Friends of Crestwood Park

I founded the Friends of Crestwood Park and worked with the city government, the park and recreation board, and a local Landscape Architect to develop a plan to restore and revitalize our neighborhood park. I served as the liaison for these entities and the community, leading multiple community forums. Crestwood Park had fallen into disrepair. Over the next three years, it was completely restored. A walking track, new playground, renovated bathrooms, new barbecue pit area, landscaping, signage, lighting, the football fields restored, the stadium repainted, and cleaned up. It became a very active, vibrant community gathering spot. Today, it is a thriving community park and has added Pickleball Courts to the offerings.

Fifth Gate Arts Center

Working with partners, I started the Fifth Gate Arts Center. We approached the owner of a long boarded up building in our community. We brokered a deal with her to get a grant to restore the building and house the artist co-op concept. It became a destination and asset for our community. At the end of our time I brokered a deal with an artist to move in and keep the art gallery and art studio program going.

The 5 Artist Studios

Working with partners I approached the owner of a community building that was not in use and brokered a deal for us to turn the upstairs space into five art studios and the attached garage into a blacksmith shop. We negotiated the deal to allow very low rental rates for the artists. These spaces were used for many years and not only served the arts community but also brought an unused building back to life.

Artist Home Project

I negotiated a deal with the Mayor of Birmingham to allow our community to pay one dollar to take a house out of a zoning dispute, renovate it and gift it to a working artist to make their family’s home. This house had been in terrible disrepair, and in a lawsuit situation for over a year. By working out the deal, we restored a house, got it occupied, and gave a working artist the opportunity to own a home.

Hale Empowerment Revitalization Organization Real Estate Broker

I moved to Greensboro in 2023 and began working as the real estate broker for a nonprofit organization named HERO. This group owned a lot of property in town. Twelve commercial buildings in the town center and Main Street, as well as 10 houses. HERO had gone through a number of struggles in the previous years with management issues, financial struggles, etc.. The Board was looking to divest its real estate holdings and restore financial order. Working with the board of HERO, we developed a plan to sell the properties. We started with the commercial properties. There were two main goals to meet. One, save the historic Main Street buildings, some of which had fallen into disrepair and were in need of immediate structural attention. Two, work to keep their under-lease tenants in place with their current rental rates. I drafted a proposal and presented it to the board. The board signed off on the work, and we got started. Today, nine of the buildings have been sold. HERO made it possible for all under-lease tenants to purchase their buildings and become owners of a piece of Main Street. In most cases, two buildings were sold to developers. These two buildings were in the worst disrepair and structurally unsafe. The sale stipulated that they must protect the historic facades, make the buildings accessible for public use, and restore their structural integrity. Both buildings have been completely restored structurally, and one is going to be the site of the new business on Main Street, opening in November 2025. The other is in the process of restoration. Two buildings were deeded back to the City of Greensboro. We are in the process of working to sell the remaining buildings.

The second phase of this proposal involves the residential properties that HERO owns. There are nine homes and four lots. HERO is working to help the current tenants purchase their homes and become homeowners. We are working with a nonprofit to underwrite the mortgages and allow homeownership for people who would not typically qualify for financing. In addition, HERO is working to sell the vacant lots. All funds raised from the sale of the HERO vacant lots will be donated to the Rural Studio.