- Video shows a groundbreaking ceremony for a housing development project on Jackson's east side.
- According to the City of Jackson, a total of 94 new housing units are planned for the Health District.
- The homes will be a combination of single-family homes, duplexes, and apartments.
- The Health District is the neighborhood along East Michigan Avenue between Downtown Jackson and Henry Ford Hospital.
- More information on what homes are being built can be found here.
Transformation on Jackson's East Side is underway. "It's a long time coming. This is just the first project to happen, not only on the east side, but throughout the city," says Ward 2 City Councilman, Freddie Dancy.
WATCH: Moments from the groundbreaking ceremony
Tuesday, a groundbreaking ceremony took place for a new project that will bring nearly 100 new homes to the neighborhood. To some neighbors, that housing boom is coming to an area that's in need of a change. Ted Christoff, Owner of Christoff & Sons, grew up on the east side. "For a while, it's been neglected, but now, the love is coming right back into the neighborhood," says Christoff. "Our business has been on Elm Street for over 40 years, and I grew up on the east side. This is the neighborhood my father was born in. My grandparents lived here. My cousins lived here."
That attachment to the east side is something Shane LaPorte, Community Development Director, can relate to. He says, "I grew up just a couple blocks away from here. I watched it decline, and now being a part of the re-insurgence, being part of the planning process of bringing this neighborhood back to life... It's incredible." LaPorte says, over the years, the neighborhood has been plagued by drugs and crime. Now, the neighborhood is ready for a new chapter.
According to the City of Jackson, the vacant lot they broke ground on, Tuesday, is just one of the 32 parcels of land that will receive new homes. 94 new homes are planned for what is called the "Health District," the neighborhood along E. Michigan Avenue, between Downtown Jackson and Henry Ford Hospital. The plan calls for new single-family houses, as well as dozens of new apartments.
Martha Fuerstenau has been with American 1 Credit Union for over 40 years. Her office is along the E. Michigan Avenue corridor. She says it's finally this area's turn after watching developments happen in other neighborhoods. "We've been overlooked, in terms of development," says Fuerstenau, "In terms of development, we've been here 75 years now, and we have not had the benefit of some of those development dollars and creative thinking around how we're going to improve our neighborhoods, that some of the other neighborhoods have had."
With one dig, a fresh start comes to Jackson's east side. Fuerstenau says, "I've seen this neighborhood through all its iterations. All the safety concerns. We're not looking to return to anything. We're looking to move forward to a much better neighborhood for those of us who live and work here."
Want to see more local news? Visit the FOX47News Website.
Stay in touch with us anytime, anywhere.
Sign up for newsletters emailed to your inbox.
Select from these options: Neighborhood News, Breaking News, Severe Weather, School Closings, Daily Headlines, and Daily Forecasts.
