Downtown Muskegon Blog

Behind the Scenes - Downtown Muskegon Make-over

Summer Celebration is in full swing, and while regular patrons may not be noticing it, Downtown Muskegon, near Heritage Landing, has had a facelift since last year’s festivities. The facelift included three separate streetscape/road projects. The projects were initiated and overseen by the City of Muskegon, so Main Street caught up with Cathy Brubaker-Clarke, Director of Planning and Economic Development at the City of Muskegon, to give an overview of the improvements, and how they are being received.

MS: Western Avenue is looking great. What has all taken place downtown Muskegon in terms of public improvements?

CBC: Since last summer a lot of public improvements in the area of Heritage Landing have been completed. Of course Western Avenue was extended through the former mall site including the round-a-bout at Third and Western, a streetscape along 5th street from Western to Merrill wrapped up, and finally a streetscape project along Western from 3rd to 8th was completed. The impressive thing about all these improvements is that they tie together a quality look to the downtown that includes decorative brick concrete work, bike racks, trash receptacles, benches, new trees, and historic street lights. In addition, the Hackley Heritage walking trail snakes through the area providing a route from which people can see all the improvements.

MS: How was the city able to accomplish all of these projects almost simultaneously?

CBC: Since the time of Imagine Muskegon the city has been attempting to implement quality public improvements in the downtown Muskegon area. Each project was achieved through a different funding source, but the overall result is that a lot of improvement has been leveraged.

MS: How are businesses reacting and what effect to you think the project will have on downtown development?

CBC: Downtown businesses and residents have been extremely happy with the improvements. The attractive, high quality finishings have improved the facades of the buildings and definitely let developers know that downtown is high priority for community investment. In addition some of the elements of the projects that encourage pedestrian activity have led to the State of Michigan recognizing the City’s efforts in promoting active communities last year.

MS: Are there any other plans in the works for further public improvements?

CBC: Well especially along Western from Third to 8th there were plans for more comprehensive improvements, but due to funding issues we were only able to implement the improvements you can see today. We hope to sometime in the future to continue to the improvements, eventually implementing the complete plan. Of course, on the former mall site the side streets that branch off of Western Avenue are being constructed as we speak and that project should wrap up by the middle of October.

MS: Well thanks for your work in securing the improvements and your continued work towards the progress of Downtown Muskegon.

CBC: No problem, thank you.

posted by Dan & Sarah @ 12:57 PM