Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan is committing $5 million to support the revitalization of the East Warren/Cadieux area on Detroit's east side as part of Mayor Mike Duggan's initiative to leverage private investments into community improvements.
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan is committing $5 million to support the revitalization of the East Warren/Cadieux area on Detroit's east side as part of Mayor Mike Duggan's initiative to leverage private investments into community improvements.
Blue Cross is teaming with communities in the area through the Strategic Neighborhood Fund (SNF) and the Affordable Housing Leverage Fund with the investment that will be distributed through 2022, according to a news release.
In December, seven corporations — including CMF members Blue Cross, Chemical Bank, Fifth Third Bank and Flagstar Bank — committed a combined $35 million toward the SNF.
The seven neighborhoods targeted for investments are Grand River Northwest / Old Redford, Warrendale / Cody-Rouge, Russell Woods / Nardin Park, Banglatown, Gratiot / Seven Mile, East Warren / Cadieux and Jefferson-Chalmers.
"I'm especially excited to see our dollars leveraged by residents of this neighborhood to design improvements that fit with the needs and character of their community," Loepp said in the release. "This is a ground-up effort, and we are eager to see the progress that will be made thanks to the ideas and ingenuity of the people who live in this area."
The BCBSM investment will go toward improving neighborhood streetscapes and walkability and help jump-start local businesses, as well as expand and preserve affordable housing, the release said.
Blue Cross employs nearly 5,500 people in Detroit, about 50 of whom who live in and around the East Warren/Cadieux area, the release said.
The Strategic Neighborhood Fund and the Affordable Housing Leverage Fund account for $422 million in private and public support, the release said. Both are expected to leverage more than $1 billion in investment in the city's neighborhoods.
"This strategic investment will help build on the great progress we have begun to see in neighborhoods like Morningside, Cornerstone Village and East English Village, as well as along the area's commercial corridors," Duggan said in the release.
The city is seeking the input from residents on specific projects through district-focused meetings, the release said. Residents with an interest in getting involved can visit theneighborhoods.org for more information.
