Lansing is one of the communities that received a $20,000 Main Street Vibrancy Grant. | Davidshane0/Wikimedia Commons
Lansing is one of the communities that received a $20,000 Main Street Vibrancy Grant. | Davidshane0/Wikimedia Commons
Eight Michigan communities have been awarded a combined $160,000 in state grants for downtown improvement projects, according to a press release from the governor's office.
The communities are Grand Haven, Grosse Pointe, Lansing, Lapeer, Niles, Otsego, Saline, and Sault Ste. Marie.
“Main Street Grosse Pointe is honored to be a recipient of the Main Street Vibrancy Grant,” Cindy Willcock, executive director of Main Street Grosse Pointe, said, according to the press release. “As a newer Main Street community, the opportunity to showcase the partnership with Michigan Main Street and the MEDC [Michigan Economic Development Corporation] on a project that is meaningful to the community is exciting. Creating a visually appealing and vibrant physical environment that both honors the district’s rich history as well as embraces 21st-century technologies is a key component of our transformation strategy.”
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D-Mich.) is committed to supporting small businesses as Michigan continues to grow its economy, the press release said. The state has added jobs for 10 straight months; this includes adding 172,000 jobs year over year. Michigan's low unemployment rate has declined 10 months in a row; it currently sits at 4.7%.
“Vibrant downtown areas are critical to creating jobs, attracting new investments, and helping local businesses build a foundation for long-term success in Michigan,” Whitmer said, according to the press release. “These grants will help communities in both peninsulas invest in their downtowns, developing unique places where people want to live, visit, work, and play. Small businesses are the cornerstone of our economy, and we must continue working together to help them thrive. Over the last couple of years, entrepreneurship has flourished in Michigan, with over 430,000 new businesses formed since January 2019. Together, we will continue investing in small businesses and helping towns and cities of all sizes build thriving downtowns.”
Michelle Parkkonen, managing director of Community Development Technical Assistance Programs at the MEDC, said the communities have worked diligently to improve their downtowns.
“Today’s Vibrancy grants will help further strengthen the downtowns and commercial districts in these communities, helping their businesses grow while also building unique places that are attractive to residents and visitors,” Parkkonen said, according to the press release.
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