The construction of this residence at 13989 Plainview cheered Brightmoor residents. But elation evaporated when progress on the home came to an abrupt halt more than a year ago, leaving it incomplete and uninhabited.
“This is a house a family could be living in and buying,” says neighborhood activist Loretta Hudson. “The last construction work on the house was a year and a half ago. They finally put vinyl siding on the garage.”
The Plainview home is one of several being built by the nonprofit Northwest Detroit Neighborhood Development (NDND), says John O’Brien, who heads the organization. NDND has constructed 45 homes in the blighted community
O’Brien says construction of the three-bedroom home stopped because his group ran out of money. He concedes NDND should have raised all the cash before it broke ground.
“Our energy was focused on building the house with small grants,” says O’Brien. “We got ahead of ourselves by not first and foremost taking the time to get the funds to build it. We learned a good, valuable lesson on this house.”
When construction is complete, the 1,300-square-foot home will be worth $80,000, says O’Brien, whose nonprofit sells the homes to low- and moderate-income residents.
He says NDND hopes to raise the money through grants and other means so the Plainview palace can be ready for occupants by May.
Editor’s note: If you know of an abandoned home you would like to see featured in this spot, send a photo and pertinent information to News Hits, c/o Metro Times, 733 St. Antoine, Detroit, MI 48226 (or e-mail [email protected]).
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