‘Every neighborhood has a future’: Mayor Mike Duggan Delivers 11th State of the City Address

Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan stood before the community at Dexter Avenue Baptist Church on the city’s west side to deliver his 2024 State of the City address Wednesday evening. It’s his 11th address since he first took the podium back in February 2014. With the NFL Draft just around the corner, Mayor Duggan spotlighted Detroit’s ongoing efforts to boost both the economy and the neighborhoods.  Speaking from the heart of a neighborhood in the midst of resurgence, Mayor Duggan celebrated what he dubbed “a neighborhood rebirth.” He countered the critics who claim Detroit’s revitalization efforts are downtown-centric by highlighting the positive changes sweeping across the entire city—from drastically improved crime rates to transforming once-neglected areas into vibrant spaces. “Instead of blight, they can visit beauty,” he proudly stated. “On abandoned riverfront land, we built the world-class Riverside Park. DTE revitalized an eyesore on Grand River into the lively Beacon Park. Our industrial riverfront is now acclaimed as the finest riverwalk in America.”  Focusing on Detroit’s neighborhoods in this address marks a crucial turning point. Strategic, yet crucial. You see, while downtown developments like the upcoming draft and GM’s move from the Ren Cen are flashy and significant, they often overshadow...