Remember those
four residential structures that were destroyed by fire on North St. in June, in Kalamazoo? Well, there is already an ambitious plan in the works for a new, 3-story, mixed-use building to take their place. Coined "The Jabez Project" it will continue the dream that owner / developer Twala Lockett-Jones had to turn one of the destroyed properties into new affordable housing.
I actually am quite excited about this plan. It is a pity that the historic homes are forever lost, but I think this actually could be an appropriate project for the area, which is located on a busier road (North St.) that has been recently targeted for redevelopment as a commercial corridor. This project is viewed as a way to better connect the neighborhoods of West Douglas (very near where I live), Stuart, and the North Side. I feared we would be looking at demolition debris and perimeter fences for so much longer. Hopefully not.
Seven Generations Architecture + Engineering is behind the design. 7GenAE is one of the most active & growing firms in the city, doing work nationally (primarily with federal & Native-American projects) and almost always with a public-wellness-oriented approach. I really like most of their projects lately, and it is great to see them engaging with local stakeholders for this mixed-use project.
Source:
7GenAE