Detroit Future City Land & Water Ambassador Program The Bailey Park Neighborhood Development Corporation is part of DFC third cohort. BPNDC staff will participate in an intensive eight-month program where they will learn the principles of land and water stewardship through lectures and hands-on experience. The program kicks off on April 23 and will run through the end of December. With their newfound knowledge, ambassadors will work to engage 10,000 Detroiters in vital conversations about how to become better stewards of our land and water along with the role we all play in creating a green culture shift in Detroit.

In partnership with Ecoworks BPNDC hosted a 4 week workshop series for Detroit residents that focused on Basic home repair such as; residential inspections, basic electrical repair, basic plumbing repair, weatherization & energy conservation.

Quicken Loans Community Fund’s “Neighbor to Neighbor” Initiative Quicken Loans Community Fund’s “Neighbor to Neighbor” Initiative The Bailey Park Neighborhood Development Corporation participated in the Neighbor to Neighbor initiative to help income-eligible resident at risk of tax foreclosure complete the property tax exemption application. Read more at Quicken Loans

COMMUNITY IMPACT The Bailey Park Neighborhood Development Corporation (BPNDC) was established to leverage the organizing power of residents, build community capacity, and serve as a catalyst for neighborhood revitalization in the McDougall-Hunt community. BPNDC’s mission is to create a more livable neighborhood through social and environmental impact projects. To accomplish our mission, BPNDC facilitates partnerships with local agencies, volunteers, and residents. Working together, we rehabilitate and develop beautiful community parks and open spaces in McDougall-Hunt. To date the BPNDC has secured over $100K in donations, grants, and in-kind services from state departments, corporate partners, and non-profit agencies to fund and execute park development projects. We are not content to rest on our laurels, there is more work to be done. In the fall of 2018, resident leaders at the Bailey Park Neighborhood Development Corporation embarked on a neighborhood planning process with partners at the Cedar Tree Foundation, Eastside Community Network (ECN), U-SNAP-BAC, EcoWorks, and the McDougall-Hunt Neighborhood Association (MHNA). The result of this work is the Sustainable Redevelopment Plan, which lays out our renewed community vision, goals, recommendations, and action items as we continue the planning process for the neighborhood. The vision statement for the Sustainable Redevelopment Plan represents how residents see the future of the McDougall-Hunt neighborhood. As a source of inspiration, it serves as a collective expression of residents’ voices. These efforts have enabled residents to steer the planning process while engaging stakeholders to help advance the change that we would like to create in our community.

Calcara Park The most significant natural feature within the neighborhood is Calcara Park. In 2015, the Bailey Park Neighborhood Development Corporation adopted Calcara Park—a once neglected baseball park with significantly overgrown Brush. Thanks to collaboration with Ross Hill Academy, residents, volunteers, the Detroit Mower Gang, Motor City Grounds Crew, and the City of Detroit’s General Service Department, the Bailey Park Neighborhood Development Corporation was able to clear the overgrowth and put the park back to productive reuse—creating a safer environment for residents who live nearby. In October of 2016, Comerica Bank donated $25,000 to the Detroit Police Athletic League to build a new baseball diamond at Calcara Park. The playing field was up and running in time for PAL’s coach-pitch and t-ball program in the summer of 2017 and remains a newly revitalized source for recreation in the community.  

The FREE Project "The “FREE” Project, formally known as the Framework and Resources for Empowering Environments is a pilot beautification project created by Scott Douglas and Joseph Gruber for their University of Detroit Capstone Project. In recent months, the City of Detroit has done much to address blight. However, the issue of blight is one of scale."   The City still lacks the resources to address all of the blight issues within Detroit’s limits let alone maintain them. At the same time, many local landscaping businesses have lacked the opportunity to be a part of Detroit’s renewal story because they lack the experience and expertise to tackle large projects.   Our aim is to address both of these problems while challenging community members and organizations to lead in the renewal of their neighborhoods. The “FREE” project is an innovative and creative approach to creating community assets by removing the physical decay and blight from vacant lots within the City of Detroit neighborhoods.   The “FREE” Project I partnered with the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) Disadvantage Business Enterprises (DBE), Union of Operating Engineers Local 324, Michigan Laborers’ Training and Apprenticeship Institute, and the Access For All students who all worked together to remove the blight from eleven parcels of vacant land.   On September 22-25, 2015 the “FREE” Project I successfully broke ground and began clearing the 11 vacant lots at an estimated cost of $35,000. Residents were ecstatic about the removal of the overgrown grass, brush, and trees. Residents are now able to walk on the sidewalk, safely play in the field or walk or ride their bike around the perimeter of this green space.   On December 1-3, 2017 The FREE Project II took place on 18 parcels of highly blighted vacant land. Our sponsor, Team Rubicon, along with Motor City Blight Busters, Woodward Avenue Restoration District (WARD) volunteers, and community volunteers helped to remove 50+ dead/diseased trees and overgrown grass and brush at an estimated cost of $31,075. Helping to pave the way for the creation of a beautiful public space that will have a positive impact on the entire community.   The project was very successful and many residents asked if trees could be removed from their yard. For our next blight project slated for early spring of 2018, we will assist residents with the removal of dead, diseased or fallen trees from their property helping to create a safer environment.   The FREE Project has created a positive social impact on the community by empowering residents and fostering positive social change that has encouraged community-based action, which is vital to the social and economic health of the McDougall-Hunt community.   The success of this project has served as a catalyst and model for successful community development throughout the City of Detroit.   Free Project Presentation by Scott Douglas and Joseph Gruber   The Free Project Video

Bailey Park Through a community-driven effort, the Bailey Park Neighborhood Development Corporation purchased several vacant lots that will become Bailey Park. Bailey Park will bring social, environmental and economic benefits to the McDougall-Hunt community. It will be the first community neighborhood gathering place that has been created in years and will have ample green space for community activities and events. Bailey Park will provide recreational opportunities for everyone from children to senior citizens; In June of 2019, we will break ground and build the play area for the park. In one day the neighborhood will gain an open, inclusive, and accessible play area for children of all abilities.   Bailey Park will add scenic beauty to the neighborhood. The master plan focuses on a space that will meet the needs of the community and fit into the actual physical space of the property outlining specific details and the overall physical attributes and dimensions of the park. Parks go beyond the grass, trees and recreation equipment they comprise. They become integral parts of people’s lives and an essential part of a community. They bind people together over their shared love of the outdoors and their desire to see the beauty in their neighborhoods—this is the vision of the Bailey Park Neighborhood Development Corporation and the McDougall Hunt Revitalization plan.

Project Clean and Safe The Bailey Park Neighborhood Development Corporation is dedicated to being a leader in Detroit for creating a clean and safe neighborhood. Each year Bailey Park Neighborhood Development Corporation leads several neighborhood clean-up efforts as well as participating in the Motor City Makeover, Detroit’s annual citywide volunteer clean-up and beautification initiative. A clean neighborhood is a neighborhood with pride, less crime, and a healthier environmental footprint. All of which leads to increase property values, a much safer community and an increase in civic pride.  

OUR NEIGHBORHOOD McDougall Hunt is one of the oldest neighborhoods in Detroit and the last remaining historical residential area where many business owners from “Black Bottom” settled and raised their families. According to many historical accounts, McDougall Hunt’s adjacency to Black Bottom contributes to a shared history, culture, and neighborhood context in Detroit. McDougall Hunt, like many Detroit neighborhoods, has had to deal with a decreasing population and significant housing losses over the years as a result of neighborhood disinvestment, substantial foreclosures, and abandonment. Over several decades, the neighborhood has become increasingly vacant and the quality of living has suff ered greatly – leaving many residents feeling less hopeful about the future. As a community of close-knit neighbors, residents in McDougall Hunt started coming together regularly to address these issues and test solutions in the community. While residents are aware of barriers to neighborhood stabilization, they are also very hopeful about McDougall Hunt’s position given the neighborhoods close proximity to the revitalized Central Business
District, Cultural Center, and Eastern Market district. Neighbors have taken
note of how the city’s prosperity has impacted demographics, housing, and commercial development in neighborhoods adjacent to the city center and express great concern as land speculation in the neighborhood has reached a reported all-time high in McDougall Hunt. In 2018, resident leaders at the Bailey Park Neighborhood Development Corporation (BPNDC) and the McDougall Hunt Neighborhood Association (MHNA) began a partnership with community development partners at the Eastside Community Network (ECN) and U-SNAP-BAC to guide the process of updating the 2003 McDougall Hunt Rehabilitation Plan. Their goal was to modernize priorities set forth in the 2003 Plan – incorporating sustainability concepts, leveraging modern assets, and addressing the prevailing concerns of residents. More than 150 residents and numerous city agencies were engaged to provide input, feedback, knowledge, and expertise to develop this framework. The result was the MDH Sustainable Redevelopment Plan—a document which assesses the neighborhoods history, analyzes existing conditions, and outlines the restored vision for this neighborhood. The Sustainable Redevelopment Plan represents the overall strategic vision for how the neighborhood should advance the goals and priorities set forth by residents. The plan explores several topics including demographics, safety and crime, land use, and community assets. The plan also details the various community engagement and stakeholder engagement activities that took place, illustrating
residents’ priorities for the neighborhood. Lastly, this document includes recommendations for the planning team to consider as the planning process moves forward. Recommendations provided in the Sustainable Redevelopment Plan are based on data collection and analysis conducted in concert with community planning consultants at McKenna. This data recognized current land use and market conditions, and took into account trends in population and development in the area. This analysis allowed residents to recognize both barriers and opportunities in order to develop practical solutions and action steps to help advance the neighborhood’s short and long-term goals. The Sustainable Redevelopment Plan reinforces goals set forth in the 2003 plan and extends these priorities in anticipation of growth over the next 5-10 years. This plan is to serve as a living document as residents and the planning team continue forward in the planning and implementation process. This document is intended to guide growth to promote a cohesive neighborhood character and identity, steward the heritage of this historical community, and celebrate McDougall Hunts character as a unique place in Detroit. TABLE 1. Population Trends and Projections  200020102016 McDougall Hunt 1,684 1,041 898 Numerical Change – -643 -143 Percentage Change – -38.18% -13.73% Lower Eastside 132,0771 96,7861 88,3731 Numerical Change – -35,2911 -8,4131 Percentage Change – 26.72%1 8.70%1 City of Detroit 951,2701 713,7771 683,4431 Numerical Change – -237,493 -30,334 Percentage Change – -24.97% -4.25% Wayne County 2,061,162 1,820,584 1,767,643 Numerical Change – -240,578 -52,941 Percentage Change – -11.67% -2.91% Source: U.S. Census, 2000, 2010, ACS, 2016 1ESRI 2018 Estimates Given its positive adjacencies, McDougall Hunt experienced increases in population diversity over the last six years. While the neighborhood remains refl ective of its historically African-American roots, non-black residents account for a much more signifi cant percentage of the population (31%) than in previous years. Whites now make up 12.5% of the population, up from 3% in 2010; American Indian and Alaskan Natives now comprise 13.3% of the population, up from 1% in 2010; and other races—formerly representing just 3% of the population in 2010, now make up approximately 9% of McDougall Hunts residents. Figure 4 illustrates population changes in neighborhoods surrounding McDougall Hunt. Neighborhoods closest to the City Center have experienced the greatest increases while the greatest declines are seen in neighborhoods located north and east of McDougall Hunt. TABLE 2. Population by Race RACE200020102016 POPULATIONPERCENTPOPULATIONPERCENTPOPULATIONPERCENT White 21 3.45% 35 3.36% 111 12.36% Black or African American 1,625 96.49% >963 92.51% 620 69.04% American Indian/Alaska Native 9 0.53% 11 1.06% 119 13.25% Asian 0 0% 0 0% 0 0% Other 14 0.83% 4 0.38% 32 0% Two or More Races 15 0.89% 28 2.69% 48 5.35% Source: US Census 2000, 2010, ACS 2016 5-Year Estimates