KALAMAZOO / PORTAGE / BATTLE CREEK | Development Thread

[deja vu]

I took a few walks around downtown this past week to see some of the smaller changes in our community -

The city's first organized mural festival - Brush the Block - is taking place this week. Six new 'permanent' murals are being painted around the city, accompanied by food, live music, and festivities. I happened upon a few in-progress, during my walk -

145 Farmers Alley (backside of former Gilmore's Dept. Store) -











128 Portage (Stamped Robin, about to start) -



161 E Michigan (Haymarket Building) -





There are at least 3 other large murals around town, in addition to these. Graphic posters and temporary window art installations are also going up concurrently. These colorful posters are being installed on the walls of the Epic Center -





While I blinked, the apartment conversion at 266 E Michigan was finished, including this new functional addition on the back, along Bates Alley. They really just built it into the roadway (good for them)! It is aptly-named "Coney Island Lofts" - after the long-term ground floor tenant that still operates there -









Somebody crashed into the historic storefront of Main Street East a few weeks ago at 2:30am. Authorities believe alcohol was a factor and they were reaching speeds of 100 mph. Six people in the car; amazingly, nobody died -



The storefronts of Metropolitan Center are mostly vacant these days, apart from the omnipresent Subway and this relatively-new poke bowl place, "Just Fresh" - which seems to be doing business -





The former Newman's (Catholic) Bookshoppe (340 E Michigan Ave) is now home to the Kalamazoo Climate Crisis Coalition -



Progress on the reimagined Burdick's, in the ground floor of the Radisson -









Copper's Dog House appears to have closed, on the mall. This tiny storefront has been a dozen+ food businesses. None seem to last longer than a season -



Horizon Bank moved in to to the old Kalamazoo Savings Bank building at 151 E Michigan Ave -



I like this view of the old V & A Bootery, with the old signage exposed and work ongoing to convert it to the expanded home of the Kalamazoo Candle Co. I like to imagine those two guys are reminiscing about the old days -



It appears that exterior facade restoration work has started on the old First Baptist Church Building, built in the 1850's and now owned by KNAC -









Indeed there are more changes than this downtown; this is just what I happened to notice on my walk. There are still lots of empty storefronts post-covid; the State Theatre remains shuttered, which contributed to the closure of long-time eatery Harvey's on the Mall. Shockingly, a mattress store has opened in the ground floor of Mall Plaza. I give it 2 months, tops. It seems like some other new restaurants and retail might be coming...

[deja vu]

The installation of the large perimeter columns has started at the event center, and steel decking is going in on the first-few framed areas. You can begin to make out the form of the main ice sheet / event space -













And here is a peek at the impossibly-large country club (it really is massive, and hard to capture in one shot without drawing attention) -

[airforceguy]

$87M expansion project begins at Kalamazoo senior living center

Friendship Village, a senior living community at 1400 N. Drake Road, broke ground on a $86.67 million expansion Monday, Oct. 20. Work on a 68-unit, 150,000-square-foot independent living building will start immediately, said EV Construction project manager Curt Hielke. It’s expected to welcome residents in spring 2027. “The greatest need in the city of Kalamazoo is for housing,” said Vice Mayor Jeanne Hess. “Providing (68) units of housing, especially with seniors in mind, is the greatest thing that you could do with and for the city.”

https://www.mlive.com/news/kalamazoo...ng-center.html


McDonald’s out, $100M building in: 5 things to know about new downtown Kalamazoo project

Plans are moving forward to construct the most expensive building Kalamazoo County has ever built — a new administration building in the core of downtown Kalamazoo. The building will be constructed on West Kalamazoo Avenue, between Rose and Church streets. It will be across the street from the current administration building, in place of a McDonald’s and other adjacent lots.

https://www.mlive.com/news/kalamazoo...o-project.html

[DetroitMan]

Kalamazoo wants to transform the ‘spaghetti bowl’ into a vibrant gateway to downtown

City commissioners voted to adopt the West Gateway Plan during their Monday, Oct. 20, meeting.

The plan is a guiding document, said Deputy City Manager Rebekah Kik, outlining the kind of development the city wants to see along Stadium Drive and Michigan Avenue as they lead into downtown.

The goal is to bring the pedestrian-friendly feel of Rose Street or the Kalamazoo Mall to the west, Kik said, at a smaller scale that makes sense for the neighborhood.

Rather than parking lots lining the streets, the plan envisions two- and three-story buildings along Michigan Avenue. Street-level units might host businesses, while apartments could fill the upper floors.

Plans stretch from the area of Stadium Drive and Oakland Drive to Michikal Street’s intersection with Kalamazoo Avenue and surrounding streets. Notre Dame Architecture students identified developable properties along the route, highlighted in red on the map below. “It’s their private property, they can do what they want with it, of course,” Kik said. But city staff are meeting with property owners to present the plan and gauge interest.

“We have a vision,” Kik said. “We’ve done engagement. We know what we want for this area and now we want to look for developers who want to develop our vision as opposed to the other way around.”

The busy road, openness of parking lots and vacant buildings, plus the the lack of pedestrian crosswalks and signals make this area feel “hostile,” Kik said.

It’ll feel “incredibly different” come the two-way conversion of Michigan Avenue in 2029 and the addition of the Kalamazoo Event Center in 2027, Kik said.

https://www.mlive.com/news/kalamazoo...-downtown.html

[jkazoo]

Re:

[url]https://www.mlive.com/news/kalamazoo/2025/10/kalamazoo-wants-to-transform-the-spaghetti-bowl-into-a-vibrant-gateway-to-downtown.html

The plan document can be seen here:
https://www.kalamazoocity.org/files/...o-downtown.pdf

Still not enough density--we need more mid-rises to really get to the density required to support all that ground level retail. The rendering has a built out quality that will likely never be seen unless tackled all at once. I think we're more likely to see mid rises in the area than complete all these three story villager fantasies. If any place in Kalamazoo can accomplish more, it's here between the colleges and downtown and the new arena.

[DetroitMan]

Replacing PNC Bank with apartments

Developers want to bring a four-story apartment building to the corner of Portage Road and East Centre Avenue.

Grand Rapids-based Pinnacle Construction Group is calling it “CentrePoint Apartments,” per city documents.

The new building would stand where PNC Bank is currently located and the bank would be demolished. Plans for the 7920 Portage Road property include 151 units, a fitness center, clubroom and a public cafe, per city documents.

The 2.47-acre site also includes 154 parking spaces, a greenspace with seating and a pet enclosure, as well as driveway entrances on Portage Road and Centre Avenue.

Plans will go before the City Council for approval.

https://www.mlive.com/news/kalamazoo...n-october.html

[DetroitMan]

PlazaCorp gets $54.6M for 3 Kalamazoo redevelopment projects

The state is awarding PlazaCorp $54.6 million worth of incentives to go toward three major projects in Kalamazoo.

The Michigan Strategic Fund signed off on the incentives on Monday, Dec. 22.

The total cost across three projects is expected to be $96.5 million, according to state documents.

The three projects are:

Redeveloping the Michigan Avenue Courthouse, 227 W. Michigan Ave., to become a 127-room boutique hotel with a restaurant, bar and speakeasy
Converting the Speareflex Building, 261 E. Kalamazoo Ave., from office space into 57 residential units
Turn the dilapidated building at 619 Porter St. into a five-story, 58-unit apartment with 5,000 square feet of commercial space

https://www.mlive.com/news/kalamazoo...-projects.html

[deja vu]

Hi. It's been a while. I hope everyone out there is keeping their head above the water.

While walking back from lunch yesterday, I observed that the vacant structure at 433 S Rose St was being demolished. This parcel, along with several adjacent ones banked by the city and developer (Hinman), has been the target of redevelopment since as far back as I can recall. Has anyone seen or heard any news about a development moving forward here?

At one point, this modified residence housed a community answering service / call center. For years, there was a sign in the window that advertised free COVID tests. I couldn't find a year built, but based on similar nearby homes, I'd estimate around 1910.

[DetroitMan]

$2M will help fund Bronson employee housing in new 5-story apartment complex

New housing options are coming to Kalamazoo, being built with Bronson health care workers in mind.

Bogan Developments has received a $2 million state grant to support the construction of 20 workforce housing units for Bronson employees earning between 60% and 120% of the Area Median Income.

The units will be within the incoming “B on Burdick” complex, where 85 apartments are planned for the corner of Burdick and Vine streets at 802 S. Burdick St.

https://www.mlive.com/news/kalamazoo...t-complex.html

[deja vu]

^ if it happens, it will be quite an upgrade from this (a spot I drive by regularly)

[DetroitMan]

Kroger proposed west of Kalamazoo raises walkability concerns

A developer wants to build a Kroger just west of Kalamazoo. But there’s concern among township staff over whether adding the grocery store fits with Oshtemo Township plans to make the land — 48 acres across from Advia Credit Union, 6400 W. Main St. — more connected and walkable. The proposed 99,000-square-foot Kroger is also 0.5 miles from a Meijer at 6660 W Main St. and 0.8 miles from a Walmart at 501 N. Ninth St. The Kroger is planned as an addition to the “West Main Village” development proposed by the Ferlito Group. Initial plans for the development and rezoning of the land to a mixed-use district were approved in May 2025.

https://www.mlive.com/news/kalamazoo...-concerns.html

[deja vu]

Mid-50's, sunny skies, dreams of spring... it all adds up to a long walk around town for some construction updates...

We start with the big one - the event center -

















Nearby, the former McDonalds site is cleared (awaiting county development) -



...and this other long-vacant, mid-century commercial structure has also been wiped away, right near the future arena. No plans yet for the lot (that I'm aware of) -



Nearby, the residential portion of Iron Works appears done and occupied -





Mt. Zion Senior Living / Ecumenical Senior Center (Northside) - 3 separate buildings -









River's Edge apartments -





K-College's new dorm -



...and WMU's new valley dorm -




Overall, there's no denying the growing density in Kalamazoo. The uptick in new housing construction is especially noticeable. There is an energy of change in the air. Lots of construction noise that should only continue, and with it, the promise of new opportunities and new challenges.

[DetroitMan]

Originally Posted by deja vu

Mid-50's, sunny skies, dreams of spring... it all adds up to a long walk around town for some construction updates...

We start with the big one - the event center -

















Nearby, the former McDonalds site is cleared (awaiting county development) -



...and this other long-vacant, mid-century commercial structure has also been wiped away, right near the future arena. No plans yet for the lot (that I'm aware of) -



Nearby, the residential portion of Iron Works appears done and occupied -





Mt. Zion Senior Living / Ecumenical Senior Center (Northside) - 3 separate buildings -









River's Edge apartments -





K-College's new dorm -



...and WMU's new valley dorm -




Overall, there's no denying the growing density in Kalamazoo. The uptick in new housing construction is especially noticeable. There is an energy of change in the air. Lots of construction noise that should only continue, and with it, the promise of new opportunities and new challenges.

Excellent update Deja Vu! It's really nice to see the transformation of Kalamazoo. I really do wonder what the downtown core will look like in the next 5-10 years. Have there been any rumblings of new hotels being proposed because of the Event Center?

Also, a little bit of Battle Creek development news. Yesterday it was announced that the old KMart in Battle Creek will be redeveloped into 80 apartments

Vacant Michigan Kmart site will be redeveloped into 80 apartments in $30.5M project

It’ll take $30.5 million to turn a vacant Kmart site into a 5-acre hub for housing and child care in Battle Creek. The “Blue Light” project will add 80 apartments to 200 Capital Ave. in downtown Battle Creek, per a governor’s office press release. The new four-story building will offer 48 low-income and 32 to workforce apartment units to renters earning 80% to 120% of the area median income.

Plans also include a single-story commercial building to house a new child care center, per the release.

https://www.mlive.com/news/kalamazoo...m-project.html

[deja vu]

Thanks D-Man! I don't post updates as frequently these days, but that doesn't mean there isn't a ton happening. I appreciate you and a few others keeping up with it! As far as your question, there's the planned conversion of the old courthouse into a new "Boutique" hotel, but I expect we will see lots of other new proposals too in the coming years, as the event center wraps up and opens.

Here's a recent aerial photo of the 4-block area; posted online by the event center. Click here to view the full-res version. You can see some of the vacant lots surrounding this complex, which I expect will fill-in eventually. Westnedge Ave. is reopened (2 lanes) - seen running from top left to bottom center of image. The below-grade utility work is finally done. There is a live construction camera, here -



From the event center website -

Construction Progress at the Kalamazoo Event Center
Construction at the Kalamazoo Event Center continues to move forward at an incredible pace, with new milestones taking shape both inside and outside the building. What was once a job site is quickly becoming a facility that will host game days, concerts, and community events.

Parking Structure Taking Shape
The future parking deck is now more than halfway assembled, with 800 of the 1,516 precast pieces set into place. With each new section installed, the structure becomes more visible and brings us one step closer to welcoming guests to the site.

Team Spaces Coming to Life
Key spaces for future athletes and staff are now taking physical shape. The concrete floor for the Kalamazoo Wings offices has been poured, marking a major milestone for hockey at the event center, while the concrete deck for the WMU basketball operations area is now in place. These foundational elements will soon be transformed into the locker rooms, offices, and support spaces that power game day.

Practice Ice Structure Begins
Steel is now rising for the practice ice area, an exciting visual moment that signals vertical progress and gives a first look at the scale of the facility.

Interior Work Moving Forward
To keep progress on track through varying temperatures, temporary walls were installed throughout the building. These enclosures allow crews to control the environment inside and begin year-round interior construction, meaning permanent rooms and fan spaces will start taking shape much sooner.

Powered by People
The momentum on site continues to grow. Skilled tradespeople have increased to nearly 190 working each day, coordinating across multiple areas of the project and driving visible progress at a rapid pace.

By the way, I was driving downtown yesterday and noticed that construction fencing is up around the Arcadia Creek Festival Site. So maybe site clearing will start there soon -




Source: Michael Abels | WWMT

[deja vu]

Here's a recent article on the 82-unit Ironworks development -

Old Walls, New Life: Inside Ironworks, PlazaCorp’s Downtown Transformation
Eric Ringwelski | First & 42
February 23, 2026

According to this article, several units are occupied already, while work continues in other portions, with a phased occupancy plan.

[deja vu]

Here is a summary of the latest February 2026 BRA packet. Items in red are ones that weren't yet tracking on this forum -

1. The Tradewind Co. / 1003 Ampersee Ave. - recommendation to sell the property to the owner of the adjacent parcel. The purchaser indicates interest in installing small residential cabins (approximately 800 square feet, two-bedroom units) and potentially utilizing the site for beekeeping activities. This is in floodplain and natural features protection overlay area, so any permanent development is iffy (even with the applicant's track record of similar other developments around Michigan).

2. The Trailhead Outdoors / 910 Oneil St. - recommendation to sell the property to a developer for a project called “The Trailhead” Kalamazoo Riverfront Outdoor Retail & Event Hub. The concept includes specialty outdoor equipment retail sales, equipment rentals, product demonstrations, community classes and educational programming, youth-focused activities, and outdoor gathering space oriented toward the Kalamazoo River. The development is contingent on a few things, including acquisition of the adjacent property at 350 Blain St., currently owned by the Kalamazoo County Land Bank.

To see anything built here would frankly be amazing. I have long wished for the city to embrace its connection to the river more wholeheartedly. Maybe this can be a good step towards that reality. There's not a whole lot to go off of, but the sketch implies an outdoor deck / pavilion connected to the building. There is a small bar and retail shop implied -


Source: BRA Packet / TowerPinkster

3. Kalrecovery / 1900 Belford St. - a BRA grant was approved at the last meeting. Development plans now call for a three-story / 36-unit main building, and two 2-story / 6-unit structures -


Source: BRA Packet / TowerPinkster

4. Tiny Homes of H.O.P.E. Phase II / 707 N. Westnedge Ave. - sounds like this one is slowly moving through approvals and purchase agreement steps. This would be kitty-corner to phase 1, on the opposite side of the intersection. A victim of the pandemic and escalating prices, like so many proposals, but not dead.

5. Zone 32 Phase II / 901 Porter, 825 Porter, 810 N Pitcher, 915 N Pitcher, & 314 Parsons - developer is requesting more time due to funding. The proposal has been retooled to account for mixed-income and affordability.

6. 116 W Cedar St. - purchase agreement / title work approved in January, which helps explain why demolition activities were underway last month.

7. Peregrine Peninsula / 111 Portage St. - redevelopment of the upper two floors into 11 apartments (five third floor units, and six second floor units). The building was previously damaged by fire.

8. Bronco Commons / 3625 W Michigan Ave. - this gets a mention in the packet (going through approvals). We were tracking it already, as 3625 W Michigan Ave.. I found a rendering on a random website - no clue if this is accurate at all, because the same site also indicates that it will be 50,965 stories


Source: Berkadia

[jkazoo]

Thanks for the updates, and overall very bright picture. Is it too much to hope for something bright, busy and activating on the Water street corner that's been cleared? It's a bit dead all around that massive street-smothering ramp, but once the arena gets built, the foot traffic will be heavier.

If anyone in any forum complains again about gentrification, I will post that pic of Rivers Edge. It such a disappointing development on what could have been a premier river-activating parcel. I'm glad housing got built, but why does the least expensive option have to be so completely bland and lacking scale or impact? Those tiny, sad windows!