The Durfee Building will soon be a community-changing atmosphere – full of innovators, educators and a sense of community as the Community Innovation Center.
First, it needs help – something Walbridge, DFM Solutions and DIG employees were quick to offer during the United Way’s Detroit United Week of Service.
On April 18, employees cleaned, demolished and went door-to-door in the community to support efforts for the Community Innovation Center.
“The Community Innovation Center will operate in collaboration with Central High School and the Detroit Public Schools Community District to provide hands-on education to students,” according to Life Remodeled, the group investing to change the Durfee Building. “Entrepreneurs will guest lecture in classrooms and students will have the opportunity to learn subjects, like math and finance, with real examples from case studies of business ventures taking place within the center.”
Tania Mayberry, Executive Assistant at DFM, said the experience has her thrilled with the city’s future.
“I was able to go door to door making the neighborhood aware of the new community center and all of its features as well as help with removal of the school’s gym floor wood to be repurposed within the center,” she said. “Knowing that we are assisting in positive changes within the communities we work in here in Detroit makes me excited about where Detroit is heading.”
Joining her in the door-to-door efforts was Jonathan Stewart, who said the team walked more than 4 miles talking to neighbors about the project and delivering cards with information about the center – but they weren’t finished with their work after their long walk.
“Once complete with the placards, I removed concrete from the elevator pit that was being demoed and removed wood flooring from the pool that was temporarily staged in the pool area,” he said.
Inside the building, there was a flurry of activity – with the team doing everything from bathroom caulking to prepping for new flooring.
Judy Ayotte was with a group loading up wood flooring from a swimming pool area and transporting it out for recycling. She is thrilled with the educational access it will bring to nearby Detroiters.
“What a great place to have a community center,” she said. “We toured the building and our guide told us they are installing a pizza oven to train the Central High School seniors, juniors and sophomores the skills to manage a small business.”
A native Detroiter, Stewart believes in what’s going on at the Community Innovation Center and knows the difference it will make in many people’s lives.
“The effort and commitment to the revitalization of Durfee speaks volumes for the local community, their commitment to preserve the landmark and help stabilize the community,” he said.