Press Release

U.S. Department of Commerce Invests $4.1 Million In Detroit To Help Create Jobs And Reindustrialize City

Contact: EDA Public Affairs Department, (202) 482-4085
October 3, 2016

DETROIT – U.S. Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development Jay Williams today announced that the city of Detroit will receive two Economic Development Administration (EDA) grants totaling $4.1 million to bring automotive manufacturing back to the city; and hire an Economic Recovery Coordination Team to lead reindustrialization efforts for the metropolitan area. The announcement, made during an event at the LINC logistics facility, included remarks from Mayor Mike Duggan, Councilman Scott Benson and other community members.

“Ensuring that our nation’s communities have the vital capacity, infrastructure and tools needed to support economic growth is a top priority for the Economic Development Administration,” said U.S. Assistant Secretary Williams. “Today’s investments support Detroit’s initiatives to sustain and grow the local economy, and revive the automotive manufacturing sector, which increases employment opportunities for the local workforce and helps strengthen the country’s global competiveness.”

The investments announced today are:

• Detroit Economic Recovery Team

  The Detroit Economic Growth Corporation and the city of Detroit were awarded $910,000 to support the hiring of an Economic Recovery Coordination Team that will undertake an ambitious project to reindustrialize the city of Detroit. The team will manage and execute all elements of the reindustrialization efforts in the city. The primary elements of the project include industrial and logistics business attraction; and identification and preparation of industrial sites, districts and areas. The increased staffing capacity will help the city to accomplish its goal of creating 5,000 new jobs for Detroiters during the next five years.

• Detroit Georgia Street Project

  The city of Detroit, Economic Development Corporation of the city of Detroit, and the Detroit Economic Growth Association have partnered together and successfully secured a $3,197,160 EDA investment that will support the redevelopment and expansion of Georgia Street. The proposed project is part of the city’s efforts to bring automotive manufacturing back to Detroit. The project is a key initiative to support the I-94 Industrial Corridor Redevelopment Project. According to grantee estimates, the EDA investment will result in the immediate creation of more than 600 new jobs and $120 million in private investment. The project will be a catalyst in fostering future good paying job opportunities for the citizens of Detroit.

“Detroit has a real opportunity to bring back a significant number of manufacturing jobs for the residents of the city,” said Mayor Mike Duggan. “These grants will help us to prepare our I-94 Industrial Park for additional developments and to help attract similar job-creating projects to other city-owned parcels.”

In 2013, the Obama administration assigned a team of federal employees to support Detroit’s recovery. The team focuses on a portfolio of projects in areas such as neighborhood stabilization, sustainability, workforce development, economic growth and international affairs, with the overall goal of providing technical advice to improve Detroit’s performance capacity.

“Beginning with the rescue of the auto industry, the Obama administration has steadfastly believed in Detroiters’ ability to rebuild,” said Cliff Kellogg, Executive Director of the Detroit Federal Working Group. “With today’s announcement of another federal investment in Detroit’s infrastructure and staff, we are proud to continue our support of Mayor Duggan’s plans to restore the city’s manufacturing and industrial base.”

About the Economic Development Administration
The mission of the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) is to lead the federal economic development agenda by promoting competitiveness and preparing the nation's regions for growth and success in the worldwide economy. An agency within the U.S. Department of Commerce, EDA makes investments in economically distressed communities in order to create jobs for U.S. workers, promote American innovation, and accelerate long-term sustainable economic growth. To learn more about EDA, visit www.eda.gov.