GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Michigan Street in Grand Rapids is at a crossroads. After years of growth that brought new businesses, a hotel and hundreds of new homes to the corridor, the Michigan Street Corridor Improvement Authority is now working to shape what comes next — and the businesses that line the street have ideas.
WATCH: Michigan Street shops welcome growth as corridor authority plans next chapter
"More building, more apartments, we'd love to see it all," said Bob Quay, the owner of Bob's Bar.
Quay has owned the bar on the corner of Michigan Street and Harlan Avenue for 13 years and said the growth in recent years has been good for business, but development surrounding the business has leveled off.
"We're kind of a little bit of a stall the last five years, but we had a couple big apartment complexes come in and we're hoping for more," Quay explained.
The Michigan Street Corridor Improvement Authority (CIA) reports that tax revenue in the district is increasing, meaning more development could be on the way. The board is searching for a strategic planner to help guide the corridor's growth over the next three to five years. A request for proposal from the board acknowledges the authority has a 'healthy and growing TIF fund balance' and is ready to move from 'reactive management to proactive corridor leadership.'
Down the street, the owner of Midtowne Smoke Shop, Jacob Heminger said the character of the corridor has changed significantly and has brought more potential to the area.
"There's a bunch of empty lots on Michigan Street, and this street is heavy enough traffic to put businesses on here that will thrive," Heminger predicted.
Business owners along the corridor expressed interest in more housing, retail storefronts and possibly an office building.
"All the businesses, I think you'd find all of them agree that we can use more apartments, we can use more buildings, bring it on," Quay said.
The Michigan Street Corridor Improvement Authority board will select a planner for the project at its next meeting Thursday at 3:30 p.m. at Grand Coney, 809 Michigan St. NE, Grand Rapids. Click here to view the agenda.
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