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Committee advances rezoning for Merritt Park youth facility after extensive outreach
Summary
Give Merritt and Straight Gate Church sought rezoning of parcels at West Grand River and Burnett to build Merritt Park, a youth‑focused indoor/outdoor recreation and workforce training center. Planning staff recommended approval; the committee voted to send the rezoning to formal session with a recommendation to approve.
The Detroit City Council Committee of the Whole on Feb. 13 voted to forward a rezoning request for the Merritt Park development to formal session with a recommendation to approve.
Give Merritt (Friends of Merritt, LLC) petitioned to rezone parcels at 9715 Burnett Street and 10141 West Grand River Avenue from R2 (single‑family residential) and B2 (local business and residential) to B4 (general business). The rezoning would allow development of Merritt Park, an indoor and outdoor youth facility proposed by Give Merritt in partnership with Straight Gate International Church.
David Merritt, founder of Give Merritt and pastor at Straight Gate, described the project as a holistic youth development hub that will include a gymnasium with broadcasting and production technology, a climbing wall, obstacle course, splash pad, a miniature turf field, activated retail in shipping containers and expanded workforce training tied to the organization’s FAPE program. Merritt told the committee the organization has a 13‑year history running a cohort‑based program it said achieves a 100% high‑school graduation rate for participants and provides scholarship supports.
City Planning Commission staff and PDD said the rezoning is consistent with the Future Land Use Map (thoroughfare commercial designation for the site) and recommended approval under section 50‑13‑70 of the 2019 Detroit City Code. PDD reported that the petitioner conducted neighborhood outreach including door‑knocking and that the CPC public hearing produced roughly ten speakers in favor and 38 letters of support; the committee heard only a single substantive concern about parking that staff said was addressed through an agreement with a nearby church.
Presenters told the committee demolition of dilapidated buildings on the block has already taken place, site work and utility work are under way, and they aim to open the facility to the community in first quarter 2026. Project representatives said general admission for Detroiters will be free and that the site will offer workforce and mentorship programming; they estimated 12 full‑time jobs once operations scale and additional part‑time positions. Project plans include ADA‑accessible entrances and restroom facilities, emergency and security staffing, tree planting to buffer the adjacent highway, and coordination with MDOT for streetscape improvements on Grand River.
The committee moved the item (line item 6) to formal session with a recommendation to approve by voice vote; the chair said, “Seeing no objections, that action shall be taken.” Public comment at the hearing included multiple residents and program participants who urged the committee to support the development. A student who participates in the program told the committee Merritt Park will be “a place where kids can share their voice,” and other callers described the project as transformational for the neighborhood.
