SW Detroit Bus. Assoc. - Odd Fellows Hall - Vernor Lawndale Project

The Southwest Detroit Business Association (SDBA) renovated the Odd Fellows Hall located in the heart of the Springwells neighborhood. It will become a key anchor in this multicultural area.

SDBA reported in 2005:

• Several groups and partnerships were developing initiatives around a regional equity program led by Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC); SDBA and partners were developing plans for greenways connectors with environmental and arts programming; Gateway Communities Development Collaborative (GCDC) developed a work plan for 2005 for nine groups coordinating efforts.
• The project received MDOT T-21 enhancement awards for roadway improvements.
• Estimated $2 million retail, $5 million housing
• Property values remain steady in a weak economy.
• “The Cool Cities designation is important for the visibility the program brings to urban assets, and the partners are more open to partnering,” said Kathy Wendler, award designee.

SDBA reported in 2006:

• Strengthening nonprofit arts and cultural organizations in SW Detroit, and bringing Latino and Middle Eastern cultural programming together continues to occur in the Odd Fellows Building
• The Odd Fellows Building rehab has created 31 jobs
• Even though the economy has been soft, population continues to grow here, and residential and commercial property values increased by 3% to 7%.
• “Cool Cities is a wonderful way of instilling pride in a community” - Kathy Wendler, award designee
• We continue to see new Hispanic families buying homes built in the 1920s and ’30s, adding beautiful brick porches and ornamental iron fences with brick pillars between. 
• We secured Low Income Housing Tax Credits for 60 units of renovated affordable housing; we were able to extend our Greenways Initiative into a phase-two path along our main street from Dearborn toward the Detroit River Walk; we have begun to concentrate cultural activities (Detroit Public Library and Southwest Cultural Center) in the Vernor and Lawndale neighborhood.