• Multi-million-dollar project turned asphalt parking lot into beautiful new Ed Davis Park and complete renovation of community center, now named after community activist, Helen Moore
• Mayor announced plan to name community center after Moore in April 2024
• Helen Moore Community Center includes a gym, computer lab, kitchen classroom, STEM and Art rooms and more
• New Ed Davis Park includes multi-sports court, fitness equipment w/shade sail canopy, playground, benches and picnic tables and more

Mayor Mike Duggan joined beloved community activist Helen Moore and neighborhood residents and other city officials for the grand opening of Helen Moore Community Center and Ed Davis Park on Dexter Avenue in the Dexter-Linwood and Russell Woods neighborhoods.

Formerly known as the Dexter-Elmhurst Community Center, the building had been owned by a neighborhood nonprofit run by Moore, but due to building deterioration and the cost of repairs, the facility closed in 2019 and sat vacant.  The city acquired the building in December 2022 and at his State of the City address on Dexter Avenue in 2024, Mayor Duggan announced plans to renovate the center and name it after Helen Moore, a fierce community advocate for the center and the neighborhood for decades.

Helen Moore, Councilmember Fred Durhal III, Mayor Mike Duggan enter Helen Moore Community Center, photo of courtesy City of Detroit

The Helen Moore Community Center, which was renovated by the city’s facilities team and will be operated by the recreation department, includes a new gym, fitness room, computer lab, art and STEM rooms, multipurpose rooms, kitchen classroom, locker rooms and offices. Construction cost $11.2 million, plus architect costs; the total project was $11.9 million, funded by American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). The gym is dedicated in honor of Michael Lee Searcy, a past director for Dexter-Elmhurst Community Center who died in 2023.

“There really was no one else this beautiful community center could be named after,” said Mayor Mike Duggan. “Nobody has fought and worked as hard for this community and for this center than Helen Moore. As this neighborhood continues to rebuild generations of Detroiters will always remember her contributions every time they drive past or walk through these doors.”

Helen Moore spent 50+ years fighting for equality, improved education and quality of life for Detroit residents. Moore advocated improvements within Detroit Public Schools to better support student success education and taking legal action against the State of Michigan in a right to literacy suit. Moore was also instrumental in protecting the community center as a neighborhood space Renaming the center in her honor recognizes her legacy of service, empowerment and community pride.

Before and after photos of Helen Moore Community Center, formerly known as Dexter-Elmhurst Community Center, courtesy of City of Detroit Construction and Demolition Department

“Today is a glorious day for our community as I look around,” said Helen Moore. “It’s been a long, long journey trying to make this center something that we all would be proud of and today I am really proud of it.

The $11.9 million ARPA-funded community center and park build on the recent momentum along Dexter Avenue, which includes a new $10 million streetscape, new businesses and major housing development, among other activities.  The community center fills a gap in recreation center access as it is currently the only city-owned center in District 7.  

Another major aspect of this project is the construction of Ed Davis Park, named after a pioneering Detroit businessman who owned an auto dealership on the site of both the park that now bears his name and the community center that bears Moore’s name. Davis died in 1999. Ed Davis Park features a multi-sports court, fitness equipment with a shade sail canopy, a playground, a drinking fountain, picnic shelter with barbecue amenities, benches and picnic tables.

“As someone who grew up in this neighborhood, seeing the Helen Moore Community Center and Ed Davis Park come to life means more than I can express,” said Councilmember Fred Durhal III. “Helen Moore and Ed Davis showed us what commitment to Detroit looks like, and now their names stand over a place built for joy, connection, and opportunity. This transformation gives our youth a safe place to grow, our seniors a welcoming space to stay connected, and our families a renewed sense of pride. Today is a proud day for District 7, and a hopeful step toward the future our community deserves.”

Before and after photos of Ed Davis Park courtesy of City of Detroit

Ed Davis came to Detroit to attend high school. He graduated from Cass Technical High School and in 1940 became the first African American new car dealer in the U.S. when he opened a dealership in the Black Bottom Neighborhood. Due to urban redevelopment for a freeway the business was closed. In 1963, he became the first African American to have a “Big Three” auto franchise with his Chrysler-Plymouth dealership. The dealership was located where the park and Helen Community Center sit today. His business slogan was, “Good citizenship is our business too.”

“We know that before we acquired this property it was a center for the community by the community and that was the foundation of this project,” said Crystal Perkins, City of Detroit General Services Department Director. “We listened to what residents said they wanted to see, while acknowledging the history of the first Black-owned auto franchise dealership in the country, in hope that this will be something neighbors can take pride in for years to come.”

The City of Detroit worked with Detroit Land Bank Authority to acquire 12 lots adjacent to Helen Moore Community Center to create a new parking lot behind the building and a larger alley.  Construction also included closing Tuxedo St. at Dexter Ave. to create a plaza to connect the community center and park.

In preparation for the new community center and park, Detroit Public Works completed their Dexter Streetscape Project in 2024. This project allows for safer pedestrian crossings on Dexter Ave. as well as a separate bike lane that makes it easier to get to the community center and park.