AfricanTown Trade Academy
Detroit's Institutional Anchor for Global African Commerce
A university for AfricanTown.
Students earn while they learn. Hard sciences have labs—biology students work in biology labs, chemistry students work in chemistry labs. Here, the businesses are the labs. Students book real travel, clear customs on imports and exports, connect African producers and consumers to global markets. Classroom instruction paired with paid work in student-operated enterprises. Income calibrated to matter without removing incentive to graduate.
Import and export. EU regulations (EUDR) require GPS traceability for cocoa, coffee, and palm oil effective December 2025. Farmers without certification lose access to premium European markets. Students trained in compliance, farm mapping, and quality verification can help African smallholders access that pricing. Import African goods to Detroit. Facilitate African exports to Europe. The iVerify platform handles the traceability.
Accreditation through partnerships with Wayne County Community College, Henry Ford College, or Wayne State. Credentials range from week-long certificates to master's degrees. Michigan requires accreditation before licensing new degree-granting institutions—partnership with existing universities is the practical path. African nations can invest in programs that create Americans who promote their countries for decades. IT training addresses workforce needs locally and across the continent.
Universities anchor districts. Permanent foot traffic, housing demand, support services that survive economic cycles. They consume space—buildings, dormitories, amenities expand as programs succeed. The Dexter Avenue corridor is a Strategic Neighborhood Fund investment zone with $21.5 million committed. Room for growth exists.
This document covers the concept, academic partnerships, campus phases, and funding pathways. Trade Academy for program details and import/export examples. Funding for Detroit-specific grants and incentives. Team for credentials and related projects. Services for North Star Group's role. Dexter Corridor Opportunity for site-specific application.
Ghana Medical City (cityplan.nsgia.com): $1.1B integrated development—hospital, university, stadium, entertainment district, housing.
Ghana Master Plan (aburi.nsgia.com): Master plan documentation for the Eastern Regional University & Medical City Development Project.
Enugu Research Campus (enugu.nsgia.com): Research campus for Enugu State, Nigeria—university partnership, agricultural technology, data infrastructure.
iVerify (grants.nsgia.com/iverify): GPS-based traceability platform for agriculture and mining. Enables African producers to access premium export markets.
1. AfricanTown
The district designated by Detroit City Council in 2004.
Detroit City Council passed a resolution introduced by Dr. JoAnn Watson designating a 50-block area of Northwest Detroit as AfricanTown. Boundaries: Davison (north), West Grand Boulevard (south), Linwood (east), Grand River (west).
Neighborhoods: Russell Woods, Dexter Linwood, Wildemere Park, Nardin Park, Petoskey, Jamison.
| Dexter Arts & Culture Center | 12305 Dexter Ave, 28,618 sq ft |
| Dexter Retail Pop-Up | 13200 Dexter Ave, 100% occupied since Spring 2024 |
| City-Marketed Sites | 12020, 12024, 12066 Dexter Ave |
Partnership with Promise Land Realty for mixed-use development.
AfricanTown Detroit as anchor of African heritage districts worldwide:
- Salvador, Brazil
- Brixton, London
- Lagos, Nigeria
- New Orleans
2. Institutional Anchor
How universities transform corridors.
Cultural and commercial districts without institutional anchors depend on retail traffic. Restaurants open and close. Boutiques cycle. Universities tend to create lasting gravity.
- Daily foot traffic from students and faculty
- Housing demand that doesn't fluctuate with trends
- Support services: bookstores, cafes, copy shops
- Visitor flow: prospective students, parents, conference attendees
- Workforce pipeline for surrounding businesses
Institutions rarely relocate. A university that establishes a campus tends to create lasting demand for surrounding properties. Development tends to follow.
Ten-block radius along Dexter Avenue offers room to grow. Vacant land allows an institution to expand with the district. Mixed-use development—housing above retail, classrooms adjacent to restaurants—creates walkable density.
City of Detroit actively marketing:
- 12020 Dexter Avenue
- 12024 Dexter Avenue
- 12066 Dexter Avenue
- Students need housing → developers build apartments
- Faculty need restaurants → restaurants open
- International students need services → trade businesses thrive
- Visitors need hotels → hospitality develops
- Graduates need jobs → businesses locate nearby
3. Trade Academy
Training Americans to do business with Africa—and helping Africa do business with the world.
Each Lab is a curriculum track, a revenue source, and a real business. Students learn by doing work that generates income. Not simulations—actual transactions with actual customers.
| Import/Export Lab | Students source African goods for global markets and US equipment for African buyers. Real customs clearance, real logistics, real revenue. |
| IT Lab | Students build and maintain traceability systems, smart contracts, e-commerce platforms. Real clients, real deployments. |
| Travel Lab | Students become licensed agents, book real trips to Africa, earn real commission. |
| Language Lab | Students teach African languages to Detroit residents and businesses. Paid instruction. |
Revenue from student-operated enterprises funds scholarships. Graduates leave with credentials, business experience, and professional networks.
Trade flows in multiple directions. Students learn all of them.
Export to Africa: Africa needs equipment. A refurbished 2018 Dell workstation with 32GB RAM and 2TB drive sells for $269 in the US. Corporations discard thousands when upgrading. The secondary market exists but communication gaps limit access. Students learn sourcing, logistics, customs documentation, and African market pricing for IT equipment, medical equipment, manufacturing tools, and agricultural machinery.
Import from Africa: African products unavailable or unknown in US markets—hardwoods unknown to American cabinet makers, textiles with designs unavailable domestically, handcrafted goods, food products. Students learn supplier relationships, quality control, import compliance, and retail operations.
Facilitate African Exports to Global Markets: EU regulations (EUDR) require GPS traceability for cocoa, coffee, and palm oil effective December 2025. Farmers without certification lose access to premium European markets—billions in locked-out revenue. Students trained in compliance, farm mapping, and quality verification can help African smallholders access that pricing. The iVerify platform provides the traceability infrastructure.
The IT Lab builds systems that enable global trade. Students don't just learn to code—they build infrastructure serving millions of users.
The Scale: Millions of African smallholders produce cocoa, coffee, and agricultural products. EU market access requires GPS-verified traceability. Each farm needs mapping, each shipment needs verification, each transaction needs documentation. The workforce to do this at scale doesn't exist. Students become that workforce.
What Students Build:
- Traceability platforms (GPS farm mapping, supply chain verification)
- Smart contracts for trade documentation
- E-commerce systems connecting African suppliers to global buyers
- Mobile applications for field data collection
- Blockchain verification for compliance certification
Revenue Model: Platform fees, verification services, system licensing. Real revenue from real deployments. The iVerify platform demonstrates the model—students extend and maintain production systems.
Tunde Willis (IC Data Communications) operates an IT business on Dexter Avenue. His expertise becomes the teaching platform. Students learn from someone running profitable IT operations, not from textbooks.
Students become licensed travel agents. They book real trips, handle real itineraries, earn real commission.
What Students Learn: Travel agent certification, African geography and destinations, booking systems, heritage tourism development, group travel coordination, visa and documentation requirements.
Revenue: Travel agency commission runs 8-15% of trip value. A single heritage tour booking can generate $200-500 in commission. Students who graduate continue booking Africa trips for decades—permanent ambassadors for African tourism.
Ghana's Year of Return (2019) generated $1.9-3.3 billion in economic impact, with tourist spending increasing from $1,862 to $2,589 per visitor. The market exists. Students learn to serve it.
Students teach African languages to Detroit residents, corporate clients, and community organizations. Paid instruction from day one.
Languages: Swahili, Yoruba, Amharic, French (West Africa), Arabic (North Africa). Cultural competency training accompanies language instruction.
Revenue Streams:
- Individual instruction (Detroit residents, professionals)
- Corporate training (companies doing business in Africa)
- Community programs (churches, civic organizations)
- Online instruction (national/international reach)
Cross-cultural communication skills command premium pricing in corporate settings. A single corporate contract can fund multiple student positions.
Credentials range from week-long certificates to graduate degrees through university partnerships.
| Level | Duration | Credential |
|---|---|---|
| Entry | Weeks to months | Certificate (travel, language, IT fundamentals) |
| Intermediate | 6-12 months | Professional Certificate (customs, logistics, certifications) |
| Advanced | 1-2 years | Associate Degree (via WCCCD or Henry Ford College) |
| Professional | 2-4 years | Bachelor's/MBA (via Wayne State or partner university) |
Michigan requires accreditation before licensing new degree-granting institutions. Partnership with existing universities is the practical path. Detroit Promise provides free community college tuition for Detroit Public Schools graduates.
4. Partnerships
Academic pathways and African nation relationships.
Michigan requires accreditation before licensing new degree-granting institutions. Partnership with existing universities is the practical path. Curriculum development would proceed in parallel with institutional partnership discussions. Regional community colleges with workforce development missions are logical partners:
130+ credential programs, multiple Detroit campuses, workforce development focus. Associate degree pathways, Detroit Promise eligibility.
80+ years workforce training. Corporate College for customized programs. 66% of Detroit Promise students attend Henry Ford.
$6M Mellon Foundation grant for Detroit Center for Black Studies. Hiring 30 faculty focused on African and African-American studies. Bachelor's completion pathways.
Morgan State University established the first HBCU satellite campus in Ghana through partnership with African University College of Communications in Accra.
- MBA
- MS in Global Multimedia Journalism
- BS in Entrepreneurship
Faculty travel to Ghana to teach. Students earn Morgan State degrees.
African universities establish presence in Detroit. University of Ghana extension programs. Nigerian university partnerships. Detroit students earn credentials recognized across Africa.
Academy graduates can become long-term ambassadors. A trained travel agent books Africa trips for 30 years. A trained trader connects African producers and consumers to global markets for decades.
- 45% increase in airport arrivals
- Tourist spending: $1,862 → $2,589 per visitor
- $1.9-3.3 billion economic impact
| Tier | Nations |
|---|---|
| Priority | Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya |
| Secondary | South Africa, Ethiopia, Tanzania |
| Growth | Rwanda, Uganda, Senegal, Côte d'Ivoire |
- Curriculum input and guest instructors
- Scholarship funding for country-specific programs
- Student practicums in-country
- Designated products for trade program
- Potential trade office within AfricanTown
5. Campus
Phased development along Dexter Avenue.
Lease space in existing facilities. Prove the model before building.
- Space in Dexter Arts & Culture Center (28,618 sq ft available)
- Classrooms for certificate programs
- Travel agency storefront
- Import company retail space
- Certificate programs (travel, import/export, language)
- Language exchange
- IT fundamentals
- Student-operated businesses begin operations
100-200 students across certificate programs.
First new construction. Dedicated Academy building with integrated commercial.
- Academy Main Building (30,000-40,000 sq ft)
- Ground floor: retail, travel agency, trade showroom
- Upper floors: classrooms, labs, offices
- Associate degree pathways via WCCCD
- Advanced IT certifications
- First African university partnership programs
Partner with developer for adjacent housing. 50-100 units.
500-750 students.
Multiple buildings. True academic district within AfricanTown.
- Second academic building
- Conference center
- Business incubator
- Expanded housing (200+ units)
- Cultural center/performance venue
- African consulate or trade office
- Pan-African business center
- Hotel
- Restaurants between buildings
- Public plaza
1,500-2,000 students plus professional development and conference traffic.
6. Funding
Federal, state, and private sources.
Economic Development Administration workforce training systems. Awards: $500K - $25M.
Recent awards:
- Lafayette, LA: $885,000
- Independence, KS: $1,000,000
Typical range: $500K - $3M.
- American Job Centers (Detroit has existing infrastructure)
- Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA)
- Registered apprenticeship programs
- Title III (via community college partner)
- Pell Grants
- TRIO Programs
- Business development incentives
- Workforce training grants
- Community revitalization programs
- International trade assistance
Michigan training grants for employers: incumbent worker training, new hire training, industry certifications.
Free community college for Detroit Public Schools graduates. Academy programs via community college partnership make students eligible.
- Kresge Foundation (Detroit-focused)
- Ford Foundation
- Kellogg Foundation
- Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Foundation
- Airlines (African route development)
- Banks (international trade financing)
- Tech companies (IT training sponsorship)
Governments can redirect tourism marketing budgets to training programs.
- Scholarship funding
- Curriculum development
- Faculty exchange
- Trade office support
To be developed based on scope.
7. Implementation
Governance, metrics, and timeline development.
To be developed based on scope, resources, and regulatory requirements.
Timeline drivers include:
- Resources: Funding availability, staff capacity, partner commitments
- Regulatory: Public hearings, zoning approvals, permitting sequences
- Institutional: University partnership negotiations, accreditation processes
- Construction: Design completion, contractor availability, material lead times
Calendar development follows resource and constraint analysis.
- AfricanTown community leadership
- Academic partners
- Business community
- African diaspora representatives
- Workforce development
- Real estate/development
- Curriculum Council
- Employer Council
- African Partners Council
- Student Council
- Executive Director
- Academic Director
- Business Operations Director
- Development Director
Targets to be established based on scope and resources.
- Enrollment
- Completion rate
- Job placement rate
- Credential attainment
- Travel bookings volume
- Import/export sales
- Corporate training revenue
- Student business revenue
8. Team
Representative members of the development and implementation team. Additional specialists engaged as project requirements dictate.
Jey Smith is the Lead Developer and principal implementation director for complex development projects. As a partner at North Star Group, Inc., he coordinates the full development framework across land planning, stakeholder integration, engineering alignment, and multi-phase execution.
Smith brings more than fifteen years of experience in high-level telecommunications operations with Verizon Business/MCI, where he managed multimillion-dollar portfolios serving clients such as Sprint, T-Mobile, and Verizon. His fifteen years of military service further reinforce his structured operational style: disciplined planning, logistics awareness, and stable command-level decision-making.
For the AfricanTown project, Smith functions as the coordination nucleus: synthesizing cultural, educational, real estate, and community components into a unified development pathway.
Timothy V. Hall brings more than 40 years of experience in federal, institutional, and faith-based construction, with a professional background that spans HUD housing upgrades, U.S. Army Reserve facility improvements, GSA building work, and VA Hospital modernization.
Tim Hall has long served in roles requiring precise cost estimating, contractor oversight, and schedule management. He is a certified Construction Quality Control (CQC) Manager and a certified Safety Officer, ensuring that all field work aligns with federal construction requirements, ICC standards, and the complex documentation demands associated with public-sector facilities.
For the AfricanTown project, Hall provides cost-integrity, constructability review, and field-realism for facility renovation and new construction components.
Michael Hoffman is a U.S. real estate developer, inventor, and affordable-housing strategist with more than three decades of experience delivering complex commercial, residential, and mixed-use projects. As the founder and CEO of North Star Group, Inc., he leads initiatives that combine modular construction, structural insulated panel (SIP) technology, and disciplined financial modeling.
His patent portfolio includes more than a dozen U.S. patents in industrial heating, magnetic insulation, fluid-management systems, tank-farm engineering, and welding technology.
For the AfricanTown project, Hoffman provides strategic planning, curriculum development frameworks, grant funding strategy, and systems integration expertise. His experience with international development in Ghana and Nigeria informs the global replication potential of the AfricanTown Blueprint.
Roland F. Day, II, AIA, NOMA is an architect and campus-planning specialist with extensive experience developing large-scale higher-education environments, STEM/STEAM academic facilities, and integrated mixed-use districts. His work focuses on the early-stage program definition, spatial organization, and long-range physical planning needed to translate institutional vision into an implementable Master Plan.
Day's experience with complex, multidisciplinary projects makes him well suited to guide the framework for a university district that functions not only as a campus but as a community anchor.
For the AfricanTown project, Day provides architectural vision and campus planning expertise to ensure the physical development supports both educational programming and community integration.
Paul Watkins is the President of PMW Management Partners, Inc., with an extensive background in residential and commercial development. Over his career, Mr. Watkins has funded over $300 million in multifamily and residential loans.
Mr. Watkins has led teams in conducting market analysis studies, strategic asset repositioning reports, and technical assistance for troubled and at-risk PHAs. He has provided financial analysis, risk mitigation strategies, and commercial finance underwriting evaluation for complex development transactions on behalf of HUD.
He conducted strategic capital planning and development finance training for over 100 PHAs within a 3-year period, demonstrating expertise in RAD, Capital Fund Financing, LIHTC, and related programs. Mr. Watkins holds a B.S. in Finance from Hampton University and an M.B.A. from the University of Maryland.
Terence Willis. Detroit-based IT services provider with existing facilities on Dexter Avenue.
| Dexter Arts & Culture Center | 12305 Dexter Ave, 28,618 sq ft |
| Dexter Retail Pop-Up | 13200 Dexter Ave, 100% occupied |
| Partnership | Promise Land Realty |
Capabilities: IT curriculum and certifications, industry connections, equipment and lab infrastructure, corporate training experience.
Local real estate partner with community presence and property management experience in the Dexter Avenue corridor.
| Ghana Medical City | $1.1B integrated development—hospital, university, stadium, entertainment district, and housing in Ghana's Eastern Region. |
| Ghana Master Plan | Comprehensive master plan documentation for the Eastern Regional University & Medical City Development Project at Apedwa. |
| Enugu Research Campus | Integrated research campus for Enugu State, Nigeria—university partnership, agricultural technology, data infrastructure, and athletics. |
| iVerify | GPS-based traceability and quality verification platform for agriculture (EUDR compliance) and mining (conflict minerals, child labor monitoring). |
9. Services
North Star Group provides development services.
| Funding Applications | Grant writing, pro formas, program applications. NSG prepares documentation. Owner fills gaps only they can provide (personal financial statements, signatures), then submits. Owner receives any awards. |
| Physical Development | Building renovation, cost estimating, construction management, procurement. Roland Day (architect), Tim Hall (construction manager), and the NSG team execute physical redevelopment. |
| Procurement | Component-level purchasing, vendor relationships, tradesman reports. Direct sourcing reduces cost compared to traditional general contractor markup. |
| Lease Structuring | Institutional and commercial leases. University partnerships, tenant agreements, revenue-generating arrangements. |
| Hourly/task work | Billed as performed. Applications, pro formas, documentation, advisory. |
| Development fee | 3-5% of total project cost. Development management, procurement, construction oversight. |
| Lease structuring | 4-6% of total lease value. Institutional or commercial tenant placement. |
General contractors mark up materials 15-25% to cover purchasing, storage, non-payment risk, and profit. NSG's procurement methodology eliminates this layer through component-level pricing and direct supplier relationships.
Owner purchases directly from qualified suppliers. NSG manages specifications, supplier qualification, and QR code tracking for each component. Pricing history and supplier performance data accumulate across projects.
The Procurement tab documents the system.
Michael Hoffman, North Star Group — mhoffman@nsgia.com
10. Dexter Corridor Opportunity
Application of the Trade Academy concept to the Dexter Avenue corridor.
| Building | Historic 33-unit elevator building, 4 stories, built 1926 |
| Size | 30,304 sq ft on 9,583 sq ft lot |
| Configuration | Ground floor retail storefronts, residential units above |
| Location | Dexter-Linwood neighborhood, Russell Woods adjacent |
| Corridor Status | Strategic Neighborhood Fund investment zone ($21.5M committed) |
Adjacent parcels (12020-12066 Dexter) are under city RFP for mixed-use development. Across the street, the 12305 Dexter Arts and Culture Center project includes gallery space, artist housing, commercial kitchen, and community facilities.
Corridor investment activity:
| 12305 Dexter | Arts and Culture Center - gallery, artist lofts, commercial kitchen, music studio, rooftop terrace (across street) |
| 12020-12066 Dexter | City RFP site - mixed-use residential with ground floor commercial (adjacent) |
| Helen Moore Center | $12M renovation of Dexter-Elmhurst Community Center (nearby) |
| Dexter Senior Living | 77-unit assisted living, $28M (corridor) |
| Cabot Apartments | 84-unit permanent supportive housing, $16.8M (corridor) |
| Streetscape | $8.5M improvements completed Fall 2024 (Davison to Webb) |
Total pipeline: 300+ housing units, approximately $140M investment in the Russell Woods/Nardin Park/Dexter-Linwood area.
IC Data Communications has operated in Detroit since 2004:
| Services | IT support, audiovisual, security systems, telecommunications |
| Clients | Education sector, small business, public sector |
| Location | TechTown (440 Burroughs St) |
| Team | 21 employees |
| Certifications | Cisco CCNP, Google for Education partner |
Engineer Africa (501(c)(3), established 2018):
| Focus Areas | Affordable housing, road development, flood prevention, wireless infrastructure |
| Mission | Engage African diaspora to build Africa's engineering capacity |
| Ghana Presence | MoringaConnect registration (7+ years) |
| Ground Floor | IT Lab (IC Data satellite), import/export showroom, student-operated retail |
| Upper Floors | Student housing, faculty apartments, visiting instructor accommodation |
| Relationship to 12305 | Arts/culture programming complements trade focus |
| Relationship to RFP Sites | Additional student housing, faculty housing, commercial expansion |
To be discussed.