Similar to historic neighborhoods like Mexicantown in Detroit or Roosevelt Park in Grand Rapids, Flint’s eastside has always been known for its heavy influence of Hispanic residents and culture. Now, thanks to a $2 million investment from the state of Michigan, the eastside will be able to continue strengthening a corridor that celebrates those roots.
The Flint Latinx Technology & Community Center announced the grant in support of the redevelopment of the former Knoblock Hardware building on Lewis Street at a press conference on October 24. State Sen. John Cherry and State Rep. Cynthia Neeley both spoke on behalf of the state of Michigan.
“This investment will strengthen and improve Flint’s Latinx District,” Neeley said. “This isn’t just about buildings and businesses. It’s about building a community, creating opportunities, uplifting families who have been working hard for generations. Let’s be clear, this funding is here because we fought for it, and this investment is for you, for your families, and for your future in this community. Policies from the highest level of government are trying to break down communities of color, including Latinx communities, but we do not let that happen. Stand tall. Speak out. Dream your biggest dreams. Keep building, keep lifting your neighbor. Keep believing in your community.”
The Knoblock Hardware building was originally built in the 1920s. The store closed in 2024 after approximately 86 years in business. The $2 million grant will support restoration and renovations at the site that will result in the creation of mixed use spaces that include apartments and retail, restaurant, or other commercial space and a small business incubator.
Asa Ascencio Zuccaro, executive director of the Latinx Center, said that the leadership at the center has championed this project because of its potential impact on the surrounding neighborhood. But it also complements an existing project just across the street. Construction began on a $4 million bilingual education center in March. That center is expected to open next year. Along with the existing Latinx Center building, which was renovated two years ago, the Knoblock development will be the third major project on that prominent block on Lewis Street in recent years.
“What we’ve learned from being a community resource center and a community hub is the strength and the support that provides for a neighborhood and for a community,” Zuccaro said. “The (Latinx Center) board recognized the need, the things that were missing in the neighborhood, and said education by far will open up doors and is a key to anybody’s future success. And we are excited to champion the construction of a bilingual early education center.”
The vision for a Latinx District on the eastside has actually been around for years. In a 2021 interview with Flint Beat’s Santiago Ochoa, Zuccaro discussed the behind-the-scenes work that had been done to talk with community members and assess what people living in the area around the facility felt they needed. Generally, access to education, community gathering spaces, and arts and culture were all areas that were identified as priorities. Initially, projects around the Latinx Center started simple: community cleanups, adding a hoop house and community garden, and creating visible art and signage in the area that identifies the area as influenced by Hispanic culture. Now, with the education center and the Knoblock projects, more spaces for education, housing, businesses, and gathering will take shape in the corridor.
“We are celebrating the initial investment into the revitalization of housing and small business,” Zuccaro said. “These buildings go back to 1920, and they’re in need of a great investment. They’re in need of new life. But what we know in any thriving neighborhood, there’s social support, there’s education opportunities and access, and there’s the opportunity to move for economic stability, to start your business, to find a job, and have a safe place to sleep at night. We’re thankful for the board’s vision in championing this reinvestment into creating Genesee County’s Latinx District.”
Tony Vu, chair of the Latinx Center’s board, stressed how restorative the Knoblock project could be to an often neglected region in Flint.
“In the heart of the eastside, families were displaced, local businesses were uprooted, and this community was divided,” Vu said. “Those choices left scars that we’ve spent generations working to heal, and today represents revitalization, the kind that honors where we’ve been while building something new and lasting for the future. The Latinx District is part of that vision. It is more than a development project. It’s a statement of identity and belonging. This project will bring new housing and commercial space designed to support small businesses and entrepreneurs who want to invest right here in their own neighborhood. This is about transforming what was once an overlooked neighborhood into a thriving, vibrant community and hub of culture, commerce, and transformation. A district that celebrates who we are, where we come from, and the future that we’re all like creating together. We’re not just rebuilding structures. We are restoring connection, pride, and hope.”
The $2 million represents an initial investment, so the Latinx Center is continuing to fundraise for the project. Architects from Sedgewick + Ferweda, project managers of the development, said they’re currently evaluating the condition of the building, what components can be saved and what areas could be expanded or built out.
Cherry, who said that Sen. Mary Cavanagh from Redford was instrumental in the Knoblock project, also helped secure state funding for the bilingual education center project. He spoke about the importance of the Lewis Street area and Flint’s eastside as a vital part of the city’s history, and one that he hopes reinvestments like this will make a vibrant part of the city’s future as well.
“We have two buildings in which there is going to be a transformation,” Cherry said. “It’s not building something new. It’s transforming. We’re taking a store that I remember shopping in when I was younger and turning it into a new engine for our community. And that’s what we’re seeing across our community.”
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