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.
City officials say the challenge was clear: developers and potential tenants often faced too many unknowns and upfront costs to make deals work.
“When we first started, what we wanted to do was figure out how to bring more investment into the neighborhoods,” said Amanda Elias, Detroit’s Deputy Group Executive for Neighborhood Economic Development. “What we see in the neighborhoods is that it’s hard to make a deal work. And so, we said, ‘How could we make it a little easier?’”
Rather than waiting for private investment to shoulder all initial repairs, the Gray Box program focuses on basic but critical improvements to city-owned properties before they are marketed for sale or lease.
That work includes replacing roofs, repairing failing exterior brickwork, installing new windows, and other projects — small, practical upgrades that reduce the cost and risk for the next owner.
“We replaced the roof on some of the properties, and if there were any falling bricks on the outside, we replaced those. Replaced the windows,” Elias said.
These improvements can be the difference between a property that sits vacant for years and one that quickly attracts interest from entrepreneurs and developers.
Local developers who have visited Gray Box-renovated properties say the transformation is striking.
“It is like night and day between what it is now. It was a mess,” said Bobby Lewis, a Detroit developer who has been considering a century-old building on West Vernor. “When I saw the pictures of this building, post Gray Box, I was just floored.”
That early interest appears to be translating into activity: city staff report pending sales in multiple corridors and more sites queued for listing.
According to city officials, Gray Box projects are improving storefronts along commercial corridors across Detroit, including:
- Livernois
- West McNichols
- East Warren
- Greydale
City leaders say additional corridors will be evaluated and added as demand and funding allow.
Small businesses and independent retailers are often the driving forces behind neighborhood life.
Vacant storefronts not only reduce foot traffic but also send a signal that an area is stalled.
By removing early capital barriers and presenting cleaner, safer, market-ready properties, the Gray Box program aims to accelerate private investment, create jobs, and activate blocks that have long sat dormant.
Elias sees the program as both a practical tool and an invitation.
“I would say to developers, if you’re looking for a great deal and you want to invest in the city of Detroit, call me,” Elias said.
City staff indicate that several properties are currently under contract, and additional sites will be listed for offers in the coming months.