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The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation has announced support for U-M Taubman College students and faculty to work in partnership with the Oakland Avenue Urban Farm to advance Detroit’s historic North End neighborhood. The cooperative effort combines private support with university and community expertise to transform a vacant residence into a design resource library and community hub.

Through the $405,000 grant, faculty will design and adaptively reuse an existing building that will exist as part of the Oakland Avenue Urban Farm in the North End. In partnership with Oakland Avenue Urban Farm, Taubman College will transform a vacant residence into a community-centered design library and meeting space — one that’s run entirely with community support and input. Funds will also provide ongoing support for programming and staffing.

Faculty will collaborate on design, planning, and development projects with Detroit-based architecture and urban design studio Akoaki — led by Anya Sirota, Taubman College’s associate dean for academic initiatives and associate professor of architecture. The project builds on an ongoing effort, five years in the works, to realize a civic commons. The goal is to help the Oakland Avenue farm reimagine and realize six acres of the North End as a vibrant landscape with cultural infrastructure that benefits residents and mission-driven organizations alike.

“Our hope is that this project offers a valuable resource to the North End and continues to build on all of the positive things happening in the community,” said Sirota, co-principal of Akoaki. “This facility’s place as a piece of permanent infrastructure will provide the community and the university the opportunity to learn from one another for years to come and help realize the broader vision of a civic commons in the area.”

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The University of Michigan’s decades-long commitment to engagement in its founding city of Detroit has grown stronger in recent years.

Increased interest in research and partnership opportunities by faculty, staff, students and alumni from U-M’s three campuses has led to a surge of collaborations with the community, according to Office of the Provost. And that sparked the desire for a more cohesive approach to the university’s engagement.

The approach is guided by U-M’s principles for engagement, as described in a 2017 report from a task force examining U-M’s engagement in Detroit. They are:

• Emphasize recognition for the expertise and knowledge within the community.
• Respect for individuals, communities and their resources.
• Equitable partnership focused on reciprocal relationships, transparency and accountability.

Susan Collins: Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs, University of Michigan

“Both our new and long-standing partnerships across disciplines, sectors and geographic locations exemplify the breadth and depth of our continued work together,” said Provost Susan Collins.

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Detroit Mayor, Mike Duggan

Learn more about City of Detroit Summer Fellowships 2021

The positions are paid a $600/week stipend with a $600 bonus upon successful completion.

Positions are project based.

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