Parker Village & GREAT, Partners in Economic Development

An abandoned elementary school in the heart of Highland Park, Michigan is targeted to become a new model of urban revitalization. Behind this vision is Juan Shannon, a lifelong resident of Highland Park and CEO of Modern Tribe Media. His vision is to jump-start development in the neighborhood by re-purposing the school into the most sustainable and innovative community center in the nation. The primary mission of Parker Village is to re-energize Highland Park’s economy by serving as a gathering place for career development, community building, mentoring, entrepreneurship, start-ups/enterprise incubation, and organic urban farming. This will all be accomplished on a property modeling innovative design, with Parker Village ultimately seeking a LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Platinum certification, the highest possible rating. The rehabilitated building will be retrofitted with blue infrastructure to conserve and recycle as much water as possible, and net-zero design features as well as a large solar power installation will provide the center with more sustainable energy than it consumes. More