Cleveland, Ohio shares a similar history with Memphis, from population loss to an abundance of vacant properties. Cleveland has lost over half of its residents since 1950 with 81, 588 making an exit between 2000 and 2010 alone. The recent spike has a lot to do with Cleveland being “one of the epicenters of the nation’s foreclosure crisis”, experiencing a “four-fold increase in foreclosures from 1995 to 2007” (Capital Institute). These factors have combined to wreak havoc upon the various neighborhoods’ landscapes, in some cases for decades. In response, a lank bank, one of the oldest in the country, was established in the 1970’s to acquire, rehab, manage, and reallocate vacant and abandoned properties for redevelopment. Today, it is widely-know for its successful role in catalyzing a “renaissance in affordable housing by helping the city’s CDC networks become some of the nation’s most productive affordable housing developers” (PolicyLink).
While holding a prestigious reputation for its overall urban revitalization, Cleveland still faces an uphill battle that includes recovering from the 2008 economic downturn, the ongoing implications of being a “weak market city”, and unimpressive data results following analyses of revitalization efforts. A report by Policylink, reviewing the revitalization process of older core cities, stated that such a daunting task requires “innovation, creativity, and commitment to inclusive and sustainable growth” (PolicyLink). There are many lessons and strategies Memphis can learn from Cleveland’s approach to revitalization, but a recent effort by one of the big names in the game specifically addresses the “inclusive and sustainable” aspects of growth the report acknowledges as being integral to the process.
The Evergreen Cooperatives is a network of worker-owned businesses that seeks not only economic development in struggling neighborhoods, but also “sustainable prosperity” by engaging workers in the profits of the companies, sitting on the company board, and participating in hiring and business strategies. It is a community-building model in its essence. “The Evergreen Model” as it has come to be called, “builds in worker ownership and control but under the umbrella of broader democraticizing and green principles. Learning from Cleveland’s legacy as a ‘steel town’, and the associated risks of such concentration, Evergreen’s goal is to build a diversified portfolio of small enterprises rather than a few large ones, thus ensuring the long-term survival of the cooperative vision” (Capital Institute).
Green City Growers is the most recent small enterprise to be launched by Evergreen Cooperatives. On 11 acres of assembled land parcels (a portion of which was a city-owned, land-banked, “light” brownfield) in the heart of Cleveland, a 4.4 acre hydroponic greenhouse and accompanying packaging house will be built to yield year-round produce. Set to harvest its first crop in the spring of 2012, the greenhouse will yield 5 million heads of lettuce and 300,000 pounds of herbs annually, employing between 30 and 40 workers year round at full operation. The marketing will initially be directed towards the local food service industry, local grocers and anchor institutions, most notably the hospitals and universities, “allowing purchasers not only to reduce their food-related carbon footprints substantially but also to purchase produce with a longer shelf life.” In addition, “Green City Growers will not only provide employment and wealth that helps stabilize our neighborhoods, but it also provides local food at a commercial scale and keeps food dollars in the local Cleveland economy” (Green City Website).
According to the Mid South Peace and Justice Center’s website, there are 6,000-7,000 unsecured vacant properties and 13,000 vacant lots in Memphis. Food production as a means of reuse has arisen in academic and municipal discussions as an option. As farmer’s markets have popped up all over town, a need for “infill farming” has emerged as many of the farmers within the economically feasible service area now have full slates. A hydroponic greenhouse provides a very effective and efficient use of the land for growing food versus a community garden that utilizes conventional farming techniques. Hydroponic systems provide stability in crop yields, protection from outdoor elements, such as weather and food snatchers, and are more environmentally friendly. They use ~70-80% less water compared to outdoor growing methods and can provide a tremendously larger yield, sometimes up to 100 times more, of vegetables per acre. With Memphis’ similar abundance of vacant land and struggling neighborhoods void of job opportunities, perhaps such a greenhouse could not only help to bring jobs to these starved areas, but also help to address food desert conditions.
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