Beginning in 2007 BCI participated in a regional collaboration effort involving the Detroit neighborhoods of “Oakwood Heights” and “Boynton”, the City of Ecorse, City of River Rouge, and City of Lincoln Park. Since that time BCI has supported and lead the formation of a CDC specifically focused on serving those communities.

Fort-Visger CDC

Fort St. Greenway

48217 Neighborhood Plan

Acting as the fiduciary 501 (c) (3) for a grant from Detroit LISC, BCI participated in a community planning process for the Oakwood Heights and Boynton neighborhoods. The residents and stakeholders of this area branded their community after the postal zip code, calling the area “48217”.

In 2006, BCI worked with Hamilton Anderson and residents of the area to complete a greenway plan for the portion of Fort St. in 48217. BCI acted as a fiduciary and utilized a grant from the Community Foundation of Southeast Michigan to complete the plan.

In 2006 BCI staff began meeting with representatives from southwest Detroit’s 48217, the City of Ecorse, City of River Rouge, and City of Lincoln Park to discuss the importance of regional community and economic development work. The representatives decided to form a community development corporation called the Fort-Visger CDC (named after the cross streets where the 4 communities converge). In 2008 the group obtained a 501 (C) (3) designation. The organization has completed an economic development plan for the area, runs a farmers market, and has begun working with BCI on physical redevelopment.

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Before and After (plan)