Denby/Whittier Neighborhood Framework Plan, Community Meeting #1

The meeting began at 5:38 p.m.

Sherelle Streeter, the project manager of the Denby/Whittier framework plan, opened the meeting with an introduction and overview of what the framework plan entailed. Its aim is to create a well-informed plan for development and eventual implementation. The purpose of the meeting, Streeter said, was for the project staff to meet the residents and hear their experiences and desires for the future of their neighborhoods.

Spanning nearly 2.5 miles with 16,000 residents, the Denby/Whitter area comprises four neighborhoods: Moross-Morang, Denby, Yorkshire Woods and Outer Drive-Hayes. The plan's stated focus areas for development included housing, commercial development, environment and streetscape mobility.

There will be several additional meetings (scheduled for January, March and May), focus groups and office hours in the future. The city expects to finalize the plan in June 2026.

Gary Gray spoke on behalf of Councilmember Latisha Johnson, who was unable to attend. He emphasized the importance of the plan, while mentioning that it was Johnson who appropriated funds for the planning study.

“This side of I-94 told us when we first got in office that they didn’t get much love,” Gray said. “This initiative [is one] we’ve been talking about since the day we got in office.”

Ujijji Williams, a landscape architect with Jima studios, introduced the team involved in the project. This included members of the city’s Planning and Development Department and Department of Neighborhoods, along with Detroit Business Liaisons. Additionally, there are several team members who belong to various businesses and consultants, including Another World Planning & Design, Other Work, Izzie Global, Studio Incognita, Resilient Communities Consulting and BJH Advisors.

Williams continued by discussing research done on the aforementioned four focus areas of development that inform the team's decision-making for the plan. Regarding economic development, she said there are active commercial segments in the neighborhoods, but notable gaps exist between them. The development of the neighborhood's environment primarily concerns the creation and upkeep of parks, though it also comprises the growing need for addressing extreme heat on specific blocks. She added that infrastructure and topography contribute to this issue that is pervasive throughout Detroit. Lastly, she stated that high percentages of Denby/Whittier residents use the bus system, so improving public transportation in the area is a focus for developing its streetscapes.

After the initial presentation, the meeting moved to the activities portion, where attendees were encouraged to participate at five separate tables. These included tables where residents could voice issues they wanted addressed (titled the “Let It Out Lounge”), mark places on a map of the neighborhoods that are important to them (“Mapping What Matters”), create a collage of what they want to see in their neighborhood (“Dream Lab”), honor people and places most important to the community (“Local Legends”), and creating a community glossary by providing personal definitions to provided words (“Say What?!).

The meeting concluded with team members of the plan reporting takeaways from the activities. These reports contained residents’ desires for more community and outdoor spaces, bus shelters and playgrounds. Additionally, residents raised concerns with poor sidewalk quality, as well as a lack of community centers, outdoor spaces, access to healthy food, business diversity and social cohesion.