KMB 2009 Award Recipients
The Michigan Plaque Award:
The Greening of Detroit—Youthville Courtyard Project
“Parking lot to Paradise“ Youthville is owned by the Detroit Youth Foundation and is home to several nonprofit organizations that serve Detroit youth. The building's green space started out as a weedy sidelot adjacent to the employee parking lot. Surrounded by the asphalt parking lot and concrete walls of the building, the space was wickedly hot and virtually devoid of any plant life. Still, it was the only opportunity for green space on Youthville's site given it's location in the middle of Detroit's New Center District - so the Greening accepted the challenge! Today, the courtyard is home to trees and shrubs, native grasses, flowering perennials and along with paths and benches has become a pleasant outdoor meeting place and a welcome respite from it's concrete surroundings
