Alongside government officials, partners, community members, and students, Barton Malow and KIPP (Knowledge is Power Program) formally broke ground on the new KIPP Detroit Imani Academy (KDIA) campus on Wednesday, September 10.
KIPP is a national non-profit network of 278 college-preparatory, public charter schools serving students from pre-K through high school. Its Detroit location is renting space minutes away from where the new campus will begin to take shape in Detroit’s Gardenview neighborhood.
Phase one of the development, which will consist of the kindergarten through eighth-grade building, is scheduled for a fall 2027 completion to host students for the 2027-28 academic year. Highlights of this building include computer and science labs, an art lab, a multi-purpose room, and a full-service kitchen.
A second phase, consisting of a high school building, complete with an auditorium, gym, and athletic fields, is in the planning stages. The entire academic campus, which will span 116,000 SF across 16 acres, is expected to be completed in 2030.
“Ultimately, this building will house 1,300 students whose lives will be transformed and who will then, in turn, transform the city,” says Candace Rogers, KDIA CEO.
Barton Malow Detroit Office Director Kara Martini adds: “Barton Malow opened its doors in Detroit over 100 years ago, and we’re proud to continue building in our great city. Together with KIPP, we are creating a school environment that is welcoming, inspiring, and built to serve generations of Detroit students and families.”
