The mission of the Grandmont/Rosedale Development Corporation is to preserve and improve the physical environment of the Grandmont/Rosedale area to create a stronger and more vital community for all who live and work here. We pursue this mission through housing renovation and other real estate revitalization programs that address the needs and interests of the communities we serve.

Description:
Grandmont Rosedale Development Corporation (GRDC) takes a comprehensive approach to community development. We operate a variety of programs, all with the goal of improving our Grandmont and Rosedale communities. Activities include:

1. Housing - we renovate houses and sell them, mostly to low/moderate income families; we provide home repair grants and loans to low/moderate income homeowners in our area; we are constructing new housing for low/moderate income families.
2. Commercial - we provide matching grants for facade improvements to local business owners on our Grand River commercial strip; we erect signs on the strip to promote neighborhood pride; we are managing a streetscape improvement project complete with new sidewalks, trees and decorative crosswalks; we operate the Northwest Detroit Neighborhood Farmers' Market every Thursday from 4pm - 8pm during growing season; we operate a Clean and Safe program for local business owners; we develop commercial buildings for lease and sale.
3. Parks, Public Spaces and Beautification - we have renovated 7 area parks and playgrounds; we operate on-going volunteer projects to maintain the parks and public spaces in our area; we removed over 220 dead ash trees and planted 285 new trees; we erected signage in our residential and commercial strip areas, complete with landscaping; we plant and maintain landscape beds in public areas; we put in trash cans on the commercial strip.



History:
The Grandmont/Rosedale Development Corporation (GRDC) is a non-profit, 501(c)(3) corporation founded in 1989 as a cooperative effort of four northwest Detroit neighborhood associations. Eight neighborhood organizations now sponsor us and we represent more than 7,000 households and four hundred businesses. Our mission is to preserve and revitalize the Grandmont/Rosedale communities through community-based housing and economic development.

Since our founding, GRDC’s primary focus has been the acquisition, renovation and resale of vacant single-family homes. To date, we have successfully renovated and sold forty-eight single-family houses, with several more under development. In each case, a neighborhood eyesore has been transformed into a high quality home of which the entire community can be proud.

For the past several years, GRDC has operated home improvement grant and loan programs so that neighborhood residents can have access to funds to improve their properties. We have repaired 65 houses under these programs, with 18 more in progress; this has made a significant impact on the value of housing in the area.

GRDC has taken many steps to improve the physical and economic condition of the commercial corridors that run through our community. One strategy has been to implement the goals of our “Neighborhood Development Framework Plan” that outlines specific plans for the development of our commercial strips. We have renovated and sold two commercial properties. In 2006, we renovated a third building – we are leasing the five spaces to local businesses.

A second strategy involves improving the physical appearance of the commercial corridors, as outlined in our “Image Improvement Plan.” A few years ago, we received a grant in the amount of $569,000 from the Michigan Department of Transportation to do streetscape improvements on Grand River Avenue – by this time next year, we will have planted trees, installed new sidewalks and installed decorative crosswalks. We have already installed a landscape bed and neighborhood welcome sign at our main community entryway.

GRDC has provided grants for façade improvement projects to 36 business owners that benefit 66 neighborhood businesses. We have also joined forces with a group of neighborhood volunteers to paint over and remove graffiti on our commercial strips. GRDC purchased a power washing machine, is sponsoring the all-volunteer “Graffiti Busters” project, and has effectively removed graffiti from over 620 buildings in our neighborhood. In addition, we have planted over 70 flowering trees, installed 40 trash receptacles, and participated in and organized numerous clean-up efforts.

In 2003, GRDC was awarded status through the Mayor’s Office of Neighborhood Commercial Revitalization to further our economic development plans on Grand River Avenue. Through this program, we are one of only a handful of organizations citywide that receive operating support and project support to revitalize our commercial corridors for seven-year period.

In 1998, GRDC joined forces with the North Rosedale Park Civic Association, one of its five neighborhood sponsors, in order to renovate that community’s playground. GRDC took the lead role in raising $100,000 to completely renovate the playground; this fundraising effort involved the participation of dozens of neighborhood volunteers and has been used as a model for a community fundraising project.

After the success in North Rosedale Park, GRDC completed six additional park renovation projects in our community. In each case, we partnered with one of our community associations and/or the neighborhood schools. Our Cooke School and Vetal School playground projects were completed in 2000. Our Flintstone and Ramsay Park projects were completed in late spring 2001. Our Stoepel Park playground project was completed in 2003. In 2004, we renovated Monastery Field. In 2000, we received $90,000 from NFL Charities and the Local Initiatives Support Corporation to install a football field in Stoepel Park – we installed the field in fall 2000 and we have since raised funds to complete the field with bleachers, fencing and a scoreboard.

GRDC partnered with the Greening of Detroit, North Rosedale Park Civic Association and the GM Foundation to remove over 220 dead ash trees from our community. We organized hundreds of volunteers to help us plant 285 new trees.

In 1999 and again in late 2002, we received Neighborhood Preservation Program (NPP) status from the Michigan State Housing Development Authority to concentrate programming and resources in the 12-block area of Minock Park and northwest section of Rosedale Park. Through that program, we operated a 0% interest, 100% deferred loan program for low and moderate-income families in that area; sixteen loans are complete. We installed fourteen welcome signs at different locations in the area, we planted extensive landscaping beds, we installed fencing around two prominent vacant lots and we installed lawn and security lights in front of over 120 houses in the community. The NPP program has made a strong, positive impact on that community. We are currently in the process of applying for NPP funds in another area in our community, Stahelin and Avon Streets in North Rosedale Park.

In total, GRDC has already marshaled more than $20 million dollars in new investment in the Grandmont/Rosedale community and this investment grows daily.

GRDC is governed by a Board of Directors comprised entirely of neighborhood residents, representing each of our sponsoring neighborhood associations. A five-person staff assures that GRDC programs are run efficiently and effectively.



Contact people:


Cathy Marshall, Assistant Director, (313) 387-4732 , ext 105, (email) Tom Goddeeris, Executive Director, (313) 387-4732 , ext 111, (email) Pam Weinstein, Program Director, (313) 387-4732 , ext 103, (email)


Office fax number: (313) 835-2016

Address:


19800 Grand River Avenue Detroit, MI 48223 (See a map)


Web Site: http://www.grdc.org

Directions:

GRDC is located on the northwest side of Detroit, on Grand River Ave between Evergreen and Outer Drive. Grand River is located south of 6 mile and north of Fenkell (5 mile).   Nearest Bus Stop: Grand River Bus, 15 seconds minute walk

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