![Completed Dorr Street-Scapes Celebrated by Community Leaders
Sojourner’s Truth Staff
Several dozen community leaders gathered last Friday morning near the recently-completed “street-scapes” on Dorr Street to celebrate a project that they expect will spur the revitalization of the inner city corridor.
“This project started over 50 years ago but it was a project lost,” said Jimmy Gaines, executive director of the Organized Neighbors Yielding eXcellence (ONYX) Community Development Corporation (CDC). “The promise was made to us that we would have a vibrant Dorr Street and a vibrant inner city.”
The street-scape, a two-block-long island containing self-watering planters and banners touting the project, was requested two years ago by the Dorr Steet Coalition in their push to revitalize the strip. At that time no funds were available from any government source for the improvement project.
When the federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), also known as the stimulus plan, offered up money for shovel-ready neighborhood beautification projects, the City of Toledo Department of Neighborhoods requested and received funds for the Dorr Street island.
On Friday, at the press conference attended by city officials, community organizers and CDC leaders, Gaines emphasized that while Dorr Street was well on the way to being reinvented with such recent additions as the Brownstones on Dorr, increased retail along the corridor and the new building soon to be constructed for the Toledo Urban Federal Credit Union, much more is needed.
“We need more effort and more attention on a plan,” said Gaines. “Why not put more money into the central city? This is the place to do it, this is the place we want it.”
“This is an exciting day,” said E. Michelle Mickens, executive director of the Toledo Community Development Corporation (TCDC), the other CDC heavily invested in the Dorr Street Coalition. “We have made millions of dollars in investment [in the neighborhood] because we care. It’s worth it and the people are worth it.”
Toledo City Council President Wilma Brown, who personally pushed for years to bring the Brownstones on Dorr Street to the area, spoke of how important such infrastructure improvements were for the redevelopment of the area and noted that the Brownstones themselves were only part one of a three-phase development strategy.
Realtor Julia Bryant also touted the Brownstones project and the high quality of the building – “one of the best projects I’ve ever been associated with in terms of quality.” Tax abatements and down payment assistance are still available for prospective homeowners.
According to Kattie Bond, director of the Department of Neighborhoods, $250,000 was spent on the street-scape.](http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_l6ouad6S821qz7c5jo1_r1_400.jpg)
Completed Dorr Street-Scapes Celebrated by Community Leaders
Sojourner’s Truth Staff
Several dozen community leaders gathered last Friday morning near the recently-completed “street-scapes” on Dorr Street to celebrate a project that they expect will spur the revitalization of the inner city corridor.
“This project started over 50 years ago but it was a project lost,” said Jimmy Gaines, executive director of the Organized Neighbors Yielding eXcellence (ONYX) Community Development Corporation (CDC). “The promise was made to us that we would have a vibrant Dorr Street and a vibrant inner city.”
The street-scape, a two-block-long island containing self-watering planters and banners touting the project, was requested two years ago by the Dorr Steet Coalition in their push to revitalize the strip. At that time no funds were available from any government source for the improvement project.
When the federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), also known as the stimulus plan, offered up money for shovel-ready neighborhood beautification projects, the City of Toledo Department of Neighborhoods requested and received funds for the Dorr Street island.
On Friday, at the press conference attended by city officials, community organizers and CDC leaders, Gaines emphasized that while Dorr Street was well on the way to being reinvented with such recent additions as the Brownstones on Dorr, increased retail along the corridor and the new building soon to be constructed for the Toledo Urban Federal Credit Union, much more is needed.
“We need more effort and more attention on a plan,” said Gaines. “Why not put more money into the central city? This is the place to do it, this is the place we want it.”
“This is an exciting day,” said E. Michelle Mickens, executive director of the Toledo Community Development Corporation (TCDC), the other CDC heavily invested in the Dorr Street Coalition. “We have made millions of dollars in investment [in the neighborhood] because we care. It’s worth it and the people are worth it.”
Toledo City Council President Wilma Brown, who personally pushed for years to bring the Brownstones on Dorr Street to the area, spoke of how important such infrastructure improvements were for the redevelopment of the area and noted that the Brownstones themselves were only part one of a three-phase development strategy.
Realtor Julia Bryant also touted the Brownstones project and the high quality of the building – “one of the best projects I’ve ever been associated with in terms of quality.” Tax abatements and down payment assistance are still available for prospective homeowners.
According to Kattie Bond, director of the Department of Neighborhoods, $250,000 was spent on the street-scape.
