Neighbors on Cicotte Street in southwest Detroit could not recall how long the dangerous and decaying house had been part of their block. Resigned to the eyesore, they had tried to shut it from their minds. All they could say was that they were glad to see it removed.

The Cicotte house was one of the last of 24 blighted buildings demolished by Southwest Solutions through a nearly $500,000 grant from the Michigan State Housing Development Authority (MSHDA). The grant was made possible through Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP) funds.

All of the structures that Southwest Solutions had torn down were located close to our real estate developments. These developments are important pieces in an overall strategy to help revitalize southwest Detroit. They are assets to the community that often combine quality apartment units with prime commercial space.

“Residential and commercial tenants can become discouraged when they see blighted buildings nearby,” says Steve Gabrys, director of Real Estate Development at Southwest Solutions. “Demolishing these buildings enhances our assets and the neighborhood.”

The buildings demolished included single-family homes and small multi-family homes. They were located near the Campbell branch library, the new Wellness Center on Michigan Avenue, our mixed-use Galston building on Michigan Avenue, our Waterman outpatient clinic, our Shirley apartment building, and other community assets, such as parks and retail areas.

Southwest Solutions worked with Wayne County Nuisance Abatement Program to obtain title to the properties. Invaluable assistance and advice was provided by the Michigan State Land Bank, LaMont Title, the City of Detroit Buildings and Safety Engineering Department, MSHDA, and NeighborWorks. Everglades Contracting and Upright Wrecking were contracted to demolish the blighted structures.

‘It is a complicated and technical process to demolish these blighted buildings,” says Janay Mallett, Real Estate Development Specialist at Southwest Solutions. “Without the help of all our partners in this process, we would not have been able to remove these buildings that are detrimental to the community.”