The Commons, a coffee shop and laundromat on Detroit's lower east side, was developed from a once-vacant furniture warehouse purchased for $500 at a tax auction. Situated on a corridor severely impacted by the 1967 rebellion, the challenge was to create a thriving business in a neighborhood with significant vacancies.

Through thoughtful community engagement and innovative thinking, The Commons emerged as a welcoming "third space" between work and home, designed to bring together neighbors from both sides of Mack Avenue. Now a beacon of hope, The Commons has received widespread recognition, including the 2018 Commerce Design Award.