Expanding the power of horses to strengthen Detroit’s future

Detroit Horse Power is proud of our track record of bringing nearly 1,000 Detroit youth to partner horse barns outside the city for free summer horse camps and after-school programs since 2015. But the geographic and transportation barriers significantly reduce our program’s capacity and our students’ access to horses. Detroit also needs creative solutions that turn the burden of vacant land into a community asset.

Since our earliest days, Detroit Horse Power has been working to reactivate a large vacant parcel within Detroit’s city limits to build an urban equestrian education center that will significantly scale our youth development programs while strengthening the fabric of the neighborhoods our students grow up in.

 

 
 

ROOTED IN COMMUNITY history

After years of community conversations, Detroit Horse Power is thrilled to have acquired an ideal property to build our facility in a neighborhood that has embraced horses as a part of the community’s future. The 14-acre site at 2701 Fenkell, Detroit 48238 was built in 1917 as St. Francis Home for Boys. In the 1990s, it was sold to Detroit Public Schools and operated as Paul Robeson Academy. The building was torn down in 2012 after a massive fire.

Detroit Horse Power started engaging in the neighborhood in 2016. Focus: HOPE’s community strategic master plan highlighted the alignment of this proposal with residents’ goals for environmentally-focused land uses, community asset building, and opportunities for young people. Through presenting at town hall convenings, block club meetings, pop up events with horses in the neighborhood, and regular participation in community events, Detroit Horse Power is grateful to have received such strong support from the Hope Village, leading us to purchase the property from Detroit Public Schools Community District.

 
 

Unmatched New Facility

The stables we are building will accommodate up to 17 horses, attached to a 75’x160’ indoor riding arena and 10,000 square feet of conditioned space for classrooms, offices, and community gathering. Most of the 14-acre property will be paddock space for ample grazing room for our horses along with a 100’x200’ outdoor riding arena and half-mile bridle path. 


Success through access

This facility will be the largest urban equestrian center in the entire nation. When complete, it will offer a great quality of life for the horses in Detroit Horse Power’s care and allow the organization to significantly scale the breadth and depth of our proven youth development model, providing the next generation of Detroiters with the skills they need to succeed.

 
 

our milestones

We are fortunate to have worked closely with McIntosh Poris Architects through this process. Each phase of the plans were brought back to Hope Village residents and our Youth Leadership Council to incorporate their feedback into the design. Lynnman Construction (an installer of Wick Buildings) and LS Brinker have been at the table with us throughout this process to prepare an achievable construction plan. Finally, Ethos Development Partners and Proxy have been guiding Detroit Horse Power through every step.

purchased the property from Detroit Public Schools Community District

received site plan approval from the City of Detroit

received $8M in capital campaign commitments

We are thrilled to be holding a ground-breaking ceremony on October 21, 2024 as we prepare to begin construction on pace to opening the largest facility of its kind in 2026. Once complete, Detroit Horse Power’s after-school participants will have

 

 10x

as much time with horses in after-school programs

1,000+

students introduced to horses for the first time annually

5x

as many summer camp participants

We’re grateful for our campaign supporters who have
committed $8,000,000 to date.

State of Michigan

Wayne County

Kresge Foundation

Susan Lane

Meijer Foundation

Patrice Schreiber

Schreiber Corporation

Elaine Stern Foundation

Gary Wasserman

DHP Board of Directors & Campaign Committee

Michelle & David Carroll

Chady & David Hall Foundation

LISC/Dick's Sporting Goods

National Recreation Foundation

Nancy Marks & Steve Silver

Cadillac Asphalt

Total Health Care Foundation

Stucki Family Foundation

June Marks

Weller Family Foundation

Russell Family Foundation

Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan

Ralph C. Wilson Foundation

McGregor Fund

NeighborHUB

Carol & Mitch KleiN

Towsley Foundation

Elizabeth Goldsberry

DePorre Family

Amanda Silver

Henry Ford III

Jonathan & Terry Miller

Ken Tropin

Barbara Goldberg

US Equestrian FederatioN

Dan & Amy Loepp

Paula Preschlack

Ford Motor Company Fund

We are asking our community to invest in our new Stable Future Fund

Detroit Horse Power is grateful to have reached this pivotal point in our journey to include horses as a stronger part of Detroit’s future. As we get underway with constructing our urban equestrian education center, we are calling on our community to join us in laying the foundation for our expanded youth programming when the new facility opens.

At our October 21, 2024 groundbreaking event, we announced the launch of the new Stable Future Fund - a $2,000,000 campaign that will support 18 months of expanded operations at Detroit Horse Power’s new facility. Please join us by committing at one of the following levels:

DHP Legacy Society

Recognizing cumulative support of $25,000 or more through a multi-year commitment

Hall of Champions

$1,000 contribution prominently recognized at the new facility

To join us as a Legacy Society or Hall of Champions member please contact Ciara Ginyard, Development Director at cginyard@detroithorsepower.org or fill out the form below.