By: Deborah Johnson Wood
A lot has changed since Gary Post first decided to build urban live/work townhomes in the heart of Muskegon’s downtown. The number of units in Heritage Square Townhomes increased from 16 to 22, and Post added some smaller, less expensive units.
But the biggest change is the site plan: While the development still extends a full block along Clay Avenue, it now wraps around each end of the block to include First and Second streets, places a communal courtyard behind the homes, and provides "back door" access via a rear alley.
Post broke ground in April on the first three homes at 268, 272 and 276 Clay Ave., now in various stages of construction.
“I’m doing three together because I want to give people an idea of what the development will look like,” Post says.
The homes run from 1,200 square feet for the smaller corner units to 3,000 square feet, with prices starting at $180,000.
Each of the 22 units includes a live/work option for any type of workspace the homeowner wants—office, studio or retail. An extension of the Renaissance Zone means the homes and businesses within the project will be tax-free zones until 2023.
Post takes his dream of providing centrally located live/work housing personally. He and his wife, Beth, will move from Norton Shores to the row house at 272 Clay Ave., and he’ll operate his development business from there.
“I’ve invested in other projects downtown and we believe in it enough to commit to moving down here,” he adds. “As we rebuild the downtown it’s important that we have a good mix of residential and businesses, and that we have people on the street at all hours of the day, not just from nine to five.”
Source: Gary Post, Heritage Square Development, LLC (courtesy rendering)
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Deborah Johnson Wood is the development news editor for Rapid Growth Media. She can be contacted at [email protected].
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