We empower resident-led community transformation.
Northside Development Group exists to advance the revitalization of Spartanburg's Northside community by honoring its rich history while expanding opportunities for residents. We work to create a vibrant, mixed-income neighborhood with access to quality housing, economic opportunity, education, recreation, healthcare, and community resources that enable individuals and families to thrive.
At the heart of our work is a simple belief: everyone who wants to call Northside home should have the opportunity to do so. This principle guides every decision we make, from developing mixed-income housing to minimizing displacement and ensuring that longtime residents can share in the neighborhood's progress and prosperity.
Resident leadership is essential to achieving this vision. Through the Northside Voyagers, the Northside’s resident-led leadership council, community members help shape the future of their neighborhood. Working alongside Northside Development Group and our partners, the Voyagers champion inclusive growth, preserve Northside's unique heritage, and strengthen the community one block at a time. Together, we are building a neighborhood where opportunity is shared, history is honored, and every resident has a voice in creating Northside's future.
As a 501(c)3 non-profit corporation, our operation is funded and supported through partners, donors, and volunteers.
Thrive Spartanburg
Thrive Spartanburg is an initiative of the Northside Development Group providing resources and training to surrounding neighborhoods to empower resident-led community transformation.
Thrive Spartanburg works to build trust with neighboring communities in the city of Spartanburg and support from community partners by providing development expertise and technical support to implement community transformation plans.
To learn more, visit ThriveSpartanburg.com
Purpose Built Communities
Northside Development Group is proud to be one of only 30 organizations in the Purpose Built Communities network, a national initiative advancing resident-centered, holistic neighborhood transformation. Through this partnership, we work alongside residents and cross-sector partners to create neighborhoods where every family has access to quality education, stable housing, economic opportunity, and lifelong well-being. Grounded in the belief that place shapes opportunity, we are committed to building a more connected, equitable Northside where all residents can thrive.
To learn more, visit PURPOSEBUILTCOMMUNITIES.COM
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<h2 class="section-title">A New Foundation</h2>
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<p class="caption">Provide a variety of lighting and streetscape improvements throughout the Northside</p>
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<p class="caption">Creating the Northside Transformation Plan</p>
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<p class="caption">Bring improved single and multi family housing, both affordable and at market rate, to the Northside area</p>
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<p class="caption">Reduce the number of abandoned and dilapidated buildings by purchasing strategic properties throughout the Northside area</p>
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Item description
A holistic approach to community transformation.
Provide a variety of lighting and streetscape improvements throughout the Northside
Creating the Northside Transformation Plan
Bring improved single and multi family housing, both affordable and at market rate, to the Northside area
Reduce the number of abandoned and dilapidated buildings by purchasing strategic properties throughout the Northside area
Creating access to things like grocery stores, banking, retail, recreation outlets and quality schools
Creating outdoor recreational areas in which neighbors and community members can foster relationships and share family values
Making significant improvements to local schools
Helping to provide quality educational resources ranging from cradle to college and/or career
Facilitated the development of the Franklin School Early Learning Center
Our Values
Transparency
We value transparency in and across all our relationships. We share information openly and honestly with residents, our partners, and colleagues.
Integrity
We will allow integrity and honesty to guide our decisions, with quality of life for the people of the Northside being our compass.
Responsiveness
We understand that part of our success depends on moving with urgency while being thoughtful. We are responsive to residents' needs and interests by consistently seeking their feedback and intentionally incorporating it into our plans and actions. This ensures that strategies evolve as the community's priorities and changing conditions do.
Equity
We ground our work in the foundational beliefs that race and place matter. We strive to serve this community in a way that is affirming to residents and reflects the culture and history. We do this by engaging staff and volunteers who represent the neighborhood and who seek to understand the realities of racism, the community's history of marginalization, and the associated trauma as they live out their daily work.
Courage
We dare to tackle difficult issues and pursue ambitious goals that lead to lasting positive change for the communities we serve. Complex challenges do not dissuade us. We embrace innovative approaches that challenge norms and unlock new opportunities.
The NDG Team
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David Summers
CEO
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LeKesa Whitner
Director of Community Programs
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Khala Hawes
Communications Manager
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Precious Rivers
Operations Coordinator
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Kim Black
Community Development Coordinator
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Gigail Petty
Family Academy Manager
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Rossi Hames
Family Academy Coordinator
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Makelia Montgomery
Academic Success Coach
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Delisah Reid
Academic Success Coach
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Chelle Jones
Family Navigator
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Ronesha Boggs
Family Navigator
The Board
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John Verreault
Board Chair & Senior Vice President, TD Bank
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Catherine Black
Board Vice Chair & Partner, Odgers Berndtson
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Reggie Geter
Secretary & Special Events Coordinator, City of Spartanburg
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Alex Powell
Board Treasurer & Commercial Real Estate
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Wanda Cheeks
Community Engagement Coordinator, City of Spartanburg
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Dr. Larry Crudup
Lead Pastor of Mount Moriah Baptist Church
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Shaunte Evans
CEO, Spartanburg Housing
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Troy Hanna
President & CEO, Spartanburg County Foundation
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Laura Henthorn
Vice President, Mark III Properties
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Tamara Makupson
Northside Voyager
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Molly Talbot-Metz
President/CEO, Mary Black Foundation
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Jeree Rogers
Northside Voyager
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Carey Rothschild
Director of Community Health Strategy & Policy, Spartanburg Regional Health System
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Tim Schmitz
Provost, Wofford College
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Loretta Singleton
Retired Property Manager
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Hootie Solesbee
Vice President of Preconstruction Services, Harper General Contractors
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Chris Story
City Manager, City of Spartanburg
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Mary Thomas
Board Chair Emerita & CEO, CF Leads
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Bill Barnet, III
Member Emeritus & Founding Board Chair
Northside Voyagers
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Linda Askari
Voyager President
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Tony Thomas
Northside Voyager
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Wanda Cheeks
Northside Voyager
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Tamara Makupson
Northside Voyager
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Cynthia Bell
Northside Voyager
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Deborah Moore-Wade
Northside Voyager
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Kelly Richard
Northside Voyager
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Maxine Kelly
Northside Voyager
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Rosa Berry
Northside Voyager
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Minnie Johnson
Northside Voyager
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Anita Miller
Northside Voyager
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Ebony Wood
Northside Voyager
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Monique Watson
Northside Voyager
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Sandra Dawkins
Northside Voyager
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Jeree Rogers
Northside Voyager
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Jacquline Petty
Northside Voyager
The Supporters
FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS
Bank of America
CommunityWorks
First Citizens Bank
TD Charitable Foundation
Truist Bank
Carolina Foothills FCU
Wells Fargo Foundation
United Community Bank
South State Bank
National Bank of SC, now First National Bank of SC
Park National Bank
Synovus Bank
First Horizon Bank
Regions Bank
Pinnacle Financial Partners
DEVELOPMENT & OTHER PARTNERS
AT&T
City of Spartanburg
Creative Builders
Duke Energy
Harper Corporation
NHE, Inc
J HP Architects
James White Enterprises
Oak and Ave Property Group
RH Quinn & Company
Site Design
SC Community Loan Fund
Spartanburg Housing
SCACED
Spartanburg County
US Dept of HUD
CORPORATE / FOUNDATION
Ballmer Group
Barnet Development Corporation
Blue Meridian Partners
BMW
Carolina Panthers
Charlotte Mecklenburg Community Foundation
Cheohee Holding Group
Contec
Crane Fund for Widows and Children
Dellfrio, LLC
The Duke Endowment
Econometrica
Episcopal Church of Advent
Gibbs Charitable Foundation
Inman - Riverdale Foundation
Long Leaf Foundation
Mark Ill Properties
Mary Black Foundation
McMillan Pazdan Smith, LLC
McNair Law Firm
Milliken Foundation
Montgomery Development Group
OneSpartanburg, Inc.
Phifer/Johnson Foundation
Purpose Built Communities, LLC
Seamon Whiteside and Associates
Shortia Flower Club
Sisters of Charity Foundation
SLANT
Spartanburg Academic Movement
Spartanburg County Foundation
Spartanburg Regional Healthcare System
Tindall Corporation
United Way of Piedmont
Wardlaw Education Fund
White Elephant Enterprises
White Oak Management
ADVISORY TEAM
The Arts Partnership
The Bridge at Green Street
Barnet Development Corporation
Butterfly Foundation
BVI Development
Carolina Foothills Federal Credit Union
City of Spartanburg
Cleveland/Northside Neighborhood Association
CommunityWorks
Converse College
First AME Church
Green Street
Habitat for Humanity
Homes of Hope
Hope Ministries
Hub City Farmers Market
Integral Solutions
J.W. Woodward Funeral Home
Mary Black Foundation
NAACP Spartanburg Branch
National Development Council
Northside Voyagers
Piedmont Community Actions
Piedmont Interstate Fair
ReGenesis Health Care
SC Community Loan Fund
Spartanburg Community College
Spartanburg County
Spartanburg County Community Development
Spartanburg County Foundation
Spartanburg County Public Libraries
Spartanburg Housing Authority
Spartanburg Methodist College
Spartanburg Regional Healthcare System
Spartanburg School District 7
Spartanburg Water System
St. Paul Missionary Baptist Church
United Way of the Piedmont
University of SC Upstate
Upstate Workforce Board
Via College of Osteopathic Medicine (VCOM)
Wofford College
YMCA