EYESORE TO AMAZING: GCH opens 60th home in ‘Little Grace Village’
Grace Centers of Hope volunteers are pictured during the incredible renovation of a dilapidated home.
Nine men and women who have overcome addiction and homelessness through Grace Centers of Hope (GCH) will soon move into a newly renovated historic duplex at 23 and 25 Lexington Place in Pontiac.
The dedication marks a major milestone, as this is the 60th home completed in “Little Grace Village,” the faith-based nonprofit’s neighborhood of Aftercare homes for graduates of its yearlong Life Skills Program.
A ribbon-cutting ceremony will take place at 10 a.m. on Sept. 9. The event will feature remarks from Grace Centers of Hope CEO Darin Weiss, as well as GCH’s former longtime CEO Pastor Kent W. Clark, and Clif Seiber, who led the renovation efforts for GCH.
Since its founding in 2003, the Little Grace Village initiative has transformed once crime-ridden Pontiac blocks into thriving, family-friendly streets.
“The women and men moving into the Lexington house have faced much adversity, and Grace Centers of Hope is excited to offer them a new home and a new start to the next chapter of their lives,” Weiss said.
“This was our biggest project yet, and I’m thrilled to see Little Grace Village reach 60 homes. We’re not slowing down — our 61st home is already under renovation, and our goal is 100 homes within five years.”
From Vacant Eyesore to New Beginning
Built in 1910, the 4,025-square-foot, 3-story duplex was vacant and boarded for more than a decade and nearly demolished before GCH purchased the property in 2024 for $60,000.
The three-story property, which received $310,000 in upgrades funded entirely through private donations, includes 9 bedrooms, 2 kitchens with islands and pantries, 4 full baths, and 2 first-floor laundry rooms.
GCH gutted the home down to the exterior stud walls and rebuilt with completely new wiring, plumbing and HVAC systems. Interior walls were removed to create a more open living space, and door openings were reconstructed to meet building codes.
Life Skills Program provides foundation
The home will house six men in one unit and three women in the other. All residents are graduates of GCH’s Life Skills Program, which provides recovery, counseling, job training, and spiritual guidance.
After graduation, they enter the Aftercare Program, which offers affordable housing, accountability, and community support while they build independent lives.
Weiss noted the demand remains high: “We currently have more than 30 graduates waiting for Aftercare housing.
Each new home means more people staying on the path of recovery while strengthening Pontiac neighborhoods.”
GCH Residents and Graduates Help Rebuild
Several GCH residents and graduates also helped renovate the Lexington house. Nickolas Nowland, who installed plumbing and heating systems, is moving into the home, and this carries deep meaning for him.
“I owe GCH my life. This house was once headed for demolition, just like I was. Now we both have a new beginning. I feel blessed and excited to keep building on this second chance,” Nowland said.
GCH graduate James Nicholas, another construction worker on the project, said the house required a complete rebuild: “We replaced the roof, tore out chimneys, installed steel supports, poured new footings, and added high-efficiency furnaces and water heaters. It’s our best house yet.”
Pastor Clark, who began the home renovation program in 2003 during his time at CEO, stated, “this program is a perfect example of ‘urban renewal’ without relying on taxpayers.”
Of the 60 homes completed, 23 have already been purchased by former GCH residents, 16 of them fully paid off.
