The Fitzgerald neighborhood in northwest Detroit has seen a lot of abandonment and disinvestment in recent years.
While that's been devastating to the neighborhood, it's also what made it eligible to receive a $4 million grant from the "Reimagining Civic Commons" initiative, a collaboration between four major foundations, including Kresge and James L. Knight.
The initiative, which also pledged sums for neighborhoods in Akron, Chicago, and Memphis, "intends to be the first comprehensive demonstration of how a connected set of civic assets—a civic commons—can yield increased and more equitably shared prosperity for cities and neighborhoods."
A press release from Mayor Mike Duggan's Office states that, "The grant funding and local match is a critical element in advancing Mayor Mike Duggan's recently announced 20-Minute Neighborhood initiative … the Mayor has proposed investing in targeted communities to better link residents to key assets."
A recent City Lab article details other important pieces of the grant. "Detroit is partnering with the University of Detroit Mercy and Marygrove College to improve a civic commons located between the two institutions: a roughly half-mile future greenway in the city's distressed Fitzgerald neighborhood," writes Kriston Capps. "Together, with these colleges and the
Live6 Alliance, a nonprofit community-development corporation, Detroit aims to build a greenway through vacant or abandoned lots along the Livernois Corridor."
Detroit has also raised matching funds to bring the total investment in the Fitzgerald neighborhood to $8 million.
Enjoy this story?
Sign up for free solutions-based reporting in your inbox each week.