District, major regional art and cultural
institutions and Mexicantown.
In recent years, a grassroots effort to encourage city living has emerged.
“How to Live in Detroit,” booths are now a staple at local
events such as the Detroit TasteFest and the Dally in the Alley. The
booths are aimed primarily at the young and hip, interested in loft
living and late night fun.
Next Generation Detroit, a local group dedicated to promoting the city, organized the upcoming the City Life, City Living, a two day workshop on the benefits and incentives available to prospective residents. The event is schedule for August 27 and 28 at the GM World Headquarters in the Renassiance Center (contact: Austin Black, austinb1212@wowway.com).
“Illuminate
Detroit,” a joint effort of the Metro Times, LoftWerks and
a host of restaurants and watering holes, is working to bring young
people to the city by highlighting the vibrant arts and culture scene.
Illuminate 5, a gathering of artists and others interested in living
Detroit, is scheduled for June 25 from 6 to 10 pm at the Lamar in Brush
Park.
Like any grassroots effort, the mission needs to begin filtering up to the corporate offices that largely ignore Detroit when helping employees relocate to the area. We've been told that to climb the corporate ladder at the Target Corporation in Minneapolis/St. Paul there is a city neighborhood that you better live in if you expect to get ahead.
In
rust-belt brethren Pittsburgh, relocation firms are helping to tout
the city. “Getting
to the Point, Inc.” a large Pittsburgh relocation firm had
this to say about their housing services, “You can live in a loft
in downtown Pittsburgh, or in a city neighborhood with all of its urban
amenities. If you prefer the suburbs, you can easily find two-acre lots,
five acres with a pond, or a luxurious golf community.”
As the quote suggests, in Pittsburgh, new residents are shown a range
of options from the city to the suburbs. All I am asking is that relocation
firms working with Detroit's corporate community take the same approach
and stop overlooking the city and some of its great neighborhoods.
By the way, if you are looking for a place on the east side, give me
a call. (313.331.6180)
Revitalife Program Announcement
On
June 30, 2004, our contract with the Michigan State Housing Development
Authority (MSHDA) expired. The remaining state-held tax reverted properties
will be managed by the Land Bank Fast Track Authority (LBFTA). At this
time, the LBFTA is in the process of creating a new mechanism for land
disposition in Detroit, Hamtramck and Highland Park.
We are grateful for the support and commitment of the community and
local community development corporations. Their participation was critical
to the success and overall impact of the Revitalife Program. Over the
three-year life of the program, Revitalife has transferred more than
3,000 properties to nonprofits, side lot owners and private, for-profit
developers.
Please call the following number for any questions regarding outstanding
Revitalife property applications:
Tamika A. Hale
Michigan State Housing Development Authority
Office of Community Development
313/456-3610 or 517/241-6667
halet@michigan.gov
For information regarding the LBFTA, please call 517/335-7810.
It has been a pleasure managing the Revitalife Program. Working with
and under the direction of MSHDA has been a great experience and we
were glad to have been of service to them, the State and the citizens
of the communities in which we have worked. As community and economic
development experts, it is rewarding to see our work bear such great
fruit.
Thank you for your support.
Jay Juergensen
President, Juergensen & Associates
Mike Hickey
Program Director, Revitalife Program
In Case you missed it...Recent Articles from the Detroit Free Press and the Duluth News Tribune
Jay
Juergensen wrote guest columns for both the Free Press and the Duluth
News Tribune.
On June 9, the Detroit Free Press ran a piece that Jay penned entitled,
“A restored Madison-Lenox can deliver benefits to city,”
about the need to preserve the historic hotel. You should also check
out Corey Coston’s piece on the Madison-Lenox in the Metro Times,
both are available by following the link below.
The Duluth News Tribune ran, “Preserving Duluth’s architectural
heritage can enrich its future,” a piece penned on the work of
the Preservation Development Initiative of the National Trust for Historic
Preservation. The column preceded Jay's recent speaking engagement before
the Duluth Chamber of Commerce. The article is also available by following
the link below.
"A restored Madison Lenox can deliver benefits to city," Detroit Free Press, June 9, 2004
"Whither Madison-Lenox?" by Curt Coston, Detroit Metro Times, February 5, 2003
"Preserving Duluth's architectural heritage can enrich its future," Duluth News Tribune, May 26, 2004
America's 11 Most Endangered Historic Places: Madison Lenox Hotel
(article courtesy of National Trust for Historic Preservation)
One
of Detroit’s most significant remaining examples of turn-of-the-century
downtown residential architecture may have a date with the wrecking
ball. Built in 1901, the Madison-Lenox was a fashionable residential
hotel until suburbanization and inner-city decline forced it to close.
Today, more than a decade of abandonment has left the once-elegant building
ravaged by vandalism and deterioration. But its stately design remains
impressive, and its location at a critical point between two historic
neighborhoods that are experiencing revitalization means that a restored
Madison-Lenox could play an important role in the area’s burgeoning
renaissance. Damaged but salvageable, the Madison-Lenox is an opportunity
waiting to be embraced, an asset too important to waste.
The Madison-Lenox Hotel was constructed during the early part of the
20th century on the prominent corner of Madison Avenue and Randolph
Street within one block of two unique urban green-spaces, Harmonie Park
and Grand Circus Park. The three-building complex – including
the 8-story Madison, built in 1900; an adjacent two-story restaurant;
and the Lenox, built in 1903 – is significant in its design and
construction. After years of decline, the surrounding Harmonie-Park
Historic District is now experiencing considerable revitalization.
The Madison-Lenox is threatened by demolition despite the Historic District
Commission’s refusal to grant a demolition permit. Local preservationists
have developed a reuse strategy that could help bring livability and
economic vitality back to the inner-city area, but the hotel’s
owner, Ilitch Holdings, Inc., wants to demolish it to create a parking
lot with a maximum of 82 spots – even though it remains structurally
sound and could be completely stabilized for roughly the cost of demolition.
Loss of the hotel would have an adverse impact on the neighborhood and
continue to erode the integrity of Madison Ave.
In response to long-term inaction and the threat of demolition, the
Friends of the Book-Cadillac Hotel, a non-profit organization dedicated
to the rehabilitation of downtown landmarks, is fighting to save the
buildings and has developed an adaptive reuse strategy. If restored,
the Madison-Lenox could be a valuable asset to Detroit and serve as
a gateway for nearby Harmonie Park, the Theatre District, Comerica Park
and Ford Field, Music Hall, and Greektown. It could provide hotel and/or
residential space, a restaurant, meeting rooms, offices and local arts-related
uses and would be a great asset to the city of Detroit.
http://www.nationaltrust.org/11Most/2004/madison_lenox.html
Reflection on the recent Mackinac Policy Conference
The
24th annual Mackinac Policy Conference took place earlier this month
and the chatter hasn’t stopped. For the first time in Conference
history, there was a panel discussion on race and the question of diversity
as it relates to economic development. With Metropolitan Detroit, the
most segregated community in the nation according to the United States
Census, there is probably no greater pressing issue in the region.
WDIV (Channel 4) dedicated two segments of their Sunday newsmagazine,
Flashpoint, to the panel discussion. Entitled, "Bridging the Racial
Divide: A Business Imperative” the show is a must-see and currently
available on the Detroit Regional Chamber’s website by following
the link below.
Don't Forget the Comerica TasteFest
One
of Detroit's best annual events, the TasteFest is back again, don't
miss it!
July 1 - 5
11:30 am to 10 pm
11:30 am to 8 pm on July 5.
The Comerica TasteFest is located in Detroit's New Center about 4 miles
north of downtown Detroit. The Festival is outdoors on West Grand Boulevard
between Woodward Avenue and the Lodge Freeway (M-10).
More information on sponsors and attendees is available by going to the TasteFest homepage: