If you ask Dan Rinsema-Sybenga, Muskegon, Mich. is on the crest of a wave of revitalization and he wants to be on the lip of that surf rushing toward the city’s shore. So much so he’s known to many locals as Downtown Dan. He lives downtown, works downtown, and finds entertainment…yup…downtown.
Rinsema-Sybenga, 31, acknowledges Muskegon has experienced significant disinvestment and population loss. But he’s quick to point out that the city still has plenty of impressive assets: a fast growing university, cultural and economic diversity, a thriving summer festival schedule, a rich tradition of hard work and civic participation and, of course, Muskegon Lake, which connects to Lake Michigan, the second largest of the majestic Great Lakes. These are a few reasons why he’s confident the city is on the upswing.
“There was an abandoning of the urban core,” says Rinsema-Sybenga. “But that mindset is changing.”
Signs of the shift in thinking are obvious all around downtown. Community leaders recently demolished an indoor shopping mall and are now basically rebuilding the central city from scratch. Grand Valley State University has established to research institutes in the central city. New storefront shops and pubs are opening. And private developers have begun to reshape the waterfront with new businesses, condos, and public space.
Indeed, after decades of decline, there’s renewed sense of focus and optimism in the chief city on Michigan’s western shore. And it’s beginning to attract new residents, visitors, and young entrepreneurs.
Don Kalisz, principal at Relevant, a marketing firm, is one of them. His company has worked on branding campaigns for local groups such as Hackley Public Library and the Muskegon Chamber of Commerce. And this month Kalisz is moving his business to the the heart of downtown Muskegon.
“There is a lot happening down there right now and the majority of it hasn’t even started yet,” Kalisz says. “It is great to be part of that growth literally and help it on a variety of different levels.”
Jason Piasecki, CEO of the multi-media firm Qonverge, is another one. He located his company smack in the middle of downtown two years ago, as much of the redevelopment was getting underway.
“Muskegon is unique with the lake and a great historic core,” Piasecki says. “The downtown is undergoing a renaissance and it is great to be apart of that.”
The Transformation is On
Muskegon is located approximately 40 miles west of Grand Rapids, the financial and cultural hub of west Michigan. Some 40,000 people live in the city, according to 2000 census statistics, and the average age is 35 years old. The population of the greater Muskegon area, however, exceeds 170,000. And numerous signs point to accelerated growth in the future.
Perhaps the most significant project underway downtown is the complete redevelopment of the former Muskegon Mall site. The property, some 23 acres, is now the focus of a massive redevelopment project. Some say the project, launched by a consortium of local funders, could ultimately take 15 years and require as much as $500 million in public and private spending.
The other major development underway downtown is the Edison Landing project. Located on 34 acres of Muskegon Lake waterfront, the project is one of 11 SmartZones in Michigan. SmartZones are specially designated areas that use special taxing incentives to attract and cultivate high tech business incubators and research institutions. The Michigan Alternative and Renewable Energy Center, a project of Grand Valley State University, was one of the early bird tenants in the area. Upon completion, the project will feature new condos, businesses, a waterfront boardwalk, as well as a modern marina and boat slips.
In total, private developers and public agencies have invested some $180 million to revitalize downtown Muskegon with an array of projects: new condos and lofts, expanded waterfront walking trails, research facilities like GVSU’s Annis Water Resources Institute, and modern hotels.
The common overarching goal of all the new activity is to boost the city’s competitiveness by improving quality of life and enhancing the ability to attract top flight talent and, eventually, new businesses.
“My hope is the downtown development will continue, providing a space in which young professionals can make lasting connections to the area," says Art Martin, assistant curator at the Muskegon Museum of Art. “With more young people in the area, we will also likely see a growth in cultural and business activities that appeal to a younger audience. Ideally we will see a nucleus of activity that can sustain its own growth.”
Martin, 32, also serves on the leadership team for YUP Muskegon, a group organized to recruit and retain talented young workers, help plug them into the community socially and professionally, and ultimately motivate them to take a leadership role in the city’s revival.
“For young professionals working in the area, the changes going on in the area allow for many young people to make significant contributions in very little time,” says Martin, 32. “Muskegon currently is an area where you have a great opportunity to shape the community to your needs and abilities.”
Dan Rinsema-Sybenga is one of those young leaders. As the manager of Muskegon Main Street, a program established to revitalize the commercial business district, he’s at the center of the city’s revitalization movement. He says the work is just getting started, and the community has several gaps to fill to build up its quality of life and competitiveness.
“Right now when people think of downtown Muskegon, they don’t think commercial district,” says Rinsema-Sybenga, who has lived downtown for four years. “We need to have symbols of a viable and thriving business district.”
“We could really use more coffee shops, a local grocery, a bakery and things like that downtown,” he says.
There are signs that those businesses are, in fact, coming. The Cheese Lady, for example, recently opened up a storefront after years of success at the local farmer’s market. Rinsema-Sybenga says the business illustrates the commercial opportunities now brewing downtown.
“I was really glad when she got the store because her stand was mobbed at the market,” Rinsema-Sybenga says.
Laidback Living
Located five minutes from Lake Michigan’s sugar sand beaches, the City of Muskegon stands out as a popular tourist destination in the state. There’s an array of summer festivals, including the Summer Celebration, the Irish Music Festival, and the Muskegon Film Festival.
The Lake-Express High Speed Ferry, which makes several runs daily during the summer back and forth to Milwaukee, WI, also docks just south of downtown Muskegon.
But it’s also becoming a more attractive place to live, too. In addition to new businesses, modern condos, town homes, and lofts are sprouting up to capture the rising demand for downtown living options. A $16 million renovation project recently transformed the Amazon Building, which served as a knitting mill at the turn of the 20th century, into 118 lofts, many with waterfront views. The $15 million Vida Nova condos are currently for sale in the heart of Edison Landing. And the $5 million Heritage Square Townhomes project now on the drawing board proposes to combine residential and retail space.
Don Kalisz and Jason Piasecki both grew up in the greater Muskegon area. And they intend to raise their families there. They said the region offers a comfortable urban lifestyle, with ready access to outdoor recreation, and lacks many of the hassles that come with big city living.
“I don’t want to live in a big place,” Kalisz says. “There is a good mix of hometown and urban feeling here. We are only a short drive from the North country but close enough to enjoy city life.”
Downtown Dan Rinsema-Sybenga, who lives in the historic district, agrees. “I can walk or bike to pretty much anything,” he says, “and housing is cheap for being this close to the water.” Indeed, the median home value for the area approaches $60,000, according to 2000 Census stats.
Amidst all the construction and redevelopment, Rinsema-Sybenga has his favorite haunts. He frequents the Tipsy Toad Tavern for frog legs. He’s a weekly regular at the local farmers’ market, which features some 125 vendors. And the historic Frauenthal Theatre hosts a variety of shows, including the West Shore Symphony, the Miss Michigan Pageant, and The Polar Express during the Christmas season.
“The atmosphere is urban yet relaxed,” he says. “We have the urban life and yet we are on the lakeshore. That makes this a great place to live and work.”
Directions to Muskegon
From the North:
Take US-31 S. Take the US-31-BUS exit toward DOWNTOWN MUSKEGON. Merge onto US-31 BR S. Turn LEFT onto JEFFERSON ST. Arrive in Downtown Muskegon.
From Grand Rapids:
Take US-131 N. Merge onto I-96 W via EXIT 89 on the LEFT toward ALPINE AVE / NEWAYGO / MUSKEGON. Merge onto US-31 BR N. Turn RIGHT onto JEFFERSON ST. Arrive in Downtown Muskegon.
From the South:
Take I-196 N / US-31 N. Merge onto US-31 N via EXIT 44 on the LEFT toward LAKE MICHIGAN / HOLLAND / MUSKEGON. Take the M-46 / APPLE AVE exit toward NEWAYGO. Turn LEFT onto E APPLE AVE / MI-46 W. Arrive in Downtown Muskegon.
Liz Klimas is a freelance writer and a Grand Rapids native. She recently
wrote about Ada, MI for
Rapid Growth Media.
Photos:
The historic Hackley House
New Harley Davidson dealership
Mountain bikes outside the Tipsy Toad Tavern
GVSU's Center for Sustainability
Water recreation is a huge draw for Muskegon
Muskegon State Park
Amazon Apartments
VidaNova Condominiums
Watermark Lofts poised to begin renovation
Photos by Brian Kelly