Ypsilanti looks to renovate, expand Parkridge Community Center

Wednesday, September 10, 2008 | Source: Concentrate

It's not fair to say Ypsilanti's Parkridge Community Center has been at the epicenter of John Barfield's life. It's more accurate to say it is the epicenter of his community.

The 65-year-old center has been part of the heart and soul of Ypsilanti's African-American community, and has served as a major institution for the city's predominantly black south side.

For example, Parkridge is where the 81-year-old Barfield played and received inspiration as a youth. He had his wedding reception there and credits much of his success to founding the Bartech Group (he is now chairman emeritus) from the lessons he learned at the center.

Barfield maintains his experience isn't unique, that the building played a major role in shaping many local lives. It's why he wants to stop the cash-strapped city from shuttering the dilapdated center.

"It would be devastating if it closed," Barfield says. "It's the only thing the community has."

Last year the city considered closing Parkridge before Bartech and Pfizer each stepped in with $25,000 donations to keep it open on a part-time basis. This year Barfield has been leading the charge to renovate the existing building and expand it in two phases, making it self-sufficient as both a community and education center.

The $3.4 million project would add 20,000 square feet in Phase I with construction starting next year. That new space would be leased to a handful of local institutions of higher learning, which would use it as classroom space.

Under the current plan Washtenaw Community College would use 10,000 square feet to offer classes while the University of Michigan and Eastern Michigan University would utilize the other 10,000 square feet. Barfield has a commitment from Washtenaw and hopes to nail down EMU and U-M within the next 30 days.

Each college would rent space at $25 per square foot. That would pay off the bonds the city would issue to make the project happen and pay upkeep expenses. A further expansion of another 20,000 square feet, Phase II, would happen a few years down the road.

The idea is to bring these high-flying institutions out of their ivory towers and connect them directly to the low-income, inner-city neighborhood. It would also serve as a spark to help jump start redevelopment on that side of the city.

"The rebuilding of our community in Ypsilanti can begin at Parkridge Park," Barfield says.

Source: John Barfield, founder and chairman emeritus of the Bartech Group
Writer: Jon Zemke