Jefferson East Business Association Entertainment

The Jefferson East Business Association (JEBA) redeveloped three dilapidated buildings into Entertainment and Technology Incubators. These contain 28 residential loft apartments, a TV production studio, and a number of retail and food service establishments.

JEBA’S target area includes several residential neighborhoods to the north and south of Jefferson, a vintage commercial corridor, four riverside parks, Fox and Conner creeks, four islands, and an urban industrial park. JEBA’s programs service a four-square-mile area on Detroit’s lower eastside along the Detroit River. The boundaries include St. Jean to the west, Alter Road and Grosse Pointe Park border to the east, the Detroit River to the south, and Charlevoix to the north. JEBA works to increase business and employment opportunities for all residents by maintaining and improving existing businesses and encouraging redevelopment. It also hosts community events and provides services and training for existing and start-up business owners, in addition to creating a safer and more beautiful business district through the Clean and Safe campaign.

Highlights:

• Entertainment and Technology Incubators
  • JEBA offered facade grants to three building owners for renovation in exchange for reduced rents to niche business that are entertainment and/or technology based.
• Jazzin’ on Jefferson first shut down the streets in 2004, after recommendations from the mayor’s office and Governor Granholm’s Cool Cities Initiative, to bring jazz, blues, food, arts and crafts, and other activities to Detroit’s lower eastside.
  • The event draws 20,000 people annually and is continuing to grow.
  • This event brings the community together to celebrate the rich history of the neighborhood and highlight the work that is being done to create its future. Jazzin' on Jefferson features a number of local and national artists.
• JEBA reported in 2005:
  • Detroit Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) has awarded the district and surrounding area a Metro Detroit Regional Investment Initiative planning grant and designated the area in its Strategic Investment Area. Resources will assist in collaborative planning efforts as well as financial assistance for programs to strengthen the business district and surrounding neighborhood. 
  • The Mayor's Office of Neighborhood Commercial Revitalization (ONCR) Re$tore Detroit! Program continues to support commercial revitalization efforts in the district.  
  • The Michigan Small Business & Technology Development Centers continues to support business assistance in the district.
  • Cool Cities funding has assisted JEBA in focusing counseling efforts on potential businesses for the Entertainment and Technology Incubators. A Business Recruitment and Assistance tour was held in September 2004 with over 100 participants to showcase the neighborhood, recruit businesses, and expose all businesses to the resources provided by JEBA, such as counseling, facade grants, marketing assistance, development incentives, and specialized workshops.
  • Eight businesses were created with the five new businesses that have opened.
  • There has been over $11,500 in public investment from the City of Detroit plus over $31,500 in public investment from facade improvement grants through JEBA.
  • Private investment has totaled $59,100 in a twelve-block district.
  • 45 new condominiums have been built; owners tend to be single professional females.
  • 18 apartments have been renovated; the 6 new renters tend to be low-income single persons. 
  • 20 single-family market-rate homes have been built, with many empty-nest professional owners. Over 550 units are scheduled to be built in 2005 in the surrounding neighborhood.
  • They will predominantly be single-family market-rate homes along with one single-family Low Income Housing Tax Credit project.
  • “The Cool Cities project is an important step in fiscal responsibility and sustainable land use by focusing on existing infrastructure as well as honoring the character and history of our cities and neighborhoods,” said Joshua Ellins, award designee.
• JEBA reported in 2006:
  • “The designation drew attention to projects that have been under way in our district.” - Joshua Ellins
  • he Platte Motor Sales building is being converted into artist work/sell loft space; the Winston Arms Hotel is being restored into a mixed-use development; and the Chalmers Building will be rehabbed to its original use (retail/residential).