The Penske Corporation and the City of Detroit, Michigan have announced a partnership to help revitalize the historic Jefferson Chalmers neighborhood, as part of the City’s Strategic Neighborhood Fund and Affordable Housing Leverage Fund initiative.
Penske, along with six other corporations, has committed $5 million over five years to the City’s two funds to help revitalize neighborhoods.
The Jefferson Chalmers neighborhood completed its initial planning phase early last month. The first project in Jefferson Chalmers will focus on the Lenox Community Center and A.B. Ford Park. Improvements to the Lenox Center and park will commence in March 2020 and a grand opening is planned for September 2020.
This summer, the park also will receive lighting improvements through City of Detroit bond funding and contributions from the Environmental Protection Agency will be used to restore wildlife habitat.
Penske Corp. Chairman Roger Penske said, “It’s an honor to partner with Mayor Duggan and his Strategic Neighborhood Fund Initiative to help the Jefferson Chalmers neighborhood. I am thrilled to help lead the charge to restore, renovate and reopen the Lenox Center and add a gymnasium, as part of the revitalization efforts.”
“When we announced this effort to improve our neighborhoods, an important part of the process was community engagement. When Penske Corporation joined this effort, we had a conversation with the residents in Jefferson Chalmers about a community partnership, and the response was overwhelming,” said Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan.
“Now, we’re starting to see physical improvements in the neighborhood, and thanks to Penske Corporation, the residents have a strong partner to support these efforts moving forward,” Duggan added.
The City has already worked with Jefferson Chalmers residents to develop an action plan for the neighborhood with projects focused on parks and community spaces, streetscapes, commercial corridors and single- and multi-family affordable housing.
Photo of the Jefferson-Chalmers Historic Business District Detroit is by Andrew Jameson via Wikipedia.