There are about 6,000 vacant structures in Detroit that are ready to be knocked down. But it can’t happen overnight.

It takes money…and the process for removing these buildings is a lengthy one.

Joann Street, between State Fair and Manning on Detroit’s east side, is a street of devastation. The houses are all vacant, abandoned, and vandalized.

Arthur Edge is very familiar with the area. He’s a building inspector with the city of Detroit and he’ll supervise the demolition of these now dangerous neighborhood eyesores. But it won’t happen overnight.

“The city has a 36 step demolition process that must be followed for non-city owned structures,” Edge told Detroit 2020.

It begins with a complaint being made. A case number is then assigned.

An office hearing is set for the property owner, who can appeal. If the owner fails to show, or the property is not secured, city council can order demolition. Utilities are then cut off.

It must be determined if there is asbestos in the structure. Competitive bids for demolition are sought. A Permit must be issued for the work.

After the tear down, the lot must be filled and graded. And only then is the demolition complete.

“A process is usually typical anywhere from 3 to 6 months in a perfect world, but if funding isn’t available, then we can’t continue with whatever stage that dwelling may be in,” Edge said.

Edge says it costs about $10,000 to demolish a house or commercial building. There’s not enough money to tackle the more than 30,000 vacant strucutres that have been identified by the city as dangerous.

There are vacant houses on either side of Wilkins Elementary School that will be coming down.
Here are the 36 steps that it takes to demolish a non city-owned structure in a non-emergency situation: (Information from the city of Detroit)

1.  BSEE (Building Safety Engineering Environmental Department) Dangerous building process begins with a complaint being made about a structure. Complained can be from any source including a resident, other City Department such as Fire, Police or BSEE.

2.  Inspector sent to property to perform an evaluation of the structure and photograph its condition.

3.  A dangerous building report is completed and the structure is assigned a DNG case number for internal tracking.

4.  Tract performed to determine all interested parties and notification via Certified Mail sent for BSEE Office Hearing. Owner can appeal demolition finding and apply for a six month deferral to effect repairs.

5.  If owner does not attend Office Hearing or fails to correct the deficient conditions and secure the property, a Hearing is scheduled before City Council to “order” the demolition. Prior to hearing, Inspector will perform another survey to confirm condition of structure as well as a pre-demolition survey. Tract is verified again in case ownership or interested parties have changed. Owner can attend and again request a deferral at this point. If no attendance or repairs completed and there are no public objections, property is Ordered Demolished by Council.

6.  Financial evaluation is determined to confirm appropriate fund availability for the geographic location.

7.  Assuming funds are available, BSEE will formally request the disconnection of all utilities such as water, gas and electric lines from the appropriate utilities.  Additionally, BSEE will also request a section 106 clearance from SHPO as mandated by HUD for payment eligibility.

8.  SHPO clearance is the first step in the “Environmental Release” that must also be undertaken confirming formally that the specific structure meets HUD guidelines for demolition reimbursement and is an acceptable use of the funds. If HUD determines structure is not acceptable or SHPO release cannot be processed, demolition activities halt pending either appeal, re-submission or re-purpose of structure.

9.  Perform an Asbestos Survey to determine Abatement requirements per NESHAP regulations.

10.  Receive and Process Electric, Water, and Gas utility clearances from respective organizations and log into system.

11.  Receive and review Asbestos Survey per NESHAP regulations for abatement requirements.

12.  Receive and process Section 106 / SHPO clearance and log into system.

13.  Funding is confirmed again.

14.  RFP is issued to population of Qualified City Contractors for Competitive Bid. 10 day response time is provided for contractors to physically review properties on RFP and asbestos abatement requirements.

15.  RFP sealed bid response publically opened and bids are evaluated by BSEE and Purchasing.

16.  Contractor is selected and awarded work. Contract created and executed.

17.  Demolition Permit issued by BSEE.

18.  Contractor must issue notification to DEQ of intent to demolish structure. DEQ requires a 10 day hold period after notification before demolition can proceed.

19.  Contractor abates all asbestos per survey and third party air monitoring is performed to ensure compliance with DEQ regulations.

20.  Upon confirmation that regulatory requirements are completed correctly, contractor is cleared to begin active demolition.

21.  Structure is collapsed onto itself and a “Knock Down” inspection is performed.

22.  Wood, debris and the basement / footings are removed by the contractor and an “Open Hole” inspection is performed.

23.  Clean Soil is delivered and verified as acceptable prior to backfilling the site.

24.  Contractor backfills the site upon approval of fill, compresses and grades the fill.

25.  Contractor seeds site with specific “No Mow” grass seed to control erosion and eliminate future mowing requirements of the vacant lot.

26.  A “Final Grade” inspection is performed.

27.  Contractor submits an invoice and copies of all regulatory paperwork for job close out.

28.  Invoice reviewed and approved if correct. Regulatory documentation reviewed and invoice processed if all paperwork is complete and correct.

29.  Permit is closed out.

30.  Funds are reconciled to the specific Grant / Funding source.

31.  Payment voucher is completed and Grant funds processed both internal to city and external via HUD interface.

32.  Contractor is paid.

33.  Job folder is assembled and audited via checklist to ensure conformance with HUD content and record retention regulations.

34.  Internal City Systems are verified to contain all process data.

35.  Lis Pendens is filed to attempt recovery of City Incurred demolition costs.

36.  Demolition is complete.

Warren is launching an “Adopt a Warren Park” Program that invites community groups to clean up any of the city’s 26 parks.

The new program is part of Mayor Jim Fouts’ vision of “a cleaner city.”

Business, church, community scouting and neighborhood groups can adopt a city park if they agree to clean a park four to six times a year.

Fouts says he likes to call this program “joining our city’s ‘clean team,’” adding “it builds community pride in our city.”

For more information, call Warren’s Department of Public Works at (586) 759-9270.

Yelp is inviting people to explore Detroit with its “Passport to Midtown” program.

The event is officially underway and runs through Wednesday, May 23rd with events for the whole family!

Yelp’s lineup includes everything from beer tours and restaurant tastings to bike mechanic classes, so get out there and check it out!

The 10-day celebration features over 30 businesses in this bustling neighborhood in Detroit!

Discounts and special offers will be available throughout the event.

Click here for a complete listing of events, discounts and RSVP information.

Every morning from 7:00 to 9:00, then in the afternoon from 2:00 to 4:00, volunteers drive through the Cody neighborhood.

Calvin Colbert, director of the group, told us, “We as men of the community felt it was our responsibility to ensure the safety of our students and our schools.”

DPS Police Chief Roderick Grimes says volunteers are the greatest weapon against crime.  Think of Angel’s Night and the 30,000 people who patrol city streets.  Chief Grimes says, “If we can get one percent of that out on a day to day basis — 300 to 500 volunteers out there, wow, that would make a tremendous difference.

The increasing number of abandoned homes in the neighborhood makes the job more challenging and more important.

Calvin remembers the neighborhood when things were different and he wishes we could all go back to that time, “Every time I look at one of these abandoned houses, I can just reminisce that this was a house which housed a family.  Now it’s a vacant dwelling and looks like a danger, and if I had that magic wand I would have a family in each one of these houses.”

Robert Burgess has lived in the neighborhood for 29 years.  He also remembers what the street used to be like.

“Beautiful, beautiful, no vacant houses anywhere.”  But things changed.  “What happened is people lost their jobs, they moved away, crime went up.”

And for many students, the blight is what they see on their walk every day, so they may not be as careful as they should.

Calvin took us to one house that had no front door at all, “So it breeds an opportunity for some type of illegal activity or for some perpetrator to use this facility to assault or rape one of our young people.”

Many of the buildings have been declared dangerous and unsafe, but there isn’t money to tear them all down.  And there are more of these houses every day.

Calvin says, “As the weather gets warmer it really becomes more of a hazard and we know that perpetrators set these kind of situations up.  They know these buildings.  So they can go from one to the other without being detected or disturbed, unless someone has taken the time to come out and watch out and monitor what’s going on.”

So every morning, and again in the afternoon, Calvin and the Brothers on Patrol will monitor the Cody neighborhood.  It’s their way of fighting blight.

THE DETROIT PUBLIC SCHOOL POLICE DEPARTMENT WILL TRAIN VOLUNTEERS.  CALL 313 748-6008 TO TALK TO THE COORDINATOR.

A groundbreaking ceremony will be held Thursday to mark the start of construction of what will be the largest shopping center in the city of Detroit.

The Gateway Marketplace shopping center at 8 Mile and Woodward will have a Meijer Supercenter, a Marshalls store and a K&G Fashion Superstore.  It will also have a McDonald’s, Dots and a PNC Bank.

The developer, REDICO, is currently negotiating leases with a variety of other stores and restaurants.

The Gateway Marketplace is on 36 acres of land. More than 118,000 cars pass the site every day.

The shopping center is expected to open in the spring of 2013.

Michigan Governor Rick Snyder and Detroit Mayor Dave Bing are expected to attend tomorrow’s Noon groundbreaking.

Click here to go to the Gateway Marketplace website.

Blight is unsightly, it’s expensive and it can be dangerous, particularly for children.

8:05 AM on a typical school day students make their way to Wilkins Elementary School on Detroit’s east side.  Their path takes them over broken pavement, through overgrown weeds and past abandoned houses.

For these young children, the road to learning goes straight through one of the most blighted areas of Detroit.

Yvonne Stokes is the principal at Wilkins: “I do not like the idea of kids coming to school, in particular in the morning, some walking by themselves because they don’t have another option, in front of a place that’s dangergous.”

As a crossing guard at Wilkins, Craig Jackson does what he can to keep the kids safe.  But the houses and the blight are working against him.  Craig says, “I’m constantly watching the empty houses where the children are walking.”

Last school year Craig was on duty when Wilkins students found a burning body as they walked to school.  It was near an abandoned building, “It was just laying there and it was still burning.  Oh it was terrible, it was really terrible.”

The city has more than 60,000 homes that are abandoned or in disrepair.  Mayor Dave Bing promised to demolish 10,000 of them during his 4-year term.  He says he’s on schedule, “But people are just walking away and leaving their homes so every time we tear down something one or two pop up.”

Every home that is torn down costs $8500 to $10,000 to demolish.  The city is in a terrible money crunch, but Mayor Bing says houses like the ones by Wilkins school are a priority, “We want to make sure that our young people have a safe passageway to school, so we’re going to focus on that for the next 120 days.”

Detroit 2020 has been to Wilkins before.  A few months ago we tagged along when a citizen review team checked out the program at Wilkins.  That’s when we first noticed all the abandoned houses in the neighborhood — especially the two right across the street.

Chief Roderick Grimes of the Detroit Public School Police Department says, “Unfortunately they’re wide open and that gives a safe haven or a place where predators can lurk and kide and pick out their prey, so that’s a concern that I have, and so do city officials.”

Wilkins 4th grader Taevon Stewart knows the danger, “Kids can get hurt and bad things can happen to us and I don’t want that to happen to none of my classmates or friends.”  Taevon’s mother, Eva agrees, “Trying to get some help around here would help a lot.”

Detroit 2020′s Carolyn Clifford showed Mayor Bing video of the two schools by Wilkins.  We had already expressed our concerns to members of his staff.  The mayor delighted us by announcing, “As we speak today those homes are going to be boarded up.  But ultimately we can’t save those homes.  But partnering with you, finding out what you can bring to the table, maybe we can get them town down.”

A few hours later, as promised, a team was boardeing up the two houses across the street from Wilkins.  Boarding up the homes does not remove the blight, but it does remove some of the danger to students.

Principal Yvonne Stokes said, “I’m really happy about that.”

But perhaps Taeveon put it best,” I think that would be good so that we won’t have to worry about danger and nothing can happen to my classmates and kids that go to Wilkins.”

What To Do About Vacant Abandoned Unsafe Buildings In Detroit– (from City of Detroit website)
What is a dangerous Building?
A dangerous building is a house or other building that shows serious defects, unsafe conditions
or is vacant and open to trespass.
No one can legally and arbitrarily take or destroy another’s property. Owners have a right to due
process, and, if necessary, their day in court.
The path is seldom straight and narrow, and it does take time. But in the end, it is effective,
providing democratic and legal protection to all parties concerned.
The City has the authority to order the owner of dangerous buildings to make repairs or remove
the structure.
If the owner fails to take action, the City can demolish the structure and have the cost assessed
against the property. Even if a building is barricaded but is considered hazardous as a result of
fire or storm damage, the City can order that building demolished, too.
Until renovation or demolition is underway, owners are required to securely barricade open
buildings. Under no circumstances is a building to be left open to trespass.
Here’s where the City of Detroit Buildings and Safety Engineering
Department steps in to help.
The following step-by-step procedure is offered as information and guidance to those citizens
and organizations who want to do something about dangerous buildings in our community.
THE FIRST STEP IS UP TO YOU!

•  Report vacant, abandoned, and dangerous buildings by calling the Department’s ABANDONED BUILDING HOTLINE 313-224-3215 and providing the building

address.

•  If a street number is not shown, give the address of the nearest building on each side so identification can be made.

•  The Department will inspect the structure within two days of your call.

•  Our next step is to determine who owns the structure — governmental agencies or private individuals.   The Department must then make a thorough search of tax rolls and the register of deeds to locate all persons who have a legal interest in the property.

•  All individuals with a legal interest in the property are sent a notice to appear at a Departmental Hearing.  The notice includes charges against the building and specifies the conditions that must be corrected immediately.

•  If the owner or owners fail to appear at the hearing, or fail to comply with the agreement reached at the hearing, then the Department submits a report to the Detroit City Council recommending demolition or other remedial action.

What To Do About Vacant Abandoned Unsafe Buildings

• ı lf the City Council orders the structure demolished, the order is carried out by our

Demolition Division 313-224-3215

•  It takes about two and one half months from the time of the City Council’s order, for

demolition of the building to occur.
However, if the building’s owner requests and is granted a deferral of demolition by the
Council, action to demolish could be postponed an additional three months. This is State
law and the City of Detroit is required to follow this procedure.

•  If the house is owned by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development

(HUD), the department will inspect the premises and contact the appropriate
governmental agency to report its condition.
City government cannot demolish or maintain federal property.

•  Governmental agencies are responsible for maintaining their properties, and will respond

to our notifications to make the structures safe.

•  In the case of HUD ownership, you should also register a complaint about the structure with the Department of HUD in Detroit at 248-827-0200.  Complaints on file with HUD will add impetus to the formal request from the City of Detroit, Buildings and Safety Engineering Department, requesting immediate action.

If you haven’t been to Detroit’s Riverfront lately, next month may be the perfect time. The 6th annual Detroit River Days Festival is scheduled for Friday, June 22nd through Sunday, June 24th.

The Detroit RiverFront Conservancy has announced an exciting line-up of new programming for the Festival.

The three-day, family-friendly festival, presented by the Detroit RiverFront Conservancy, will feature first-ever events such as the Detroit River ArtScape, a salute to the Tuskegee Airmen, a kickoff to summer from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, maritime-themed activities from the Detroit Historical Society, buskers and street performers along the RiverWalk, as well as annual favorites such as a tall ship, towering sand sculptures and live concerts with performances by local and national musicians.

The 2012 River Days Festival kicks off Friday, June 22 at 11 a.m. and spans from the William G. Milliken State Park and Harbor to the newly completed Detroit/Wayne County Port Authority Terminal & Dock, just past the Renaissance Center. Festival hours are 11 a.m. – 11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday; and 11 a.m. – 10 p.m. on Sunday. Guests can enjoy free admission to the festival on Friday, June 22 from 11 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Click here to go to the River Days website for details and a full schedule.

“This year’s Detroit River Days is one of the most spectacular and diverse we’ve had in the festival’s history. Detroiters and visitors alike will experience a one-of-a-kind event on the water where they can explore miles of our beautiful Detroit Riverfront which serves as a magnet for new companies, residents and employees,” said Faye Alexander Nelson, President & CEO, Detroit RiverFront Conservancy. “The Detroit RiverFront Conservancy is thrilled to bring River Days to our community and is extremely grateful to our generous sponsors and partners who are working with us to celebrate our riverfront.”

The non-profit Conservancy began the festival in 2007 to mark the opening of the transformed Detroit Riverfront.  Since that time, more than three miles of Riverfront and its associated greenways are now open and accessible to the public, including the Dequindre Cut Greenway and William G. Milliken State Park and Harbor, Michigan’s first urban state park. The Conservancy will charge a $3 admission fee (and $5 after 5 p.m.) to help underwrite programming and operational costs for the festival..

NEW PROGRAMMING FOR 2012 DETROIT RIVER DAYS

The inaugural Detroit River ArtScape is an open art competition for Michigan artists, hosted by the Detroit RiverFront Conservancy, in which 10 artists will be selected to showcase their art and win cash prizes totaling $15,000. The art will be displayed from the Detroit Port Authority to Rivard Plaza, and in the General Motors Wintergarden. The juror panel for Detroit River ArtScape comprising of individuals from Detroit’s leading arts institutions including Detroit Institute of Arts, Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit, College of Creative Studies and the Michigan Arts League. Deadline for submissions is May 20, 2012. For more information and to apply, visit juriedartservices.com.

River Days will feature buskers and street performers, found at festivals around the world, who will fill the GM Fountain area with routines that include musical acts, bucket drummers, aerialists, hula hoop performers, jugglers, living statues and more. Performances will run Friday from 5 p.m. – 9 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 12 p.m. – 8 p.m.

 The Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Official Kickoff to Summer is June 22-24 along the Detroit Riverfront William G. Milliken State Park and Harbor. With more than 20 activities and exhibits, the DNR’s experts will be on hand to offer instruction on recreational activities like fishing, birding and disc golf and provide demonstrations about camping, hiking, biking, paddling and archery. Enjoy a free taste of Hudsonville’s Pure Michigan Caramel Apple ice cream, the official flavor for Michigan State Parks and join the DNR’s “build a campfire & s’more making” exhibit.

To celebrate the historical significance of the Detroit River and its surrounding waterways, River Days has added a series of historical events and exhibits to its 2012 programming. Throughout the weekend, The Detroit Historical Society will lead maritime-themed children’s activities as well as stage performances to educate and entertain festival guests of all ages. The Society will display a 1960s C-Class hydroplane and a 18^th century cannon that was recently recovered from the Detroit River. Both artifacts will be on display at the Detroit Port Authority.

On Friday, June 22, festival-goers will experience a Salute to the Tuskegee Airmen on the GM Plaza & Promenade and following the program, a World War II B-17 Bomber from the Yankee Air Museum at Willow Run Airport will make three passes overhead in tribute to the African-American fighter pilots. (Time to be determined.)

On Saturday, June 23^rd, to commemorate the 200^th anniversary of The War of 1812, River Days and The Historic Fort Wayne Coalition have partnered to create a live battle re-enactment on the river aboard the tall ship, Appledore IV. Also, an interactive mock war encampment will be established inside Milliken State Park, where guests will be encouraged to interact with the troops and ask questions about the War of 1812.

RIVER DAYS BRINGS BACK ANNUAL FAVORITES TO CELEBRATE RIVERFRONT

The Soaring Eagle Casino & Resort National Music Stage, located along the RiverWalk just west of Rivard, and the Flagstar Bank and Michigan Lottery Local Music Stages, will showcase some of the best national and local music talent from classical to country, R&B, alternative rock and good ol’ fashioned rock ‘n’ roll. The musical line-up will be announced in the coming weeks.

The Detroit Riverfront encourages healthy lifestyles with year-round recreation and activities, and River Days will feature the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan “Get Fit” Activities, which include guided walking tours of the William G. Milliken State Park.

The 3^rd Annual DMC River Days 5K Walk and Run is on Saturday, June 23 at 8:30 a.m. The course will showcase the Detroit RiverWalk, including the Milliken State Park, and new this year is a costume contest and music and entertainment. There is a quarter mile Kids’ Fun Run around the scenic wetlands. The 5K costs $20 for pre-registration and $25 race day, which includes an official race t-shirt, chip timing and four wrist bands for festival admission. The Fun Run costs $10 for pre-registration and $15 race day and includes an official race t-shirt and admission to the festival. Interested runners can sign up at www.RiverDaysRun.com.

The 6^th Annual Strategic Staffing Solutions Pooch-a-Palooza Pet Walk, presented in partnership with Canine to Five: Detroit Dog Daycare, the morning of Sunday, June 24. This year’s activities include a pet walk, a dog fashion show, pet portraits, pet massages and more.  Registration begins at 8:30 a.m. at the GM Plaza. The entry fee is $10 per dog on or before June 22 and $15 for onsite registration the day of the walk. Humans walk for free!  More details and registration can be found online at detroitdogdaycare.com.

The Appledore IV tall ship will be docked for free tours at the new Detroit/Wayne County Port Authority Dock, just west of the Renaissance Center.  Similar to the ships that worked the Great Lakes a century ago, Appledore IV hails from Bay City, Mich. and is operated by BaySail.

A fixture on the Detroit River since 1874, the United States Coast Guard will provide a unique representation of Detroit’s distinction as an international border. Beginning Saturday, June 23 at 3 p.m., a United States Coast Guard Cutter will be docked at the GM Plaza for free tours throughout the weekend.

On the water, the Detroit Riverfront becomes a stage when Typhoon Tommy brings the Detroit River Freestyle Championships starting Friday, June 22. Professional freestyle riders will be performing big air jumps, flips and underwater dives for the honor of being named the Detroit River Freestyle Champion.

The amazing Sand Sculptures return near Rivard Plaza & Pavilion and will feature one 50-ton and two 12.5- ton sand sculptures designed by Team Sandtastic, from Sarasota, Florida – all built during the festival right before visitors’ eyes. There will also be an enormous sand box play area next to the sculptures.

The Kids Zone will hum with an “All Aboard!” theme capturing boating and fun on the Detroit River. Activities woven through Rivard Plaza and Milliken State Park include face painting, cool crafts by Matrix Theater of Southwest Detroit, earth-friendly crafts by Arts and Scraps, imaginative story telling and puppet and magic shows. All activities are free and Kids Stage entertainment is provided by AM 910 Radio Disney.

“Reading & Rhythm on the Riverfront (R3)” will preview its second season during River Days. Local celebrities will be on one of the River Days’ major stages and read their favorite childhood books to the gathered families. R3 is a six-week summer reading and literacy program hosted by the Detroit RiverFront Conservancy on Rivard Plaza. It features celebrity readers, free books, carousel rides and make-and-take crafts for kids. The 2012 program starts Thursday, July 12, and runs Thursdays and Fridays through  August 17. R3 is geared towards emerging and young readers ages three to 10.

The Pepsi Taste of Detroit Food Court will offer a diverse mix of some of metro Detroit’s best eateries from Middle Eastern, barbeque, Italian and also fresh-from-the-farm options from Detroit’s own historic Eastern Market.

Diamond Jack River Tours will be docked at Rivard Plaza and festival-goers will be able to take one-hour tours and experience the sights from the Detroit River. Tours will be presented at a discounted rate, with $10 tickets (regularly $17) for adults and seniors, and $5 tickets (regularly $13) for children.  Children under 5 years of age are free with an adult. Tickets can be purchased upon boarding and certain restrictions apply.

The 6th Annual Detroit River Days Festival, presented by the Detroit RiverFront Conservancy, is sponsored by Anheuser Busch, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, Brown Forman, The Chandler Group, Comcast, Detroit Medical Center, Detroit Metro Convention and Visitors Bureau (DMCVB), Detroit Pistons, Flagstar Bank, Help Eliminate Auto Theft (HEAT), Metro PCS, Michigan Lottery, Pepsi, Quicken Loans, Securitas, Soaring Eagle Casino & Resort, Strategic Staffing Solutions (S3) and US Park.

More than 60,000 abandoned homes and other buildings litter the landscape of Detroit.

Some of these dangerous eyesores are located right across the street from schools, and kids walk by them every day.

This week on Action News at 7 p.m., Detroit 2020 begins a series of reports: Fighting Blight…and in one neighborhood, we get action.

We talk with Detroit Mayor Dave Bing about his plan to deal with the problem.

Also this week, we’ll look at the process for tearing down an abandoned building.

Tune in all this week at 7  p.m. for a special series of reports from Detroit 2020.

This is a big deal for the city of Detroit and Midtown in particular. With the Medical Center, Wayne State University and its central location, residents say it seems like an ideal spot for a new grocery store.

“I go to the suburbs for groceries all the time,” said Ronald Elliott who adds he really doesn’t have any choice and says it’s sad  because he specifically bought his nearly century-old home to be part of the revitalization of Detroit’s Midtown.

“There are a lot of opportunities. It’s in the heart of the city and I wanted to be a part of the city’s growth,” said Elliott.

That growth took a giant leap forward with Monday’s announcement that a Whole Foods location would soon arrive.

Whole foods is a natural and organic store. Everything in our store is free of dyes, chemicals or preservatives,” said Amanda Musilli, a spokesperson for the chain.

Currently there are five locations throughout the state. The newest store which is expected to open in the spring of 2013 will bring with it 75 jobs. But its impact goes well beyond that.

“We have a half a dozen local vendors who sell their products in our stores and they’ve come out today to let you have a little sample bit of that.”

The best part of today’s announcement just might be the fact that Whole Foods will bring shoppers to the city, which may bring new business to the area and maybe new residents. Maybe even people like Ronald Elliott who appreciate Detroit’s rich history and are willing to invest in its future.

“We need those types of amenities in the city of Detroit and I think it will just blossom in the area and I think it will be a welcomed addition to the neighborhood.”

This week, Detroit 2020 is focusing on the arts. The Detroit Repertory Theatre has been going strong for more than five decades.

The Rep casts its productions without regard to race and even gender.

One of the people who started it all–back in 1957–was Bruce Millan. He’s the theatre’s Artistic/Managing Director, and Detroit 2020′s Person of the Week.

The Detroit Repertory Theatre stands out like an oasis on Woodrow Wilson, just off the Lodge Freeway in Detroit.

“We feel we have some loyal supporters and we get new supporters all the time.” said Millan.

And those supporters are showcased on the wall…inside the comfortable bar where play-goers can also enjoy homemade soup and cookies.

In the theatre, there’s nearly 200 seats. The last two seasons, more than 60-thousand people have been in those seats…seeing some of the four major productions each year…each one running about eight weeks.

On stage, the audience sees how through its casting, the Rep is breaking down barriers.

“What we do and how we do it is just plain good theatre without regard to usual stereotypes,” said Millan.

“For two hours you come here and you sit down and you see that kind of unity in action and how powerful it can be. And you say well if I can suspend my disbelief for two hours in the theatre, what can’t I suspend my disbelief when I go back out into the real world so to speak,” Millan told Detroit 2020.

Millan’s theatre is a survivor.

The riots.  The decay of the neighborhood. Cuts in funding for the arts.

The Rep is the only professional local union theatre in the city of Detroit…and Millan emphasizes—he’s very proud of the quality of the work

So take a bow, Bruce Millan. You’re Detroit 2020’s Person of the Week.

To learn more about the Detroit Repertory Theatre and its performances, go to our website, Detroit 2020.com.

And if you’d like to nominate a Detroit 2020 Person of the week, Detroit 2020 dot com is the place to go.

Click here to go to the Detroit Repertory Theatre website for information about performances, its history, and more!