Could an influx of Syrian refugees be the answer?
Haifa Fakhouri, president and CEO of the Arab American and Chaldean Council, believes that as many 5,000 Syrian families seeking refugee status could call NorthTown -- formerly called "Chaldean Town -- home and revitalize the blighted neighborhood, writes Dustin Walsh of Crain's Detroit Business. She's talking about a square mile.
Fakhouri said the placement of refugees will jumpstart the local economy and create a vibrant district, much like Greektown or Mexicantown, but roadblocks remain.
"We've met with several organizations and leaders, but it's moving slowly," Fakhouri tells Crains. "We can turn the city around and repopulate that area as more and more Syrian refugees need a place to go. We believe in this revitalization project; it will add to the social mosaic of Detroit."
