Development
“ALONE, WE CAN DO SO LITTLE.
TOGETHER WE CAN DO SO MUCH”
- HELEN KELLER
Through the years I have been involved in some great community development projects
and look forward to more.
Friends of Crestwood Park
I founded the Friends of Crestwood Park. We built a strong committee of community members worked with the city government, the park and recreation board, and a local Landscape Architect to develop a plan to restore and revitalize our neighborhood park. I served as the liaison for these entities and the community, leading multiple community forums. Crestwood Park had fallen into disrepair. Over the next three years, it was completely restored. A walking track, new playground, renovated bathrooms, new barbecue pit area, landscaping, signage, lighting, the football fields restored, the stadium repainted, and cleaned up. It became a very active, vibrant community gathering spot. Today, it is a thriving community park and has added Pickleball Courts to the offerings.
Fifth Gate Arts Center
Working with partners, I started the Fifth Gate Arts Center. We approached the owner of a long boarded up building in our community. We brokered a deal with her to trade renovation work for rent. We then secured a private donation to restore the building and start an artist co-op gallery. It became a destination and asset for our community. At the end of our time I crafted a deal with an artist to move in and keep the art gallery and art studio program going.
The 5 -Artist Studios
Working with partners I approached the owner of a community building that was not in use and brokered a deal for us to turn the upstairs space into five art studios and the attached garage into a blacksmith shop. We negotiated the deal to allow very low rental rates for the artists. These spaces were used for many years and not only served the arts community but also brought an unused building back to life.
Artist Home Project
I negotiated a deal with the Mayor of Birmingham to allow our community to pay one dollar to take a house out of a zoning dispute, renovate it and gift it to a working artist to make their family’s home. This house had been in terrible disrepair, and in a lawsuit situation for over a year. By working out the deal, we restored a blighted neighborhood house, got it occupied, and gave a working artist the opportunity to own a home.
Hale Empowerment Revitalization Organization Real Estate Broker
I moved to Greensboro in 2023 and began working as the real estate broker for a nonprofit organization named HERO. This group owned a lot of property in town. Twelve commercial buildings in the town center and Main Street, as well as 10 houses. HERO had gone through a number of struggles in the previous years with management issues, financial struggles, etc. The Board was looking to divest its real estate holdings and restore financial order. Working with the board of HERO, we developed a plan to sell the properties. We started with the commercial properties. There were two main goals to meet. One, save the historic Main Street buildings, some of which had fallen into disrepair and were in need of immediate structural attention. Two, work to keep their under-lease tenants in place with their current rental rates. I drafted a proposal and presented it to the board. The board signed off on the work, and we got started. Today, nine of the buildings have been sold. HERO made it possible for all under-lease tenants to purchase their buildings and become owners of a piece of Main Street. Two buildings were structurally unsafe. They were in dire condition and in the case of one, at risk of collapse. These two were sold to developers and today both are in the process of being completely restored and will soon house new business entities. We are in the process of working to sell the remaining buildings.
The second phase of this proposal involves the residential properties that HERO owns. There are nine homes and four lots. HERO is working to help the current tenants purchase their homes and become homeowners. We are working with a nonprofit to underwrite the mortgages and allow homeownership for people who would not typically qualify for financing.
Hale County Farmers Market
In May 2023, I partnered with Sara Cole @abadirs.co to start a farmer’s market back up in Greensboro @halecountymarket to support and promote local farmers and provide fresh food to our community. The resources here are rich. Locally grown vegetables, @underground.forest mushrooms, local honey, bread and treats baked by our wonderful girls in the Mennonite community, fresh flowers grown by @mcat_mcgill, Hale County Extension Service, Project Horseshoe Farm @projecthsf.greensboro and more all came together to provide a wonderful summer market. Thanks to the support from local nonprofit HERO we are able to run the market on a pay what you can model, allowing all members of our community access to locally grown, healthy food. After two successful summers with great community support, we will be back starting mid May.
