Mayor Duggan gives his 2022 State of the City address, focusing on fighting blight, reinvestment in Black businesses

On March 9, 2022, Mayor Mike Duggan delivered his 2022 State of the City speech from Factory ZERO, General Motors’ first fully dedicated electric vehicle assembly plant, which straddles Detroit and Hamtramck.

The Mayor focused on Detroit’s transition from blight to beauty with the restoration of multiple buildings and areas across the city, reinvestment in Black-owned businesses, education and scholarship programs for residents, and the creation of new jobs.

The full address can be watched on the City Facebook page at City of Detroit

The Mayor spoke on Detroit’s transition from blight to beauty, with multiple commercial buildings being renovated or demolished. Twelve of the largest, and most famous, abandoned buildings in the city are being renovated and restored. They include Michigan Central Station, Fisher Body 21 plant, United Artists building, AMC headquarters, Lee Plaza, and the Book Tower.

Along with commercial buildings, more than 23,000 abandoned houses have been demolished in Detroit, with an additional 11,000 houses being saved and restored. City residents have also bought more than 20,000 side lots, allowing homeowners to use the space for gardens or parks.

The Detroit Promise states that every eligible resident that graduates from a Detroit high school can get a college scholarship. More than 1,200 Detroiters are attending college with funds from Detroit Promise. Detroiters can sign up at detroitpromise.com 

Additionally, Detroit at Work has a $100-million scholarship fund for Detroit adults looking to work toward an education and gain employment. The organization also currently has training in 53 different fields, and is currently hiring for more than 13,000 open jobs.

For more information, visit its webpage at Detroit at Work | Opportunity Rising

Many of the business coming to the city have agreed to give Detroit residents hiring preference, helping to secure many new jobs for people living in the city.

That includes the 5,000 jobs created at the new Stellantis plant, as well as hundreds of jobs created by companies, such as Dakkota, Majorel, and Henry Ford Health System. There are also hundreds of new construction jobs across Detroit.

Mayor Duggan also spoke on the City’s reinvestment in local businesses, including Black-owned companies. Programs such as Motor City Match and Detroit At Work’s Entrepreneurship Training Academy aim to give residents a chance to start and run their own business.

Learn more information on Motor City Match at Motor City Match. For more information on the Academy, visit Detroit At Work’s page at Entrepreneurship Training Academy | Detroit at Work.

During the State of the City address, Mayor Duggan also highlighted a number of Black developers, whose projects include apartment buildings, town homes, new houses, a manufacturing plant, training facility and headquarters, and a grocery store.

Mayor: Fiscal Year 2023 budget returns to pre-pandemic level, makes investments in beautification, transit and protecting retirees

The City of Detroit’s budget has returned to its pre-pandemic level says Mayor Mike Duggan as he presented his proposed Fiscal Year 2023 Budget and FY23-26 Four-Year Plan to City Council March 7. City officials said revenue recovery has put Detroit back on track allowing the City to restore the pre-pandemic status quo budget and make important investments in key areas.

In April 2020, the Mayor outlined nearly $350 million in pandemic-related budget cuts to maintain a balanced budget without laying off any full-time City employees.  Just two years later, the City has seen revenue growth beyond initial projections.

The proposed budget totals over $2 billion, including over $1 billion for the General Fund, and makes targeted new investments to deliver opportunity, safety, and beauty for Detroiters, ensure fiscal stability, and keep a promise to retirees.

The proposed budget is for Fiscal Year 2022-2023, which starts July 1, 2022, and ends June 30, 2023. City Council will hold budget hearings for departments starting March 14, which are open to the public.

Read the full story on the City ‘s website at 2022-2023 Fiscal Year budget | City of Detroit (detroitmi.gov). For additional budget details, visit detroitmi.gov/budget.

The City plans to launch a website to provide an affordable housing locator. Join the conversation Friday, March 11 from 5 – 6 p.m. (Must register to attend). Feedback is critical to ensuring the website meets Detroiters’ needs.

To register for the FREE event, go to: City of Detroit Affordable Housing Website Feedback | Eventbrite

Another of Detroit’s biggest eyesores will be reborn with
433 apartments and public market following $134M project

• Redevelopment of long-vacant but historic Fisher Body 21 by Greg Jackson and Richard Hosey will also bring affordable housing to New Center
• Fisher 21 Lofts is believed to be the largest African-American-led project in city history.

The Fisher Body 21 plant will be reborn as affordable and market-rate housing and destination shopping in the heart of Detroit. It is expected to be completed in 2025.  

Mayor Mike Duggan was joined by developers Gregory Jackson of Jackson Asset Management and Richard Hosey of Hosey Development March 7 to announce they will revive the historic Fisher Body 21 factory into affordable and market rate housing, as well as a new destination retail district. The plant is a 25-year symbol of blight along Detroit’s most-heavily traveled intersection of I-94 and I-75.

For years, many have called for the old factory’s demolition, but Jackson and Hosey will team up with Lewand Development to rehabilitate the 600,000-square-foot historic building into the Fisher 21 Lofts. At $134 million, the project is believed to be the largest African American-led development deal in Detroit’s history.

The project includes the primary building at 6051 Hastings St. in Detroit’s Medbury Park neighborhood, as well as two adjacent lots at 991 and 666 Harper, to provide parking for residents. The building will be rehabilitated into 433 market rate and affordable apartments, 28,000 square feet of commercial and retail space and 15,000 square feet of co-working space.

Pending City Council approval of the sale, initial work is expected to begin in the next month, with the financial closing and start of construction slated for late next year. The project is expected to be complete in 2025.

Read the full story on the City’s website at: Fisher Body 21 revival | City of Detroit (detroitmi.gov)

Detroit residents invited to give input on the Meade Cut-Thru on Monday, March 12

The public is invited to give input on the Meade Cut-Thru on Saturday, March 12 at 5 p.m. The Meade Cut-Thru is planned pathway that will connect East Davison Village, Campau/Banglatown, and the Joe Louis Greenway.

It is expected to be built in summer and fall 2022. Full construction costs are approximately $500,000.