Downtown Milan building restoration projects receive state funding
Two building renovation projects in downtown Milan have been awarded funding from the Michigan Economic Development Corp.
Five Penny Properties LLC plans to rehabilitate 49 E. Main St. and 25 E. Main St. for new housing and shopping options, a news release from Gov. Gretchen Whitmer's office said. The 49 E. Main St. project will restore the historic facade of the building and make interior improvements including new electrical, mechanical and plumbing systems. When completed, the development will maintain the current tenant, The Graceful Smile dental clinic, on the first floor. The second floor will include two new residential units.
The 25 E. Main St. project will renovate a one-story building, activating a vacant storefront, the release said. The exterior will have full brick restoration, a new storefront and a new roof.
The entire project is expected to generate a total capital investment of $1.59 million with the support of a $595,000 Michigan Community Revitalization Program performance-based grant, the release said. The city of Milan is supporting the project with a 10-year Commercial Rehabilitation Act abatement valued at $98,600. Milan is a Michigan Main Street community and is engaged with MEDC’s Redevelopment Ready Communities program.
“MEDC funding makes possible what would otherwise be financially unworkable,” Five Penny Properties Developer Dave Snyder said in the release. “Historic downtown buildings are a key part of our communities, but their maintenance is difficult and costly. MEDC helps preserve our heritage and makes the buildings that served us in 1890 ready for service well into the future.”
“I’m very pleased to see the investment in Milan’s downtown," state Rep. Reggie Miller, D-Van Buren Township, said in the release. "Milan is one of our state’s hidden gems and this grant will help the city continue to flourish. I look forward to seeing the benefits that this project will bring"
The Milan projects were among a group of developments in six communities across the state that recently received MEDC funding to create new housing and create additional business space. The projects are expected to create 14 new full-time jobs and retain three current full-time jobs as well as generate a total capital investment of nearly $18 million in Milan, Sturgis, Calumet, Otter Lake, Ypsilanti and Ionia, the governor's office said.
“These projects will support construction jobs, build more affordable housing to lower costs, and drive commercial growth in downtowns across the state, supporting small businesses and regional economies,” Whitmer said in the release. “In the first 100 days of 2023, we have hit the ground running. I signed two bipartisan bills making record investments in affordable housing and community development projects that will make our cities and towns more attractive places to live, work, and invest. Today’s six projects across Michigan reimagine underutilized, often historic places into productive housing or storefronts. Together, we are going to make Michigan the best place to raise a family or start a business. Let’s keep getting it done.”
“These placemaking investments reflect our continued focus on regional impact and supporting vibrant community spaces that lay the foundation for long-term economic wins and greater opportunity for all Michiganders,” Matt McCauley, MEDC senior vice president of regional prosperity said in the release. “We are grateful to the Governor and legislators for their continued support of the Michigan Community Revitalization Program among other efforts. By working with local partners to focus on traditional downtowns and increase much-needed housing options, Team Michigan is building on our strong sense of place while supporting vibrant, unique places where current Michiganders and those we will attract can live, work, visit, and play.”
This article originally appeared on The Monroe News: Downtown Milan building restoration projects receive state funding
