When BCI moved the headquarters to 6900 McGraw in 2001, the neighborhood stabilization staff expanded their work to the surrounding neighborhood, formerly known as the “The Old West End”. After BCI lead the residents and community stakeholders through a community planning the neighborhood decided to brand

itself Claytown because of

the history of clay mines that

originally existed in the area.

Claytown is bounded by

Warren to the north,

Junction to the east,

John Kronk to the south,

and Wyoming to the west.

Dingeman Park

Claytown Community Plan

6900 McGraw

In 2001 BCI moved from its previous headquarters on Waterman in Springwells Village to 6900 McGraw in Claytown. Since purchasing the building the organization has rehabilitated the building using a City of Detroit NOF grant and private funding.

MSHDA Revitalife Program- From 2001 through 2004 BCI participated in a program through the Michigan State Housing Development Authority called Revitalife. The program allowed BCI to acquire tax foreclosed properties and revitalize them for productive use. Through this program, BCI put 27 single family homes and over 150 vacant lots back into the hands of tax-paying residents.

Claytown Single-Family Foreclosure Program- Using the Revitalife Program and the Springwells Village Foreclosure Program as models, BCI staff is developing a program to rehabilitate single-family homes in the Claytown neighborhood. BCI anticipates to have the program operational in 2010-2011.

In 2005 BCI staff and the Detroit Collaborative Design Center lead a neighborhood planning process for resident and local stakeholders. Funded by a generous grant from Detroit LISC the process was conducted with a bottom-up approach where the participants spent time thinking about how they wanted their community to look and work.

Beginning in 2006, BCI staff and community resident Sheila Crowell formed the Friends of Dingeman Park. The group has the goal to redevelop the park. The Friends of Dingeman have grown dramatically over the past few years and now include The City of Detroit Recreation Department, Detroit Collaborative Design Center, Chadsey and Munger Coaches, Administration, Teachers, and Students, the Detroit Fire Department, Wayne  County Commissioner Iiona Varga, representatives from Alberta Tinsely Talabia, Our Lady Queen Angels, local business leaders, State. (Former) Rep. Steve Tobaccman, City of Detroit (Community Relations Dept., Neighborhood City Hall), Think Detroit-PAL, Detroit LISC, Skillman Foundation, and the American Children’s Mental Health Association. In 2009 the Friends of Dingeman decided to redirect their work based on the fate of Chadsey and Munger. If the schools are rebuilt the Friends will work to redevelop the park in way that serves the students. If the schools are demolished the group will redevelop the park with a focus on neighborhood residents.

Rehabilitation of Foreclosed Properties

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Before and After