Growth through Revitalization: Building Places People Love

A beloved local restaurant, closed by fire, prepares to reopen. A former school transforms into affordable apartments. An abandoned art museum revives as a coworking space. Throughout Michigan, under-used, blighted, and historic properties are finding new life thanks to the Revitalization and Placemaking (RAP) program, administered through the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC).  

With its origins in pandemic recovery funds, the RAP program announced $83.8 million in statewide placemaking grants in September 2022, with additional awards later to obligate a total of $100 million. This initial round was followed with $99.2 million announced in October 2023, and a further $25 million in May 2025 to complete a third application round. A total of 239 projects (including subgrants) have been supported to date.  

The Revitalization and Placemaking program provides access to gap financing for place-based infrastructure development, real estate rehabilitation and development, and public space improvements. As a necessary component of the state’s larger housing strategy, it supports commercial space in affordable mixed-use projects and contributes to addressing Michigan’s housing challenges, with an anticipated addition of 2,761 housing units. It is a part of the MEDC’s broader placemaking efforts, which include crowdfunding opportunities like Public Spaces Community Places; grant programs like the Michigan Community Revitalization Program, Match on Main and Build MI Community; and technical assistance support through Michigan Main Street and Redevelopment Ready Communities.  

Placemaking is a cornerstone of the “Make It in Michigan” economic development strategy; attractive places and thriving communities welcome businesses to grow and people to live. The RAP program is a key component of the toolkit that the MEDC uses to enhance places, and thanks to its support, communities across the state are experiencing the benefits: beautiful public spaces, increased housing and commercial real estate, and adaptive reuse of historic structures. 

No two projects are alike, and while some of the funded sites from 2022 and 2023 are largely finished, others are still in progress as of mid-2025. All projects receive disbursement of funds on a reimbursement basis, and most of the projects have not yet completed all of the milestones necessary for full reimbursement. Here’s a look at a selection of projects from across the state that promise a significant impact for the lives of Michiganders today and in years to come.

 

Region 1: Upper Peninsula 

Ore Dock, Marquette (2022) 

How It Started: Ore Dock Real Estate, LLC planned to rehabilitate an existing building to offer much-needed workforce housing and support a growing brewery in downtown Marquette. The “Rosewood Expansion” project plan included placemaking components through outdoor entertainment areas, urban green spaces, public infrastructure improvements, and four new or revitalized housing units through both historic and conventional rehabilitation practices. In September 2022, they received a $3,905,000 Real Estate Rehabilitation award through the Revitalization and Placemaking program. 

How It’s Going: In March 2025, Ore Dock held a grand opening for the Trestle Cocktail Lounge, named after the historic stone trestle that once led trains to the ore dock. Featuring multiple levels, one of the largest beer gardens in town, fire pits, and a gaming area, the expansion also offers direct access to Front Street.  

The project transformed a vacant and condemned structure into a dynamic, mixed-use development intertwining craft beverage expansion, housing, and green space. With over $8.3 million in total investment, the project created six new jobs, added two new and renovated two existing residential units, and activated vacant property in Marquette’s historic downtown. The expansion also allows Ore Dock to grow and diversify its on-site production and enhance its role as a major destination for locals and visitors. The project has improved trail access and outdoor community gathering spaces for cultural programming, social events, and live music—fostering local pride and quality of life. 

 

Region 2: Northwest 

Lofts at Lumber Square, Petoskey (2023) 

How It Started: The Harbor Springs Community Foundation (HSCF) purchased a redevelopment priority site within the City of Petoskey, located along the “Greenway Corridor” which connects to downtown, as an ideal site for additional housing to support growing needs for the region. The project required significant environmental clean-up as well as extension of water, sewer, and the Greenway Corridor to reactivate the area and support new investment by the non-profit development team. 

HSCF planned Lofts at Lumber Square as a single 60-unit, three-story elevator apartment building with a lobby, community space and a rooftop terrace, comprising almost 70,0000 square feet spread across the three floors. The target audience was long-term workforce rental housing, with 62 surface parking spaces. On-site electric car charging stations were planned to serve both residents and the neighborhood.  

How It’s Going: 

As part of a larger support package, a $2.5 million RAP grant for Lofts at Lumber Square was approved unanimously at the June 2023 meeting of the Michigan Strategic Fund board. 

Construction is proceeding, with exterior siding put in place in April 2025. The builder, Haan Development, plans to complete construction in October 2025. A waitlist for leasing opportunities will soon be available. 

When complete, the Lofts at Lumber Square will offer much-needed housing for middle income Petoskey residents such as teachers, nurses, and service workers, and strengthen the year-round customer base for downtown establishments. 

 

Region 3: Northeast 

Harold Elgas Clock Tower, Gaylord (2025) 

What to Expect: Built in the early 1970s by Gaylord State Bank, the Clock Tower was an office building for bank mortgage operations and included community space for meetings and school events. Built in Alpine Architectural style, the Clock Tower is a unique local landmark featuring a 90-foot copper-roofed tower. Named for Harold Elgas, long time bank president, the Clock Tower has long needed major restoration. The extravagant cedar decks on the upper floors are unusable due to rotten wood, and its elevator needs to be modernized for safety and reliability. The MEDC announced a $935,875 RAP grant in support of the project in February 2025. 

 
The Harold Elgas Clock Tower project will take four floors of obsolete bank office space and convert it into a modern mixed-use building. The renovation will create eight living units featuring two-bedroom one-bath configurations, fireplaces, custom kitchens, and plenty of glass overlooking downtown Gaylord. The units will also feature outdoor patio spaces. The developer, Go North Properties, is developing green options for the community outdoor space with raised gardens and a fire feature. The main floor will be office space, retail, and a restaurant, while the lower level will provide tenant storage and offer additional retail opportunities. 

 

Region 4: West 

Cedar Springs Downtown Pocket Park (2022) 

How It Started: The City of Cedar Springs and Cedar Springs DDA planned to supplement a focus on water infrastructure with a “pocket park” to improve water drainage along Main Street. With a $250,000 subgrant from The Right Place through the September 2022 RAP funding round, the City planned to transform a vacant lot into a tiny gathering place. 

How It’s Going: Following construction from June through December 2024, Cedar Springs opened the smallest park in the City at 0.02 acres. It features benches and flowers, a gas fire pit, synthetic turf, picnic tables, a restroom, and a glow-in-the-dark line through the pavement. It serves as a place to hang out, eat lunch, or socialize. 

 

UICA / Bamboo, Grand Rapids (2025) 

What to Expect: The former home of the Urban Institute for Contemporary Art (UICA) at the Gallery on Fulton will be transformed into a modern coworking hub to support entrepreneurs and small businesses, providing key amenities to the community including flex office spaces, private offices, high-tech meeting rooms, a 200-person movie theater, and outdoor event venue.  Founded in 2015, the Bamboo team has successfully opened and operated four locations including two in Detroit, Royal Oak, and Ann Arbor. The building has a history in serving the community, and the developers are committed to honoring that legacy through programming frequent, no-cost public events and community opportunities.   

 

Region 5: East Central 

Ideal Theater, Clare (2022) 

How It Started: In March 2020, the Ideal Theater in downtown Clare, Michigan closed due to the pandemic. A year later, the temporary closure threatened to become permanent, until sisters Sandy Wright, Sue Leverence, and Lisa Benic decided to save it. In September 2022, their company Ideal Theater Clare, LLC received a $988,045 Real Estate Rehabilitation award through the Revitalization and Placemaking program for “restoration of [a] historic downtown theater.” 

How It’s Going: The Ideal Theater is back and better than ever. 

With support from the MEDC and the Clare community, the Ideal Theater reopened in March 2023 with new ventilation, mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems plus massive cosmetic renovations including an expanded lobby and concession area. Benic said, “The renovation process itself took almost two years – a year in planning, design, architecture and engineering, and a year in construction. Virtually every inch of the theater has been redone, from the basement to the roof. It was a huge challenge, especially during the pandemic, but it was very exciting. We began with a goal of preserving the history of the building while making it accessible, safe and comfortable, so we kept the nostalgic elements wherever we could and modernized where necessary.” 

Learn more about Lisa Benic and the Ideal Theater. 

 

Region 6: East 

Garden Building, Grand Blanc (2022) 

How It Started: Developers Sara and Erik Perkins purchased a vacant lot in 2020 in Grand Blanc, an RRC Certified Community. Over the next years, they planned for new construction on the site, to result in a mixed-use development including workforce housing, hospitality spaces, retail units, office spaces, and outdoor space. With a planned total of five residential units and 13 commercial spaces, the project was awarded $4.95 million in RAP incentives, approved September 2022. 

How It’s Going: The Garden Building opened its doors in December 2024. Its restaurant Irene’s Craft Kitchen + Biergarten, named in honor of Erik’s grandmother, is already attracting rave reviews with a German-inspired menu. Erik said that they had a waiting list of about 25 people to rent the five lofts before opening, and the building is now fully leased. 

 

Region 7: South Central 

Walter French, Lansing (2022) 

How It Started: Originally built in 1925 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2014, the former Walter French Junior High School was donated to Capital Area Housing Partnership (CAHP) in 2017, allowing for a mission-driven redevelopment to take shape. In September 2022, Lt. Governor Garlin Gilchrist II announced that the Walter French revitalization projects would receive a $5 million RAP grant as part of the city of Lansing’s overall grant application.  

Led by CAHP, the project planned to repurpose the building as a mixed-use, mixed-income project with 76 affordable apartments and two floors of commercial space to include a childcare center and a community resource center. 

 

How It’s Going: Today, the historic building has been restored and reimagined as a hub for affordable housing and community services. With nearly $40 million in public and private investment, CAHP has transformed more than 200,000 square feet of the structure into affordable homes and essential community-serving space.  

The development features 76 affordable apartment units, including 19 homes reserved for chronically homeless or special needs households. All units were leased within two weeks of opening in January 2025, with over 1,000 applicants. 

The ratio of more than 13 applications per available unit demonstrates both the significant housing need in the region that this project is helping to address, and the substantial level of remaining need for future investment. 

CAHP selected a licensed childcare provider through a competitive process in 2023 and is actively preparing the space to open in mid-2025. Once complete, the site will offer wraparound support for residents and neighbors—combining housing, childcare, community services, and nonprofit leadership all under one roof. 

 

Region 8: Southwest 

The Lucky Wolf, Paw Paw (2023) 

How It Started: Located in Paw Paw, Michigan, The Lucky Wolf – a community event space and café – is the brainchild of Jason Deibler-Love and his late wife, India. In 2021, they purchased the Paw Paw Village Playhouse, a 200-year-old former Baptist church that had been renovated into a theater in 1970. 

With experience in the hotel, venue, and hospitality industry for the last 25 years in cities like Los Angeles, Palm Springs, New Orleans, New York City, and Austin, Deibler-Love wanted to combine his passions and background with his wife India, whose background was in coffee and managing cafes. Together, they created The Lucky Wolf.  

How It’s Going: In September 2022, the Lucky Wolf was awarded $92,591 in RAP 1.0 grant funds through a subgrant submitted by Southwest Michigan First and supported by Market One. The RAP funding supported the construction of an ADA accessible ramp, outdoor dining and café space, a coffee roasting area with a glass door to view the process from the patio, and technology investments to allow hybrid entertainment events hosted on the second-story theater. 

Deibler-Love says he hopes to continue building The Lucky Wolf’s reputation while honoring the legacy of his late wife. After her death in November 2023, he founded a non-profit foundation that will host an annual film and music festival with artists from around the world each June. 

Learn more about Jason Deibler-Love and the Lucky Wolf. 

 

Region 9: Southeast 

Adrian Park House (2024) 

How It Started: Adrian City Center, LLC planned to rehabilitate five functionally obsolete buildings in downtown Adrian into Adrian Park House, a multi-story mixed-use development featuring twelve new residential rental units on the second and third floors. The first floor and basement level would be commercial/office space with eight new commercial spaces and a community/event space of about 3,000 square feet. This space would provide a place for the community to gather, play, and celebrate, helping to activate this dilapidated 50,000 square foot space in downtown Adrian. 
 
These buildings, originally built in 1885 for the A.B. Park Department Store, had been used over the years as a hotel, office space, and most recently as Hamerman’s Furniture Store, but had been vacant for a decade, and blighted and in disrepair for even longer. 

The developer pursued historic tax credits and secured a legislative appropriation of $3.5 million; however, due to the high costs of rehabilitating the blighted buildings, and despite a large investment from the project’s equity investors, a significant gap remained. 

How It’s Going: In April 2024, the Michigan Economic Development Corporation approved a $1.5 million RAP grant for the project. Work is expected to finish in late summer 2025, with commercial tenants expected to have their first-floor spaces completed over the following months.  

The storefronts are being renovated in accordance with historic specifications, keeping the nostalgic Carrera glass intact. The first-floor interior will accentuate time-period elements such as trim, ceilings, and exposed brick where it was original. 

 

Region 10: Detroit Metro

Paradise Valley Park Plaza, Detroit (2022)

How It Started: The original Paradise Valley was a vibrant African American commercial district in Detroit, destroyed to make way for the Chrysler Freeway in the 1960s. The project was intended to transform the park and plaza within the new Paradise Valley district to create a safe, inviting public space to support the development of a thriving, African American-led residential and entertainment district. 

Before the project, spaces in the heart of Paradise Valley were unsafe and uninviting, with virtually no placemaking infrastructure. Illicit activity was common. The planned improvements would completely revamp the park and plaza spaces to create a safe and attractive destination for downtown residents and visitors, complete with outdoor seating arrangements, café style outdoor dining, and programming.  

How It’s Going: Supported by a 2022 RAP subgrant through the Downtown Detroit Partnership, construction is planned for completion in June 2025. Specific improvements include new grading, replacement of concrete with new pavers, new stairs and railings, a new stage, new landscaping, new light poles, new furnishings, a new sound system, public art, and signage.  

The Paradise Valley project represents a part of the essential strategic response to return downtown Detroit to long-term health. Prior to the pandemic, the downtown economy was built on the office population. With the long-term loss of office workers due to remote and hybrid work, downtown Detroit is transitioning from a place dominated by “work” to one increasingly focused on the “live” and “play” dimensions of the economy. 

 

Andy’s Place, Holly (2025) 

What to Expect: In downtown Holly, developers Chapin Enterprises, LLC and Victory Seven, LLC plan to rehabilitate a two-story building to reactivate a restaurant previously damaged by a multi-building fire that destroyed the building in 2022. Originally constructed in 1866 as a bank, the building has had several uses over the years; most recently, the building served as Andy’s Place, an iconic community restaurant and bar.  In one of the most recent RAP awards for real estate redevelopment, the project was awarded $433,770 in April 2025. 

“As the owner and head of the family business, I am so excited about being able to now rebuild and restore Andy’s Place with the help of the MEDC. The revitalization of the historic building where it now stands will be a major step towards returning the business atmosphere and prosperity of the southeast downtown district,” said Andrea Chapin, developer and owner of Andy’s Place. “From the bottom of my heart, thank you.”  

  

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