Detroit's Forgotten Land Gets A Shocking New Life

• Detroit has officially broken ground on the first of several neighborhood solar farms, starting with a 42-acre project in the Van Dyke/Lynch area.
• The joint project between the City of Detroit and DTE Energy aims to transform vacant, blighted land into a source of clean energy to power 127 municipal buildings.
• A key part of the initiative includes providing free, energy-efficient home upgrades to nearby residents, with 250 households already benefiting from the program.
• Beyond generating power, the project is designed to eliminate illegal dumping, create local job training opportunities, and revitalize communities plagued by neglect.

From Blight to Bright: A New Dawn for Detroit

City officials, DTE Energy executives, and dozens of community members gathered on Monday to celebrate the groundbreaking of a transformative project aimed at turning one of Detroit's biggest problems into a powerful solution. The Van Dyke/Lynch neighborhood, long suffering from blight and illegal dumping, is the first of five areas slated to be converted into a large-scale solar farm.

Mayor Mike Duggan, speaking at the event, recalled the area's past struggles. "If you came down here six months ago, the neighbors will tell you: illegal dumping, other illegal activities, it was not a safe place to be," he said. The new initiative will not only generate clean energy but also reclaim these forgotten lots for a productive, safe, and clean purpose.

More Than Just Power

While the primary goal is to generate renewable energy for city buildings, the project's impact runs much deeper. DTE Energy, in partnership with Boston-based Lightstar, is committed to beautifying the solar farms with trees, shrubs, and landscaping. More importantly, they are directly investing in the surrounding community.

"There's roughly 60-65 homes (in Van Dyke/Lynch) that we will update with water heaters, with new insulation, roofing, whatever it is they need in order for them to take control of their energy usage and lower their bills," said Joi Harris, President and CEO of DTE Energy. According to the city, around 250 households across the project areas have already received critical upgrades, including new windows, furnaces, and even residential solar panels.

"A Day Worth Waiting For"

The most powerful testimony came from the residents themselves. Haley Henley, a 50-year resident, shared her struggles before the program intervened. "Without the help, I would not have made it. I was a disaster waiting to happen," Henley said, explaining she had to run an extension cord to her kitchen for six months just to use a single hot plate. "I want to thank the mayor for thinking about us and coming to this area, and letting us know that we’re not forgotten."

Another longtime resident, Dorothy Gladney, who calls herself the "mayor of Almont Street," described how the neighborhood had fallen into disrepair but is now seeing a dramatic turnaround. "We try to keep our part up, then people come from all over, dumping on us. For now, we got it made," she celebrated.

Building a Sustainable Future

The Solar Neighborhoods Project also focuses on creating a pathway to green jobs. Tepfirah Rushdan, the city's director of sustainability, highlighted a partnership with Communities Power, an organization providing solar installation training to Detroiters. This ensures the community benefits not just from the energy and home repairs, but from the economic opportunity as well.

With construction also planned for the Gratiot Findlay and State Fair neighborhoods next year, and two more neighborhoods in 2026, Detroit is making a bold statement. It's turning symbols of decay into beacons of a cleaner, more equitable, and sustainable future, proving that every neighborhood has a future worth investing in.