MARCH 2019 ISSUE A NEIGHBORHOOD NEWSLETTER NO.1 FROM FORD The iconic Michigan Central Station served as one of America’s busiest transit hubs from 1913 until 1988. The ambitious project, which includes Michigan Ford has built this way since the beginning. From Central Station and several surrounding properties, Henry Ford’s Piquette Plant to River Rouge and World will be developed over the next four years into a HQ, we’ve always been rooted in our community. In magnet for high-tech talent and a regional destination Corktown and Mexicantown, we have committed to A PLACE OF with modern workspaces and locally inspired retail supporting our neighbors via a Community Benefits and restaurants. Our intention is to be a good neighbor Agreement, but Ford’s goals are much more. We seek and help build a vibrant and inclusive place where the to model a new approach to community partnership community will gather and enjoy. — one of constant dialogue and cooperation with POSSIBILITY Our work is just getting started. In December, we our neighbors, where we can elevate their potential began the first phase of restoring Michigan Central through access to mobility and opportunity. Most When Ford announced its vision for Michigan Station: enclosing and winterizing the entire structure, importantly, we aim to be a part of a community with Central Station last June as the centerpiece of a new much of which has been open to the elements for a rich past and exciting future. innovation hub that will shape the future of mobility, decades. This will help preserve the remaining we promised to “create tomorrow together.” This historic features while protecting our workers and the means we want the community actively involved in structure. The second phase of construction begins making our Corktown campus the next great anchor this spring with the replacement of mechanical and of Detroit’s comeback. The goal of this newsletter is to electrical systems and restoring exterior masonry. ¿HABLA ESPAñOL? keep you updated on our progress along the way. We have also been working with our designers at The new campus will bring together Ford employees Gensler and other urban planning experts to advance Ford está lanzando “Creating Tomorrow To- and other entrepreneurs to ensure that Detroit is our development plan for the station and surrounding gether” como una manera de mantener a la the mobility capital of the world. In Corktown, new Ford-owned properties. The plan will define the usage comunidad al día con información sobre la mobility solutions will be created and tested that and programming of each of these parcels, as well restauración de la Estación Central de Mich- will address the way people will live and get around as identify infrastructure and facility needs for the igan y el proyecto de desarrollo general. Las tomorrow, ensuring that we don’t cede this future to mobility work of Ford and its partners. Central to this copias impresas estarán disponibles en inglés y anyone. Ultimately, we will work with others to create plan is not only creating a launchpad for our work, but en español en el “Ford Resource and Engage- a southeast Michigan Avenue mobility corridor that also a vibrant, inviting place for local entrepreneurs ment Center” en 2826 Bagley Street. spans from Detroit to Ann Arbor. and the community. ANY QUESTIONS, COMMENTS OR CONCERNS? We want to hear from you about our development… EMAIL [email protected] OR CALL 313.845.FORD (3673) MARCH 2019 PAGE Creating Tomorrow 02 together OUR STORIES PLUMB GIG FORD HIRES HISTORY-MAKING DETROIT PLUMBER TO PRESERVE STATION As Ford works to rebuild the historic Michigan Cen- Bennett said. “It’s an honor to be involved in its resto- tral Station, it is only fitting that one of its contractors ration and play a part in bringing it back to life.” has herself made history. Bennett is one of the first of many contractors and Four decades ago, when Adrienne Bennett earned construction workers in Detroit that Ford has com- her plumber’s license, she became the first woman mitted to hiring at the site — part of a goal, set out in Michigan to complete a plumbing apprenticeship in the Community Benefits Agreement, to make half program in the state. A few years later, she was the the station’s workforce Detroit residents. Ford has also Adrienne Bennett and her son, A.K. Bennett, run Benkari LLC. first woman in the U.S. or Canada to become a li- earmarked $5 million for workforce training and de- censed master plumber and plumbing contractor in velopment to build a pipeline of talent to meet the Along the way, Bennett has had a front seat to the 340,000-member United Association of plumbers, different needs on site, including stone masonry, me- Detroit’s rebirth, helping build the Millender Center fitters, welders and service techs. chanical and electrical work. apartments downtown, a major expansion at Henry Bennett has since turned her expertise with copper It was just such a program that brought Bennett Ford Hospital and the restoration of the Theodore pipes and HVAC systems into a growing construction into the industry. At a 1976 presidential campaign ral- Levin Federal Courthouse. She was plumbing inspec- and maintenance business, Benkari LLC. The firm, ly, Bennett was approached by a recruiter looking to tor for the restoration of the Fox Theatre in the 1980s. and its roughly dozen workers, has worked on some of promote minority women in the construction trades. And not long after founding Benkari, the Bennetts the biggest projects in the city. Now, it can add Mich- Other female recruits in the program dropped out, landed a job on Little Caesars Arena. igan Central Station to the list. but Bennett persevered, overcoming many challenges: Now, the renovation of Michigan Central has In the fall, Ford hired Benkari as a plumbing working in extreme weather, being a young woman brought Bennett, and Detroit, full circle. contractor to help winterize and dry out the iconic in a male-dominated industry and even traveling two When she was a child, her family moved here from station, which has sat empty for more than 30 years. hours each way for her first job. Her determination Chicago. Like so many, her first experience of Detroit Benkari has installed a temporary system to get water helped Bennett not only earn her historic licenses, was through the marble grandeur of the station. “It out of the building and protect it from any further but also become a plumbing inspector and a code en- used to serve millions of people and was then thrown deterioration. forcement officer for the city, all before founding Ben- away,” Bennett said. “And now it’s being restored. It’s “I’ve always been awestruck by the train station,” kari a decade ago with her son, A.K. Bennett. a blessing for the city.” BRASS FACTORY SITE DEMOLITION As part of our development, Ford will begin demoli- regulations, as outlined in Ford’s Environmental Pro- site reviews with community leaders, preservationists tion work at the old Lincoln Brass Works property at tection Plan. The work will be done in phases, starting and contractors, it was determined that the John L. 2051 Rosa Parks Boulevard to make way for a new with the installation of safety systems and monitors. Warren home, which was built into the factory com- mixed-use building. The sprawling 87,000-square-foot Then the interiors will be cleaned and removed, fol- plex decades ago, could not be salvaged because of its complex will be demolished in accordance with all lowed by external demolition. Finally, foundation and numerous past structural alterations. city, state and federal environmental standards and site remediation work will take place. After several DEMOLITION TIMELINE Mid-March: The site’s Environmental Protection Mid-April: Work on tearing down the structure Plan will be released online (https://corporate. will begin. ford.com/campuses/corktown-campus.html) and End of June: Tear down and disposal work at the FREC Southwest (2826 Bagley Street). should be complete. Late March: An eight-foot fence will be con- July: Foundation removal and soil remediation structed around the site. process begins. Early April: Ford will install air-quality moni- End of September: All demolition and remedi- toring system at the site; cleanup and abatement ation work is expected to be finished on the site. work begins inside. The former Lincoln Brass Works will become a future Ford development. IN THE NEW DEVELOPMENT, SEND US YOUR RESPONSES I AM CONCERNED ABOUT... 313.845.3673 | [email protected] | #FORDETROIT Please do not submit confidential information. see page 4 for full details. MARCH 2019 Creating PAGE Tomorrow OUR WORK together 03 COMMUNITY + CULTURE UPCOMING REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS EVENTS As part of our commitment to the area, Ford is invest- cise impact area (https://detroitmi.gov/departments/ ing $2 million over the next four years through the planning-and-development-department). MARCH 1 – April 17 9am –4Pm Community Benefits Agreement to support a variety A maximum of ten finalists will be selected and Every Tuesday through Saturday until Tax of nonprofit projects in workforce training, educa- they will then present their ideas to the community, Day, the Accounting Aid Society will offerfree tion and community development. For our inaugural who will help pick the winners. The maximum grant tax preparation and translation services. grants, we are now requesting proposals that celebrate available for any one proposal is $100,000, with a to- and build upon the unique legacy and culture of the tal of $250,000 awarded this round. Winners will be @FREC Southwest, 2826 Bagley Street surrounding neighborhoods.