How Has COVID-19 Impacted the Long Anticipated Revival of Detroit?
Detroit became one of the worst-hit cities with COVID-19. With places reopening and stay-at-home orders being lifted, the city’s economy could still be at stake.
By Nadia Niha
A view of the Renaissance Center from the Detroit RiverWalk. Photo by Nadia Niha
As you walk through the vibrant and lively downtown of Detroit and feel the sweet breeze across your face, you’ll see that places are open again, and that there are people congregating in them. Michigan’s economy has been through a lot, and Detroit alone has been trying to revive way before the pandemic.
Detroit was a COVID-19 hotspot with an average of 331 cases per week at its peak. Detroit has been through bankruptcy and has a shaky past. The city has been trying to recover from that, and now with a pandemic going on, the question of how its economy is doing arises.
“I think it will become tougher to find funding as we go forward,” says Devon O’Reilly, director of entrepreneurship for the Detroit Regional Chamber. O’Reilly oversees programs that deal with entrepreneurs and small businesses, and he helps connect them to resources.
With a future that’s uncertain, many businesses have taken the initiative to adapt and help provide for the necessities that are high in demand right now. “Those people who have found a new way to provide a service I think are excelling,” says Charlotte Fisher, vice president of marketing and communications for the Detroit Economic Growth Corporation.
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s stay-at-home order caused automakers such as General Motors to close down due to COVID-19. Due to this, Detroit’s auto industry was hit hard, and in response to that, they started making items that were slow in production but very high in demand, such as personal protective gear and ventilators. Gyms like Citizen Yoga in downtown Detroit have started to offer online classes and outdoor classes. Restaurants have moved to curbside pickup and had different delivery options when Detroit was in a stricter lockdown.
Sandi Heaselgrave, owner of The Red Hook, implemented an online store and offered curbside pickup to her coffee shop customers. Now that the shop is reopened, Heaselgrave thinks it’s crucial to make sure staff and customers feel safe and comfortable in times like these. “I think our customers appreciate that we’re being super careful...and I think that’s why our regulars keep coming back to us,” she says, Her shop has safety measures such as sneeze guards and UV lights that are left running overnight.
Many businesses like The Red Hook have seen a decrease in revenue, so it is vital to support Detroit businesses to help the city get back on its feet.
Detroit’s tourism industry has also been seeing a decline in visitors. With sports events cancelled and attraction sites closed, Detroit has been dealing with a huge decrease in its profits. Places such as the Detroit Zoo have started to offer virtual tours to combat the initial stay-at-home order.
Outside of downtown, an aspect of Detroit that many people seem to disregard and forget about are the poorer neighborhoods in Detroit. These neighborhoods still exist, and they have been severely impacted due to the pandemic. According to the 2018 Census data, 36% of people in Detroit already live in poverty.
Programs like the NeighborHUB Grant Program, which is a partnership between General Motors and Detroit Regional Chamber, help to uplift these neighborhoods. NeighborHUB aids nonprofit organizations in different neighborhoods to help address and solve the problems in their community. This program requires nonprofits to apply, and they can request up to $30,000 for their project. Applications are then evaluated by an advisory board, and the winners are chosen to receive the monetary help.
O’Reilly says they will soon be announcing a third round of grants for NeighborHUB to help local nonprofits that have been struggling due to COVID-19. He’s hoping that this will “help to support that neighborhood revitalization in Detroit.”
Detroit has faced many difficult situations before, and though this definitely isn’t the last, it will be one of the most memorable one in history. With businesses and the economy fluctuating, it’s unclear how Detroit will be doing in the future.
“We’re very creative, we’re very resourceful…We’ve got a fire spirit, and we are ready to get back into the swing of things when we’re able to do that,” says O’Reilly about the city of Detroit.
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