The Dallas Examiner
During the Summer of 2025, when she was a writer for The Dallas Examiner, Ukeme was able to publish two articles that were on the front page of the newspaper. Ukeme wrote and interviewed the parties in the article.
Fair Park resource plaza celebrates interior and exterior upgrades
Spring Plaza in Dallas has been renovated to include upgraded security, improved landscaping, new signage, and plans for an affordable townhomes project, all thanks to the efforts of ICDC, TREC Community Investors, and Young Guns.
(The Dallas Examiner) – Spring Plaza, which houses Innercity Community Development Corporation at 4907 Spring Ave., received a major facelift.
“Most people know us as ICDC. This building has been here since 2008. This is our campus. We built all three of these buildings where there once were either vacant or dilapidated properties. And this building has been a community asset ever since then,” said Billy Lane, the executive director of ICDC.
This building has provided workforce training, small business development, policy education and affordable home ownership for more than 2,500 residents in Fair Park.
Lane spoke on the goal of the plaza and how it has benefited the community and brought new business to the Mill City area.
“It’s going to be great. It’s fresh, it’s new, it’s safe, it’s health and it’s going to be great for the community,” expressed Dominique Pyror-Anderson, senior director of TREC Community Investors.
“For myself and my team, so with TREC community partners, this means another project where we’ve invested in the community and with our community partners. ICDC has been a great partner of ours for many years, and this means that we’ve created new spaces and updated a business in a building that houses a lot of crucial businesses in the city.”
The newly renovated building was revealed during a ribbon-cutting ceremony, presented by Young Guns, June 27. Young Guns is a TREC group of commercial real estate professionals that are 35 years old and under.
“There’s a process with the Young Guns where they make a vote. They vote on a project. This project was voted on by the Young Guns,” Pyror-Anderson said. “We assemble a team, and then they put in a lot of hours. There’s a set of projects and a budget, and we meet that budget. We met that project, and it’s a lot of volunteer opportunities for our members and community partners.”
The group made significant changes to the plaza:
- Upgraded security
- Revamped the exterior
- Added new paint
- Improved landscaping
- New signage
The renovation project has been in the works since 2024. It is the first project completed by Mill City: The Dallas Catalyst project. The previous project, the Forest District, had a total of 22 real estate projects and received $144 million in outside investments. Both the Mill City and the Forest District projects focus on the revitalization of the community.
The next project is already underway for them to build affordable town homes for sale. It will be called Mill City Town Homes, complete with eight units. The project should be completed by 2026.
The Hampton Script
Ukeme was a lifestyle writer for The Hampton Script during her freshman year. She wrote 1 article about a new initiative Hampton University was doing. She conducted an interview and did research on the app.
Skip the walk, order in with Thompson Hospitality’s new delivery app in the walk, order in with Thompson Hospitality’s new delivery app
Thompson Hospitality is developing a new delivery app just for students at HU
By Ukeme Offiong | Staff Writer
Tired of walking to the Student Center between classes? Thompson Hospitality, AKA Campus Dining, has a convenient solution for you.
Don’t use Doordash, UberEats or Grubhub and get ready to download the new app just for students at Hampton University.
“We are thrilled to announce the launch of our new app! As this is a pilot program, we’re particularly excited to release an exclusive announcement to students residing in the W.E.B. Du Bois residence hall,” said Daniela Smallwood, Vice President of Marketing and Programming at Thompson Hospitality.
The app, slated for release in April, will allow for students to skip the walk to campus dining locations like BRB, Pizza Hut, and have the food delivered to food storage lockers within the university’s dormitories.
The app will include the dining options within the Student Center Atrium with the addition of a new mobile delivery concept, On-the-Go.
Operating within HU’s convenience store, Pirate Place, On-the-Go will offer an assortment of premium dining options like sandwiches and salads.
“We are committed to continuously enhancing and adapting our services to meet the evolving needs of the campus community,” Smallwood said.
The introduction of this new app is just another way the food service provider is working to “redefine the art of hospitality” on campus. Since June 30, Thompson Hospitality has brought a number of innovations to HU’s on-campus dining experience
“The company’s mission is to provide exceptional dining experiences that celebrate diversity and contribute to the advancement of the institutions and communities they serve,” Smallwood said in a statement in August.
In January, Thompson expanded their brand by revitalizing HU’s cafeteria, incorporating new food stations like Day N’ Nite, Austin Grill and Sugar Rush. In the Student Center, the company opened a new location for the company’s sweet and savory dessert restaurant, Milked.
But, don’t worry. Apps like Doordash, UberEats and Grubhub will still be welcome on campus said Dr. Barbara Inman, Vice President of Student Success and Enrollment Management at HU.
“The university has no intention to ban other delivery apps,” Inman said. “This is an additional option for our students.”
Offiong Media 