WEST MICHIGAN | General Developments

[deja vu]

Sturgis -

Miller-Davis recently completed a $3.3 million addition and renovation for Radiant Life Church. The main project goals included:

• Enhancing and expanding the main entrance lobby
• New multipurpose room
• New education area
• Renovated sanctuary
• MEP Upgrades

Source: Miller Davis

[deja vu]

Coldwater -

Branch County Jail & Sheriff's Office progress -










Source: LinkedIn | Byce & Associates, Inc.

[deja vu]

Muskegon -

Here's a sneak peak inside the new Van Dyk Mortgage Convention Center, which is just over a month from opening. It's first event is scheduled for mid-April. Despite some strife at the start, this thing actually seems to have been built relatively quickly -

• Video Link

[deja vu]

Muskegon Heights -

Muskegon Heights could be getting a bigger slice of the Muskegon action, in the form of a 3-story, mixed-use development at the corner of Peck St. and Sherman Blvd. Named "The Shoppes on Sherman", the development has been in the works for a few years, and is being led by Muskegon Heights native Joe Rone, founder of Ele’ Louise LLC, whose financing plan includes encouraging low-income residents to invest in the project via a "community investment trust". EGLE has promised $1 million toward environmental remediation of the former dry cleaning shop. Muskegon Area First and the Muskegon Lakeshore Chamber of Commerce are also stakeholders in the project.

A lot of plans have fallen through for Muskegon Heights. Hopefully this one comes to fruition. Current plans are that cleanup could take a year, followed by demolition and construction of the new building, slated to open in Summer 2023.

$5M retail, residential development proposed for key Muskegon Heights intersection
Lynn Moore | MLive
March 08, 2021

Source: MLive | Courtesy City of Muskegon Heights


Since I'm writing about Muskegon Heights, I think it's worth mentioning that the city is making a concerted effort to revitalize its downtown. Despite the vacant storefronts and blight, the city has retained a lot of its historic downtown buildings, which the city hopes can be capitalized upon (places like the former Strand Theater building, for example). The “Reaching New Muskegon Heights” visioning process is already well underway. A public survey / feedback phase just ended on February 28 and several community brainstorming sessions have already taken place. A draft plan might be ready by June 2021. The visioning study is funded in part by a ~$50,000 grant from the MEDC and the Community Foundation for Muskegon County -

Muskegon Heights seeks input on a new vision for its downtown
Lynn Moore | MLive
Updated February 18, 2021; Posted February 17, 2021

[deja vu]

Niles -

The Post Office Apartments at 322 E Main St. are scheduled to be finished early this year (in fact they might already be done, but this is the most recent news + images that I found). The $16 million project includes 63 new affordable apartment units across 3 structures -

• 8 in the former post office building,
• 3 in a new, 2-story structure with ground floor retail, and
• 52 in a new 4-story apartment structure

Niles apartments in old post office to open early next year. 'Definitely intended to be affordable.'
Marek Mazurek | South Bend Tribune
December 2, 2020

Rendering -


Source: apartments.com

December 2020 photos -






Source: South Bend Tribune | Robert Franklin

The same article mentions The Berkshire Niles, a $12 million, 53-unit senior living community that opened in Spring 2019 at 10 N. 3rd St. and the $13 million renovation of the Four Flags Plaza apartment building at 17 N 7th St., which provides 88 subsidized senior housing. All three projects were led by the same developer - General Capital Group of Milwaukee.


Source: Berkshire Senior Communities


Source: rentable.com

[deja vu]

Benton Harbor -

This Crain's article from about a month ago outlines many of the developments in the city. If there was any doubt in anyone's mind that Benton Harbor is turning a corner, this might extinguish those thoughts -

Development work downtown shows how far Benton Harbor has come
Tom Henderson | Crain's Detroit Business
February 7, 2021

Notable developments mentioned are -

Benton Harbor Flats / historic 1882 Gray Building, a.k.a. Harbor Center Building Rehab (est. completion Summer 2021) -



(the interior was an absolute wreck!)

Source: Crain's Detroit Business | Tom Henderson

Houndstooth Restaurant & Lofts -(132 Pipestone Street, adjacent to Benton Harbor Flats - opened 2019 in the historic 1918 Sheffield Building, and very popular, even through COVID-19) -


Source: Herald-Palladium | Don Campbell


Source: Crain's Detroit Business | Tom Henderson

The 5-square-block arts district, with rehabbed historic buildings like 200 Water St. and the 1898 Hinkley Block.

200 Water St. - home to Citadel Dance and Music Center and the 3 Pillars music store, with Quarternote Lofts, above -


Source: Google Maps

Hinkley Block, in 2010 -

Source: Flickr | Brandon Bartoszek

The Jack Nicklaus-designed Harbor Shores Golf Resort / Superfund redevelopment; a unique course that weaves its way around both sides of the Paw Paw river and subdivision developments ($500+ million in investments, to-date; host of the PGA senior championship every other year) -

Before redevelopment -



and after -






Source: Crain's Detroit Business | Courtesy Harbor Shores

[deja vu]

Holland -

New York-based Magnus Capital Partners, the same developer behind the recently-pitched HOM Flats in Holland Township and HOM Flats at Maynard in Grand Rapids, has proposed another HOM Flats project, this one at 24th and Waverly on the city's west side. Like the other projects, this would also be "workforce" housing, comprised of 184 total apartments across multiple buildings, and two commercial buildings as well. Targeted groundbreaking is late 2021 or early 2022. I am lamenting that "workforce" housing sees to repeatedly equate to uninspired design, at least with this developer -

Developer pitches workforce apartments in Holland
Carolyn Muyskens | The Holland Sentinel
February 12, 2021

Source: Holland Sentinel | City of Holland

[deja vu]

Big Rapids -

Ferris State University will soon break ground on a new Center for Virtual Learning in May. The construction cost is $29.5 million. At first glance, the building title seems to be an oxymoron, but the 64,000 SF facility will provide physical space to house all of the university's online education efforts. It will also be home to the university's Information Security and Intelligence program, its School of Digital Media, its School of Education and eLearning, and its eSports cyber competition programs. The building will be built on the current site of Vandercook Hall, which will be demolished. Bishop Hall will also be demolished and its programs oved to this new structure. I can only imagine that these types of facilities will become more and more prominent on university campuses -

Ferris State University to break ground on $29.5M Center for Virtual Learning this spring
Melissa Frick | MLive
February 23, 2021

Source: MLive | Courtesy FSU

[deja vu]

Grand Haven -

The city has plans to purchase 25% of their energy from renewable sources by next year, putting them far ahead of many other municipalities throughout the state. While most of that energy will be purchased from power utilities, to further support that effort, the city will build a new operations and technology center on the site of the recently-demolished, coal-fired J.B. Sims Generating Station on Harbor Island. The center will house a small, 12.5 MW combined heat and power generation facility that will also house GHBLP's new distribution center. The power and heat generated here will be used to offset energy price spikes during peak summer months and will reduce energy costs for snowmelt systems in the winter -

Wake-up call reinforces Grand Haven leaders’ focus on sustainable practices
Paul R. Kopenkoskey | The Lakeshore
February 28, 2021

Preliminary Rendering -


Source: The Lakeshore | Courtesy Rendering

[deja vu]

Muskegon -

It's getting close. I wonder if the variation in the metal panels along the roof projection was intentional...


Source: LinkedIn | Visit Muskegon, via Frank Peterson

[deja vu]

Muskegon -

The Muskegon Museum of Art has just announced plans to construct two new galleries, community space, and a grand hall. The expansion will grow the museum to the northwest, into the alley and parking lot behind it. It will increase the facility's permanent exhibit space by ~ 222% and the temporary exhibit space by ~ 60% -

Muskegon Museum of Art announces $9.9 million ‘game changer’ expansion plan
Rose White | MLive
March 16, 2021

Source: Muskegon Art Museum

[deja vu]

Muskegon -

The Leonard released a few more renderings, showing some refined concepts for the ground floor patio, with operable Nanawalls -


Source: Facebook | The Leonard


Source: Facebook | The Leonard

[deja vu]

Fruitport Township / Muskegon County -

The U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs has approved the casino project. Now that the project has cleared this big hurdle, the process moves back to the state level, where the Little River Band of Ottawa Indians will work with the Governor to negotiate details. Meanwhile, the Township stands by, waiting and eager to approve the work once the state has cleared it -

DC approves casino project in Muskegon County
Bianca Cseke | Fox 17 West Michigan
March 18, 2021

EDIT: here's another rendered view of the proposed casino -


Source: MiBiz | Courtesy Rendering

[deja vu]

Douglas -

Here's a small project out of "The City of The Village of Douglas" (that's the actual name). St. Peter Catholic Church is on a tight timeline to finish a sanctuary remodel & new addition in time for Easter services. The existing church has some fun / funky mid-century architecture. Architectural design by Progressive AE, with OAK leading the construction -

• Video Link

Rendering of the addition -


Source: OAK | Courtesy Progressive AE

[deja vu]

Grand Haven -

Here's a link to a little (actually, a lot) more info about the new plans for the redevelopment of the former J.B. Sims Generating Station into a new operations and technology center for GHBLP and community park space. There's a cost estimate included in the presentation - almost $48 million, including $5.2 million for the old power plant demolition -

Grand Haven Board of Light & Power Shares Redevelopment Designs for Harbor Island Site








Source: GHBLP

[deja vu]

Cassopolis -

This is by no means a very large project, but the new municipal building for the Village of Cassopolis looks good and has garnered an AIA Merit Award for its design. The building, designed by Wightman, consolidates may of the village's public functions under one roof at 121 N Disbrow Street -

Wightman garners second consecutive merit award from AIA of SW Michigan
By Pat Moody | Moody on the Market
March 8, 2021

Source: Moody on the Market

[deja vu]

Benton Harbor -

Here's a throwback, waaaaaay back to 2016

Lake Michigan College's Hanson Technology Center was designed by Progressive AE to provide space for the school's advanced manufacturing and skilled-trades programs. It opened in April 2016, and in 2019, the ~50,000 SF, $10.6 million center was awarded a national design award. It's an interesting enough project that I thought I'd include it in the Benton Harbor rundown -

Hanson Technology Center wins national design award
Lake Michigan College
August 30, 2019

Source: AMI

[deja vu]

Muskegon -

The owner of one of Muskegon's oldest remaining foundries has plans to convert it into live / work spaces. The complex, located near the corner of Western Ave. and Shoreline Dr. has buildings dating back to around 1890. No word on what the owner plans to call it yet, but I know "Foundry Square" is already taken!

Old foundry near downtown Muskegon to become live/work spaces
Lynn Moore | MLive
January 26, 2021

Source: MLive | Cory Morse

[deja vu]

Holland -

I thought I'd post this on here, since Grand Haven has similar plans to what Holland did with its Energy Park that opened in 2017. The benefits of other small-to-medium-sized cities in West Michigan (and beyond) doing this are obvious, based on the precedent Holland has set. Basically, the $160 million of debt required to build this $240 million generation plant will be paid off within 6 years of its opening, and with customer electric utility rates being reduced 6% in 2018 and another 10% reduction planned for this year. Millions more in revenue have been returned to the city's budget than what was estimated -

Investment in Holland Energy Park paying off for city, residents
Shandra Martinez | The Lakeshore West Michigan
March 21, 2021

Source: The Lakeshore West Michigan | Courtesy Photos

[deja vu]

Middleville -

In addition to projects in Kalamazoo and Grand Rapids, the Michigan Strategic Fund just approved nearly $1 million in community revitalization funding for the construction of "Middleville Main" - a new 3-story, mixed-use building in downtown Middleville (next to Village Hall). The land in the heart of the village has been vacant for for four decades, since a hotel on the property burned down. The $2.8 million project plans to bring 11 apartments and ground floor commercial to the village. When complete, the repurposed industrial building will offer 173 new market-rate apartments, office space, a fitness center, and clubroom. Total capital investments are estimated at $31.2 million -

MSF approves support to strengthen Michigan’s talent pipeline, continue economic recovery with business growth, community revitalization projects
Kathleen Achtenberg | MEDC
March 23, 2021

Source: Wood TV 8 | Courtesy MEDC