Contact: Daniel A. Washington
Cell: (313) 522-6816
Email: hello@nwgoldbergcares.com
Website: nwgoldbergcares.com
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
10/30/2020
NW GOLDBERG COMMUNITY TO LEAD PLANNING STUDY, DESPITE PANDEMIC
NW Goldberg Cares secures funding from CFSEM for planning study of Ferry Park entitled REIMAGINING FERRY PARK
Detroit, MI – Thanks to a $48,000 grant from the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan, a once bustling commercial corridor in NW Goldberg is on a path to seeing new life.
After years of decay and disinvestment in the NW Goldberg neighborhood, the planning study entitled REIMAGINING FERRY PARK aims to unite residents, community leaders and stakeholders to collectively author the first study of its kind within the community in decades.
“This is a game-changer for residents and our community as a whole,” said Glenda Cook, a life-long resident who lives on Hecla St. on the east side of NW Goldberg. “We have to channel our frustration into something productive and this planning study is a perfect example of just that.”
The study is expected to span six months of comprehensive community engagement, including; meetings, focus groups, feedback sessions and presentations. The final plan seeks to spur and influence development to enhance the lives of residents as essential services and goods have been nearly non-existent in the neighborhood for years.
“The goal was to get a project of this magnitude funded so that we can develop a plan that can be consulted by developers for guidance on how to best serve the current neighborhood constituents and constructively integrate into the community,” said NW Goldberg Cares Executive Director Randal Jean-Baptiste.
NW Goldberg Cares has commissioned Detroit-based ROSSETTI to facilitate the community-led study, with the plan to be completed in spring of 2021.
“We are anxious and excited to get working to help create a plan that will give developers a blueprint of our desires as residents,” said Michael Lewis II, a millennial resident of 15th St. located in the central portion of the neighborhood.
The planning study is anticipated to identify three catalytic sites along Ferry Park, informed by community insight and desires for the commercial corridor. The possibilities are endless and are not limited to just public space activation, commercial development or residential plans.
“This is huge for not only our community, but for us as an organization,” said Daniel A. Washington, president and founder of NW Goldberg Cares. “It is an honor and a privilege to do the work we are doing with the support of CFSEM.”
About NW Goldberg Cares:
NW Goldberg Cares, a community development corporation located in the heart of Detroit’s NW Goldberg neighborhood, aims to improve the lives of residents in the predominantly African American community by incubating neighborhood businesses, building a strong community and ensuring a family friendly neighborhood.
Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan:
The Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan is a full-service philanthropic organization leading the way to positive change in our region. As a permanent community endowment built by gifts from thousands of individuals and organizations, the Foundation supports a wide variety of activities benefiting education, arts and culture, health, human services, community development, and civic affairs. Since its inception, the Foundation has distributed more than $1.1 billion through more than 74,000 grants to nonprofit organizations throughout Wayne, Oakland, Macomb, Monroe, Washtenaw, St. Clair, and Livingston counties. For more information, please visit www.cfsem.org.
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