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A nearly century-old public housing development on Detroit’s east side — among the first in the United States — will begin to see new signs of life.
An initial $73 million investment to begin redevelopment of the 52-acre Parkside Homes — now being called Villages of Parkside — will commence later this year, according to a news release from the Detroit Housing Commission.
The Parkside Homes date back to the 1930s — the first federally funded public housing development in Michigan and Detroit, according to the Library of Congress, which says the development made for “an important and controversial response to Detroit’s serious housing crisis of the 1930s.”
The six-phase project is expected to take five-six years, resulting in 480 new affordable housing units and a total investment of about $180 million, according to the release.
“The Parkside redevelopment is about more than new housing — it’s about setting a higher standard for how we deliver quality, affordable homes in Detroit,” DHC Director Arthur Jemison said in the release. “We are modernizing public housing in a way that keeps long-time residents in place while creating new opportunities for families at all income levels. Every unit we build or renovate is a step toward ensuring that Detroiters have access to stable, well-designed communities that support their success.”
DHC is partnering with Novi-based Ginosko Development Co. for the redevelopment work, which is being financed primarily through federal Low Income Housing Tax Credits, and the developers expect to receive another round of financing this year that will “accelerate the project,” according to the release.
Concurrently, the DHC is also undertaking significant renovations at another of its properties, the Diggs townhomes north of downtown, as Crain’s has previously reported.
The years have not been particularly kind to the Parkside homes. Outlier Media, in a series of reports in recent years, outlined the troubles at the aging facility, which include mold, leaks and roofing issues.
The Thursday news release from DHC states that the development originally consisted of 274 housing units across 42 townhome-style buildings, but only about 125 are occupied, which the housing authority says is due to “deterioration.”
At least one resident is celebrating the news of the redevelopment at Parkside.
“Parkside has been home to families like mine for years, and we want to make sure it stays that way,” Joyletha Godwin, president of the Parkside Tenant Council, said in a statement. “We’ve seen changes before, but this time, they’re making sure the people who live here now have a place in the future. It’s not just about new buildings, it’s about keeping our community together, making it safer, and giving our kids and grandkids a real future right here at home.”
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