266 Michigan Ave Kalamazoo, LLC plans to renovate a historic four-story building into a mixed-use development in the Haymarket historic district of downtown Kalamazoo. When completed, the project will include 11 residential units on the upper floors, with upgrades to the building including an elevator and an enhanced façade at the rear of the property. The first floor currently houses a longtime restaurant tenant and will also include space for a second restaurant.

Celebrated today in an announcement by Governor Gretchen Whitmer who joined the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC), the project is expected to generate a total capital investment of $3.5 million and create five jobs, resulting in a $420,000 Michigan Community Revitalization Program performance-based grant approved by the Michigan Strategic Fund (MSF). The project will transform an underutilized building into a vibrant, attractive property, bringing much-needed housing near several major employers. The project is also expected to draw additional visitors to the downtown area and serve as a catalyst for additional economic activity.

The City of Kalamazoo Brownfield Redevelopment Authority has also received MSF approval of a brownfield work plan that will include $31,946 in state tax capture reimbursement for the remediation of brownfield conditions at the site.

“The Hall Block at 266 East Michigan is the last remaining large historic building with three stories of vacant space in the Haymarket historic district. We are excited that the Coney Island Hot Dog restaurant will remain in the west bay of the first floor, the oldest continuously operating restaurant in Kalamazoo,” said Kalamazoo Sustainable Development Coordinator Jamie McCarthy. “We are pleased to offer support through a collaboration between the Brownfield Redevelopment Authority, Kalamazoo Downtown Partnership, and Downtown Economic Growth Authority. We greatly appreciate this investment by the developer and the Michigan Strategic Fund which will contribute to making downtown an amazing place to live, work, and visit.”

The city is supporting the project with the approval of the local portion of the brownfield work plan, and the Downtown Economic Growth Authority is approving 20-year tax increment financing valued at $163,974. The city of Kalamazoo is certified with MEDC’s Redevelopment Ready Communities program.