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Open field to field of dreams: Battle Creek church breaks ground to build new homes

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Posted at 5:18 PM, Apr 25, 2024
and last updated 2024-04-25 17:54:10-04

BATTLE CREEK, Mich. — An empty lot sits on Greenwood Avenue in Battle Creek, but thanks to Washington Heights Methodists Church and Community, that's all about to change.

Thursday afternoon, public officials and members of the community joined the church for a groundbreaking ceremony. The event commemorated the first home to be built as part of the "Recover Our Neighborhood" project.

"This like a community revitalization project, to where we're doing energy-efficient repairs to houses. Those that qualify, they can get a roof furnace, water heaters, storm doors, windows," Pastor Monique French told FOX 17.

The project aims to fix up the neighborhoods by rehabilitating playgrounds and basketball courts. French says the other part of the project includes building 17 homes and rehabilitating existing ones.

"Battle Creek is a beautiful place. It's a beautiful place. It has beautiful people. Yeah. And we just want to add value to that," she said.

The home set to be built on Greenwood Avenue will be a two-bedroom, two-bathroom residence with 1,400 square feet of space.

French also says this project is estimated to cost $10 million.

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