click to enlarge Steve NeavlingTrees planted on vacant land as part of Hantz Farms. Nearly a decade ago, when Hantz Farms was asking the Detroit City Council for approval to buy more than 1,500 parcels of blighted land for an urban tree farm on the city’s lower east side, critics blasted the project as a land grab.At $350 per parcel, the deal was a virtual giveaway with no long-term guarantees. To temper criticism, John Hantz, the wealthy entrepreneur behind the project, insisted he did not plan to sell large chunks of land for profit, at least not in the short-term. Some of the trees are thriving, and others are not.Were the critics right? Only time will tell.

Source: MetroXpress September 20, 2021 16:05 UTC