The Kresge Foundation is celebrating its centennial with a series of educational and civic events beginning in the spring to highlight both its accomplishments and goals to continue Detroit's upward trajectory.

Why it matters: With nearly $4 billion in assets, Kresge is the region's largest foundation and one of the country's oldest.

• Its contributions have underpinned a range of notable improvements and endeavors — from the riverfront's Dequindre Cut to the Grand Bargain rescue plan that helped pull the city out of bankruptcy.

What they're saying: "The civic ecology of Detroit depends on philanthropy," Kresge president and CEO Rip Rapson tells Axios.

Flashback: Retail magnate Sebastian Spering Kresge established the foundation here in 1924 with a focus on opening doors for ambitious, everyday people to get an education, improve their communities, pursue the arts and improve racial equity.

• Kresge, now headquartered in Troy, has awarded $5.1 billion in grants since its founding, including more than $1 billion in Detroit.

State of play: As part of its centennial celebration, Kresge is partnering with the Detroit Historical Society for programming about its impact on cities across the country.

• The Detroit Historical Museum will feature a Kresge-themed exhibit this spring.
• Starting in April, Kresge will host a series of community development events emphasizing climate change, transit, education and other topics.

The big picture: The impact of Kresge's contributions in recent years can be seen throughout the city.

• The riverwalk and Dequindre Cut received more than $51 million in Kresge grants between 2002 and 2017.
• The transformation of Marygrove College's campus into a cradle-to-career education center was made possible by a nearly $100 million gift beginning in 2018.
• And the foundation contributed $100 million to the Grand Bargain, an $800 million deal that made the city's 2014 bankruptcy exit possible with money from the state, foundations and the Detroit Institute of Arts.

What's next: The centennial celebration begins in earnest on May 4, when the Kresge exhibit opens at the Detroit Historical Museum. It runs through January 2025.

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Detroit's plans to make the city more scenic ahead of the NFL Draft include beautifying privately owned parking lots.

Why it matters: Mayor Mike Duggan's administration asked the city's Downtown Development Authority (DDA) to improve the central business district ahead of the April 25-27 event.

• Other plans in advance of the national spectacle include infrastructure fixes, trash pickup and more.
• There are lots of promises, pressures and hopes for a transformative impact from the event that drew 312,000 people to Kansas City last year.

State of play: Downtown lots that are owned privately but accessible to the public — and in compliance with city rules — can get planters and landscaping paid for by the DDA, per a letter from the Detroit Economic Growth Corp.'s Maxwell Cameron to the DDA board.

• New bollards and/or fencing will be covered 75% by the DDA, and fixing bollards and fencing, painting and new signs at 50%.
• More than 30 lots were deemed eligible, but negotiations are underway with property owners so the DDA can't give an estimate of how many will participate.
• The public authority has a budget of $900,000 for the program.

Between the lines: We submitted a Freedom of Information Act request for details discussed at public DDA meetings and received documents two business days after our request was received.

The latest: The DDA approved a contractor, Detroit-based Industrial Fence and Landscaping Inc., to do the fencing work last week.

Go deeper: Learn more about how the DDA works.

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🇺🇸 President Biden visited a Black-owned bar in Harper Woods yesterday during his Metro Detroit visit to meet with UAW leaders following their endorsement. (Detroit News)

🏠 More than 14,000 residents are on the waitlist for the Detroit Home Repair Fund, which was created in 2022 to help 1,000 households. A resident who sought support said that the resources available for home repair are confusing and that there's not enough money available. (BridgeDetroit)

🚰 Plaintiffs in a class-action lawsuit over the Flint water crisis reached a $25 million settlement with Boston-based engineering company Veolia North America. It was accused of responding too slowly to the water contamination. (Free Press)

👋 Hey, Joe here. I love new coffee shops, so when my barber recently raved about La Ventana Cafe, I had to check it out.

Reality check: La Ventana opened almost a year ago on Gratiot Avenue near Eastern Market in a renovated vacant storefront.

• Given my passion for community coffee joints, I was somewhat embarrassed to have not visited sooner!

What I ordered: A veggie breakfast burrito ($12) and black coffee ($3).

• The burrito, made by nearby restaurant Bunny Bunny, was fresh and filling.
• It was pleasantly reminiscent of the Sunday morning breakfasts I ate growing up, which usually included eggs, pinto beans and tortillas.

State of play: The cafe's layout and decor exudes a modern atmosphere, and natural light pours in from its large windows.

• Seating is varied — there's a bar, small tables ideal for working and a corner area that's better for socializing.

What they're saying: Juan Perez, who opened the cafe with his wife, Kat, tells Axios that La Ventana strives to foster a sense of community and help activate local businesses.

• "We're making a cafe for the people who live in this neighborhood," Perez says.

If you go: 1492 Gratiot Ave. Open 7am-7pm, Monday-Sunday.

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