Eastside Square Groundbreaking

1601 East Main Street,Kalamazoo MI 49048

14 December, 2022

Description

The Kalamazoo County Land Bank, in partnership with the Eastside Neighborhood Association, is thrilled to announce a groundbreaking on the long-anticipated, community-envisioned redevelopment project, Eastside Square, on Wednesday, Dec. 14 at 4 p.m. Clearing of the lot has already begun at 1601 East Main, future home to six one and two-bedroom, mixed-income, affordable and energy-efficient housing units, and 1,800 square feet of commercial space. Designed by InForm Architecture, LLC, in conjunction with input from Eastside residents and managed by Glas Associates, Inc., the first of three planned Eastside Square buildings is scheduled to be completed by November 2023. "KENA has been waiting with bated breath for this next phase in our collaborative East Main St. corridor development project!” said Pat Taylor, KENA Director. “Residents, the neighborhood association, and all of our partners are so very excited that this next phase is happening--keeping the momentum going strong!" Originally conceived of in 2019 after three community envision events that drew over 200 residents, Eastside Square experienced subsequent start delays due to the pandemic, construction slowdown, and construction cost increases. Thanks to generous local philanthropic organizations (listed below) and an American Rescue Plan Act grant administered through Kalamazoo County Government, as well as ongoing infrastructure support with reimagining East Main from the City of Kalamazoo, construction will begin shortly following the groundbreaking on the $2.9 million mixed-use building. “This project continues the Land Bank’s goal of assisting our partners on the Eastside of Kalamazoo to expand home ownership and commercial space use on the Eastside,” said Land Bank Director Sidney Ellis. “We are excited to be a part of the momentum to refresh, renew and repurpose properties in this area of the city of Kalamazoo.”