DETROIT – Detroit is quietly tackling one of the biggest obstacles to neighborhood revival — vacant, deteriorating storefronts.
Through a targeted initiative known as the Gray Box program, the city of Detroit is making upfront repairs and improvements to city-owned commercial properties to make them more attractive and viable for developers and small business owners.
For years, scattered empty storefronts and neglected commercial buildings have slowed the momentum of larger redevelopment efforts across Detroit, even as streetscapes and business corridors see renewed investment…