History

When Recycle Here! started in 2005, its founders had very traditional waste reduction and environmental concerns in mind. The city of Detroit was, at that time, the largest city in North America with no recycling program. However, there was more to it than expected, as the creation of such a simple program was inspiring significant growth in neighborhood social interaction and sense of community.

The main location has become more than a busy recycling center. It is also now a community gathering place. This grew from the influence of the art community that was first attracted to the location by affordable studio space. Local artist, Carl Oxley III created a cheerful bee mural that became the official logo of Recycle Here! After that, artists converged on the building, creating murals large and small. Soon after, music was added to the mix, and the Saturday drop-off center became a cultural destination.

In 2010, Green Living Science (501c3) was created by the staff at Recycle Here to engage with youth in Detroit to create systemic change in the waste stream by providing students in the Detroit Public Schools with environmental education and a need for personal responsibility.

In 2011, the property became home to the Lincoln Street Art Park, an outdoor gallery of art created primarily from spray paint and found objects. The park was previously an unkempt, underutilized area, but since the gallery was created, it has become a gathering point for the neighborhood, hosting frequent bonfires, musical performances and other events. There has been no illegal dumping or vandalism on the property, and the foot and vehicle traffic on the block has increased.

The property that has allowed these ideas to grow into organizations is the former home of the original Lincoln Motor Company (1917), a 20,000 square foot industrial building located on Holden Street near downtown Detroit. The size of the building has allowed many projects to develop, while still allowing room for more. The age of the building, however, has proven a challenge in regards to maintenance. These challenges have attracted a certain type of artist/maker/creator, who has used the raw space and challenging conditions to build something unique.

In 2017, Life as a Dreamtroit, LLC formed to take ownership over the 1331 Holden St. Complex. Dreamtroit has been working diligently to ensure the future of 1331 as a culture destination and safe space for artists and community members by redeveloping the property with affordable make/live units, commercial space, new venues for music and performance, and an expanded Art Park. Life is a Dreamtroit, LLC is a partnership between Matthew Naimi and Oren Goldenberg.