North End Urban Farm Plots Locally-Grown Convenience Store, Community Dining Hall

The North End urban farming community is seeing some major developments in the New Year, first with the announcement of MUFI “urban agrihood” project and now with new “agri-cultural” developments at Oakland Avenue Urban Farm. Curbed Detroit reports that Oakland Avenue has scored a massive $500,000 grant through ArtPlace America to redevelop its five-acre farm as an arts-focused agricultural landscape.

According to a release, the urban farm plans to put the funding towards the establishment of a community dining hall and hostel in a vacant home for hosting “visiting artists, agricultural specialists, and chefs.” The group will also launch a convenience store called North End Superette featuring farm produce and value-added products. Additionally, Oakland Avenue will use funds to create an Art Farm House to be used for arts and sustainability education programs. The farm will eventually host a series of culinary events.

Oakland Avenue is partnering with Akoaki architecture and design studio, ONE Mile Project, the Center for Community Based Enterprise, and the City of Detroit Planning Commission on the developments. The project is expected to launch in January 2017 with construction taking place over the next two years.

• The Oakland Avenue Urban Farm Is Creating an “Agri-Cultural” Landscape in the North End [CD]

• Oakland Avenue Urban Farm Website [Official]

• All Developments Coverage [ED]