Making the old new again

DETROIT- It may be the city's oldest neighborhood, but there's something new in the air of Corktown. Founded in 1834 by Irish immigrants, the neighborhood took its name from the city its first inhabitants hailed from, County Cork. Though the boundaries have shifted over generations, Corktown is generally understood to extend east and west from Lafayette Street to Martin Luther King Boulevard, and north and south from 14th Street to the Lodge Expressway. Like every section of the city, Corktown was greatly impacted by urban flight, and it was further ravaged by the closure of two of its most notable landmarks, the Michigan Central Depot train station in 1988 and Tiger Stadium, a decade later, in 1999.
Now, though, it seems the tide is turning. Sure, Corktown still has its share of vacant buildings along the thoroughfare of Michigan Avenue. And there's no shortage of abandoned houses on its side streets. But more and more, the signs of hope are undeniable, and progress is blooming as quickly as the tulips that signal the start of spring.
"I feel like we're on the cutting edge of what it means to be a vibrant Midwest city," said Rev. Matt Bode, who pastors Spirit of Hope, a Lutheran and Episcopalian church on Corktown's western border that dates back to 1892. "I like the multitude of gifts of the people from many different walks of life. I like that there are people who have been here their whole lives, and there are people who have just moved in. It's both historic and new at the same time."
One of the newbies is local activist Atiba Seitu, who purchased one of the area's newly built homes.
"I wanted to move back downtown because I have some friends who live here," he said. "They were gay men and they were talking about the community that was started to spring up here. I went over to their house and I saw it and said, 'well, this is something I want to be a part of.'"
Seitu said his neighbors include "artists, filmmakers, a guy who does all of the booking for the Majestic Theatre — most of these people have made a commitment to be here. I think they're people who are going to be doing things to make the city better."
The convenience of the neighborhood was also an attractive asset to him.
"I'm right up by Michigan Avenue, which is a major business district," he said. "I'm close the university, I use their gym. I have a hardware store in the neighborhood, which is a big plus."
A special program for first time homeowners helped Seitu purchase his house, which he's absolutely in love with.
"It's a one story ranch," he said. "Briane Hourtienne was the architect. I have 1,300 square feet, which is more than enough room for me, probably me and a lover at some point maybe. There's a lot of programs that even helped me get the landscaping done. Greening of Detroit gave me $500 to start that, plus some bulbs and shrubs. I have a garage, which I've never had, a nice porch … it's really quite cozy."
In addition to the new homes going up, there's also a lot of rehabbing happening in Corktown and, like every part of the city, there are lofts springing up everywhere.
"There are old homes and new homes that fit with the historic homes," said Bode. "Our neighborhood has a reputation of building things to last."
The neighborhood is also known for supporting its own, and Bode believes his church plays a big role in that.
"We have a preschool here, the Sunshine Community Preschool. It's one of the best in the city in terms of academic achievement. It serves low-income families. We have a youth basketball league, a soup kitchen and a food pantry. We also have aerobic kickboxing and a self-defense class. Plus we're host to the neighborhood residence council."
There's also a sense of community in Corktown that makes it unique.
"I know all my neighbors on the street," said Seitu. "We talk. We're starting a mobile patrol. I think this is going to evolve into not just a neighborhood but a community, and I'm liking being on the ground level of that and helping to make that happen."
Bode says the future looks bright for Corktown and that things there can only get better.
"Folks are coming here to settle and build a community in the city of Detroit, and Corktown is thriving in large part because of the gay and lesbian community here," he said. "It's a community that as gay and lesbians we should be proud of."