La Esquina: Mini Mercado & Cultural Enclave
We Are Culture Creators, more than music!
Leader
Michael Reyes
Location
4114 Bagley Street Detroit, MI 48209
About the project
Our idea for our neighborhood project is called La Esquina Mini Mercado and Cultural Enclave. Our vision is to convert two vacant lots into a multi purpose, multi use garden, performance space, market and arts enclave. Currently our cultural house /non for profit is adjacent to the two empty lots that have gone unused for the last 20 years. We hope to create a vibrant corner hosting farmers and artisans markets, outdoor event space, a permanent performance stage, and outdoor kitchen with both water and electrical hookups. In addition, the side of our current cultural house faces the lots, we plan to paint a culturally relevant mural dedicated to the famed Mexican artist Frida Khalo.
The Steps
April 15 we begin the final plans and designs and necessary permits are pulled
May 15 we begin to prep the area, posts are dug for fencing, space is clear and prepped for fencing
June 1 6 weeks of programing with GDYT youth and young builders begin to build out entire project
July 15 project will be completed and ready for public event
August 1st Public opening of the space with press run and community festival
Why we‘re doing it
We hope to create a vibrant corner hosting farmers and artisans markets, outdoor event space, a permanent performance stage, and outdoor kitchen with both water and electrical hookups. We envision La Esquina to serves as a nighttime green parking lot, as our community grows the need for parking is becoming greater and greater, La Esquina will provide safe parking in our community for both community residents and visitors alike. As space becomes more valuable we seek to create a pathway to usable multi purpose space, open to the community for not only smaller events as described above but small festivals and open markets. In the midst of food deserts, red tape from the city and county government to sell in many of the public parks and spaces, we envision La Esquina to be play for community commerce. La Esquina will be a gathering place to not only participate in tradition but to also create new ones.