DETROIT (WWJ) — A blighted block and vacant lot in Southwest Detroit have found new life at last.
City officials on Monday celebrated the grand opening of La Joya Gardens, a mixed-use development that has been 10 years in the making. La Joya — which means “the jewel” in Spanish — sits along Vernor Highway near the north end of the newly renovated Clark Park.
The development features 53 residential units — 42 of which are designated as affordable for individuals earning 30% to 80% of the area median income (AMI) — and 11 market-rate apartments.
Rents for the affordable units start at about $540 for a one-bedroom apartment, while the development features more than 6,000 square feet of retail space, which officials say “will house local businesses catering to the neighborhood’s needs.”
Sitting in the heart of Southwest — a community with deep love for its Mexican heritage — the developers say it took a decade to complete the project because they wanted to ensure that the neighbors were a part of the development's plans.
Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan said at Monday’s ribbon cutting ceremony the process of involving the community made the project “a lot slower,” but it will have a big payoff.
“But what it does is it prevents gentrification. We can keep people in this neighborhood from being squeezed, we can allow them to stay here long-term,” Duggan said.
Designed by Philadelphia-based SITIO Architecture + Urbanism, the project is part of the Strategic Neighborhood Fund (SNF), a public-private partnership designed to support community-driven projects.
The SNF, with assistance from PNC Bank, funded the extensive community engagement process that shaped La Joya Gardens. More than 200 residents contributed to decisions about the project’s name, design, and amenities, according to a release from the city.
Without that approach, Duggan said things could have looked very differently.
“Some out-of-town developer would’ve put in expensive condos on this property with retail to support the condos and taken advantage of the park, and you would’ve sped up gentrification in the neighborhood,” Duggan said. “And we could’ve probably gotten that done in two or three years and we wouldn’t be taking 10 years. That was a choice.”
Cafe Clark, set to be the first retailer open at La Joya Gardens, is “a welcoming coffee shop” led by longtime Southwest Detroit residents Meli and Eduardo Salas, according to a city press release. Drawing on their deep roots in the neighborhood and their Mexican heritage, the café
“offers a traditional coffee menu, light breakfast items, and a lunch selection featuring snacks, salads, sandwiches, and favorites from other local businesses.”
More information on La Joya Gardens, including how to apply for a unit, can be found on the development’s website.