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Community foundation helps rebuild downtown Muskegon
By ANN RICHARDS
MUSKEGON, Mich. — There’s nothing more important to a vital, prosperous community than a vibrant downtown, according to Chris McGuigan, CEO of the Community Foundation for Muskegon County.
That is why the community foundation made the decision in 2000 to purchase — in partnership with the local chamber of commerce, the city and the Paul C. Johnson Foundation — the city’s 23-acre downtown for just under $2 million. The area had been turned into an indoor mall in the 1970s, then abandoned after a suburban mall was built.
“They bought it, they demolished it, and they’re starting all over,” said Roberta King, a Muskegon resident.
Said McGuigan: “We were adrift and dispirited after the mall closed. People from all over the community were contacting the foundation about starting some kind of dialogue about its future.
“The community was longing for a ‘cool city’ downtown — like the one Muskegon had decades earlier — one that drew people from all over the county to live, work and play.”
In 2002, residents participated in “Imagine Muskegon,” a visioning process that laid the groundwork for a downtown that included the preservation of several historical buildings and set design standards to guide the construction of new buildings, McGuigan said.
The Downtown Muskegon Development Corporation was created to oversee the project. The state awarded Muskegon one of 12 SmartZone designations to help facilitate the commercialization of technology emerging from research in Michigan universities and private companies.
Edison Landing, the name chosen for Muskegon’s SmartZone, focuses on developing high-technology firms and integrating technology created at Grand Valley State University into Muskegon area businesses.
The state also designated Muskegon’s downtown as one of 150 Renaissance zones. Renaissance zones are virtually free of state and local taxes for businesses located within their boundaries.
“In 2006, six projects totaling $34 million of investment were announced on the former mall site,” McGuigan said.
“Western Avenue — our historical main street — has been reopened and is pedestrian-friendly, connecting to the lakefront. The rest of our traditional street grid is also completed.
“This year we will cut ribbons on four significant buildings, including the new $11-million Baker College Culinary Arts School, and several others will be finished later this year. Our successful downtown is happening.”