Third Coast Development partner appointed to MSCA, optimistic for future development on Michigan St.

Over the next five years, Third Coast Development's Max Benedict says he is projecting double the investment in the Michigan Street Corridor from the $60 million that has already been invested over the past decade. 

"Now we have a second wave of investment coming where there's already proof of concept," Benedict says. "Because people are saying, 'We know this is possible, it's a very viable area, so let's jump in and let's join the party.'"

The last decade of investment is two-thirds of the projected total, he says. Spearheaded by Third Coast Development's Mid Towne Village project in 2003-2004, Benedict says national brands like Biggby Coffee and Subway secured their brick and mortar businesses after watching nearly 50 blighted homes become retail and restaurants in the strip of Michigan Street that is now home to The Omelette Shoppe and El Barrio Mexican Grill, the latter of which is owned by Benedict's partners at Third Coast Development, Brad Rosely and Dave Levitt.

"Those people are viewed as pioneers and now other people are saying, 'Hey, they did it and they're still there,' and now they're finding out about their numbers and finding they're doing really well," he says. 

Benedict was recently appointed to the Michigan Street Corridor Association, which started out as the Michigan Street Business Association when redevelopment efforts initially kicked off. He says he and his partners at Third Coast Development have the unique perspective of being both Michigan Street business owners as well as developers. 

"We really kind of see what would benefit the area from a business owner standpoint and we're able to bounce the ideas off of the other members of what is now the Michigan Street Corridor Association," he says. "We take the business owner standpoint, but then we can also say, 'Well, there's just no chance that any developer could build those really high-flying ideas that a business owner may want, it's not feasible for a developer to do it, but what would be the next-best thing?'"

From where he is standing, the future Michigan Street is the Grand Rapids equivalent to Chicago's Lincoln Park. That is, packed with as many retail storefronts as possible, with residential living complexes on the floors above. 

Benedict says current zoning in the Michigan Street Corridor Plan calls for three-story buildings, with wiggle room for four-stories that plan on making the top floor residential. With recent development along Michigan Street's Medical Mile primarily focused on healthcare facilities and academic institutions, future development aims to complement the existing structure, giving the employees and students who frequent the sidewalks somewhere to live, eat, and shop.

"It's not just our plan, it's what the city and what the neighborhood is asking for and we think it's a great idea to help promote the walkability of the area," Benedict says. "The more retail you have on the street the more you're going to see people walking up and down the street and the more retailers that are going to want to be there. It's a snowball effect once you get that going." 

Visit the Grand Rapids Planning Department and Michigan Street Corridor Association websites to learn more about the Michigan Street Corridor Association and its membership or view corridor plan online.  

Written by Anya Zentmeyer, Development News Editor
Images courtesy of Max Benedict, map courtesy of MSCA 


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