We empower resident-led community transformation.

We serve to encourage and manage the redevelopment of the City of Spartanburg’s Northside community, honoring its past and expanding the opportunities for a mix of affordable and market rate housing, economic, educational, recreational, health, and social opportunities for its residents.

Our Philosophy is that everyone who wants to live in the Northside Community should be able to live in the Northside Community. The solutions and improvements we bring to the table will always keep this philosophy in mind. It's the reason we're seeking ways to bring mixed-income housing and find ways of minimizing relocation efforts.

In order to continue the transformation of the Northside community, we rely on our resident-led organization, the Northside Voyagers. The Northside Voyagers is a resident leadership team passionately and genuinely interested in the continued growth/betterment of the Northside community. Along with the Northside development Group (NDG), and our partners, we envision an all-inclusive community dedicated to prosperity and empowerment through partnerships. The mission of the Northside Voyagers is changing the community one brick at a time while remembering its rich and diverse history. 

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

Purpose Built Communities is a nonprofit organization dedicated to implementing resident-centered, holistic neighborhood revitalization. We ground our work in the foundational beliefs that race and place matter. By cultivating connected, mutually contributing communities, we take action and build bridges to create lasting impact.

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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A holistic approach to community transformation.

Provide a variety of lighting and streetscape improvements throughout the Northside

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Creating the Northside Transformation Plan

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Bring improved single and multi family housing, both affordable and at market rate, to the Northside area

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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

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Creating outdoor recreational areas in which neighbors and community members can foster relationships and share family values

Making significant improvements to local schools

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Helping to provide quality educational resources ranging from cradle to college and/or career

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Faciliated 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

  • Michael Williamson

    CEO

  • Carmeisha White

    Director of Operations and Finance

  • LeKesa Whitner

    Director of Community Programs

  • Tony Thomas

    Community Engagement Manager

  • Khala Hawes

    Communications Manager

  • Precious Rivers

    Operations Coordinator

  • Kim Black

    Community Development Coordinator

  • Gigail Petty

    Family Academy Manager

  • Rossi Hames

    Family Academy Coordinator

  • Makelia Dawkins

    Academic Success Coach

  • Delisah Reid

    Academic Success Coach

  • Chelle Jones

    Family Navigator

  • Ronesha Boggs

    Family Navigator

The Board

  • John Verreault, III

    Board Chair & Senior Vice President, TD Bank

  • Catherine Black

    Board Vice Chair & Partner, Odgers Berndtson

  • Reggie Geter

    Secretary & Special Events Coordinator, City of Spartanburg

  • Alex Powell

    Board Treasurer & Commercial Real Estate

  • Wanda Cheeks

    Community Engagement Coordinator, City of Spartanburg

  • Dr. Larry Crudup

    Lead Pastor of Mount Moriah Baptist Church

  • Shaunte Evans

    CEO, Spartanburg Housing

  • Troy Hanna

    President & CEO, Spartanburg County Foundation

  • Laura Henthorn

    Vice President, Mark III Properties

  • Tamara Makupson

    Northside Voyager

  • Molly Talbot-Metz

    President/CEO, Mary Black Foundation

  • Carey Rothschild

    Director of Community Health Strategy & Policy, Spartanburg Regional Health System

  • Tim Schmitz

    Provost, Wofford College

  • Loretta Singleton

    Retired Property Manager

  • Chris Story

    City Manager, City of Spartanburg

  • Teresa Wray

    Former Teacher, Bright Horizons

  • Mary Thomas

    Board Chair Emerita & CEO, CF Leads

  • Bill Barnet, III

    Member Emeritus & Founding Board Chair

Northside Voyagers

  • Linda Askari

    Voyager President

  • Tony Thomas

    Northside Voyager

  • Wanda Cheeks

    Northside Voyager

  • Tamara Makupson

    Northside Voyager

  • Cynthia Bell

    Northside Voyager

  • Deborah Moore-Wade

    Northside Voyager

  • Kelly Richard

    Northside Voyager

  • Maxine Kelly

    Northside Voyager

  • Rosa Berry

    Northside Voyager

  • Minnie Johnson

    Northside Voyager

  • Anita Miller

    Northside Voyager

  • Ebony Wood

    Northside Voyager

  • Monique Watson

    Northside Voyager

  • Sandra Dawkins

    Northside Voyager

  • Jeree Rogers

    Northside Voyager

  • 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