Haven Design Build Offers Support for the Boys & Girls Club Vision
We recently had an encouraging conversation with Zach Sunderland, Executive Director from Haven Design|Build, about the former Boys & Girls Club property on East Pettigrew Street and the Grant Street Community’s vision for its future.
Zach previously toured the building and was able to share helpful background about the property, Durham County’s earlier plans for it, and the steps we may need to take to move the project forward. He affirmed that the Grant Street Community, BLK South, Monument of Faith Church, and our neighborhood partners are well positioned to help shape the future of this important property.
During the conversation, we discussed the community’s developing vision for a neighborhood-centered hub that could include:
Resource Center for Unhoused Neighbors
Permanent Tiny Homes for Unhoused Neighbors
A community kitchen or pay-what-you-can café
Zach also offered to explore how Haven Design|Build might help with early-stage planning and conceptual design. This support could help us better understand the building’s condition, what is possible within the available space, and the potential cost of renovating and redeveloping the property.
He also identified several organizations and funding partners that he believes may be interested in supporting our core implimentation partners, BLK South, and the Boys & Girls Club project. Zach has offered to make introductions and help us begin building relationships with people who may connect with the vision for community ownership, long-term equity, and generational wealth in Grant Street and the historic Hayti community.
No funding, property agreement, or development agreement has been secured yet. We are still in the early stages of learning about the county’s process, building the development team, gathering community input, and identifying the resources needed to make the vision possible.
Overall, the conversation went very well and represented another meaningful step forward. We are grateful for Zach’s encouragement, expertise, and willingness to support this neighborhood-led effort. We will continue keeping the Grant Street Community informed as the conversations and relationships develop.
— The Grant Street Community
