Here's some other Portage City Planning Commission tidbits that I dug up -
1. A 10,000 SF restaurant will be coming to the Trade Centre development - Black Rock Bar & Grill, according to
July 20, 2017 meeting minutes. They are a small steakhouse chain established in Hartland, MI in 2010, that has been aggressively expanding in metro Detroit, as well as Florida, with plans for locations in Illinois and Ohio. Here is a picture of the one in Davison, MI:
Source:
Johnson Design
2. FEMA Corporation, local manufacturer of hydraulic equipment, applied to construct a 47,000 SF addition to their current facility on Vanderbilt Ave. in August, which required approval for height modification. According to
August 17, 2017 meeting minutes. They have a sharp-looking facility today:
• Video Link
3. Selinon Park, (1521, 1603 and 1615 East Centre Avenue) applied for final plan reapproval in August after their previous application expired. This planned development by Full Circle Communities proposes the construction of 74 affordable units across three buildings. According to
August 17, 2017 meeting minutes. This is one of the many projects in Michigan receiving state aid through tax credits.
Rendering:
Source:
Full Circle Communities
4. A Special Land Use Permit was issued in January for a new micro-brewery - Presidential Brewing Company, at
129 W. Centre Ave. The owner was requesting that the City waive the requirement that the establishment provide at least 100 seats and offer lunch and dinner menus. His plan is to grow the business over several years so that it eventually does provide more accommodations for dining. According to
January 18, 2018 meeting minutes. From facebook photos, it looks like the current operation is run out of a
garage.
5. On the agenda for the February 01, 2018 meeting was specific site plan review for Portage Creek Landings, a planned commercial development at the corner of Centre Ave. and Shaver Rd. The owner (PCL Curtis, LLC) wants to construct an 8,000 SF Office / retail building, as the third structure in this slowly growing development (2006 saw the first building, a Walgreens, and 2008 a Huntington Bank branch). Plans for a restaurant in 2014 fell through, and several extensions of the conceptual plan have been granted. The owner has blamed a poor economy for not getting things developed more quickly. There are still about 14 acres of undeveloped land to be considered, and the vision is for a pedestrian-friendly 'lifestyle center'.
Here's an image of the conceptual plan from 2017, which still stands as the current roadmap for future development plans at this busy intersection. This plan is what the owner is asking for another extension on:
Source:
Portage Planning Commission Agenda Packet