When Andy Watchorn went looking for a house in Flint he chose a place within walking distance of the Longway Planetarium and the Flint Institute of Music, so he could enjoy his favorite pastimes without charging up his Chevy Volt for an expedition. “I’ve lived in Austin, Texas, Chicago, Ill. and other places and I like […]
Dave Phaneuf found his dream house – an 1898 Queen Ann home in Flint’s Grand Traverse neighborhood – and wound up having it all. Through the house he connected with a five-generation legacy and adopted a key role in stabilizing the community. “The neighborhood looked a little down on its luck. The house was in […]
More than a year after the city he serves faced a water emergency Patrick Hawkins remains vigilant. “Water is the one thing that can build or destroy you. Everything revolves around it,” says Hawkins, a prime mover in establishing health fairs and clinics for seniors in the aftermath of the Flint water crisis. With the […]
For years, Jorain Hardman was homeless and battling a heroin addiction. Her travels took her past a shuttered apartment building called Swayze Apartments, a decrepit place that couldn’t provide decent shelter from the cold. Even after she got sober her options were limited. “I was right here, looking at this building, wishing it could be […]