Today, the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) announced a new development project hat will add jobs and create housing in the eastern Upper Peninsula. In Sault Ste. Marie, Blair Holdings has announced their plans to revitalize a functionally obsolete building into a new mixed-use building.
In Downtown Sault Ste. Marie, a vacant, two-story building on a prime corner will be renovated into a mixed-use space featuring a restaurant and event space on the lower level and six apartments on the upper level, supporting small businesses and offering much-needed housing to the community. The project, which is being supported by a $984,399 RAP grant, is expected to generate a total capital investment of $2,028,493 and create 30 new jobs with the restaurant and event venue.
Developer Blair Holdings, which has previous restaurant management and food service experience, will have the support of the Sault Ste. Marie Economic Development Corporation and a contractor with extensive experience in state and federal projects to complete the project.
“We are excited to invest in beautiful Sault Ste. Marie by adding a new restaurant, event space and six apartments to a vacant building in the heart of the downtown,” said Brent and Lynde Blair of Blair Holdings, LLC. “We would like to thank Nikki Radke and the Sault Ste. Marie EDC, Lindsey Clark and the MEDC and Nicolet Bank for assisting us in renovating this historic downtown building.”
Through revitalizing the functionally obsolete building at 229 Ashmun Street, the project will add vibrancy to the Sault Ste. Marie community with a restaurant and event venue while addressing the local housing shortage and increasing density to the downtown area.
“We are deeply grateful to the Michigan Economic Development Corporation for their support of the redevelopment of 229 Ashmun Street,” said City Manager Brian Chapman. “Their generous support will significantly enhance the developers’ efforts to revitalize and improve our community by reactivating a vacant space and providing new amenities and housing in the Downtown area. Thank you for believing in our vision and helping us turn it into reality.”
“The Sault Ste. Marie Economic Development Corporation is excited to support Blair Holdings, LLC as they commit to investing in downtown Saul Ste. Marie,” said Nikki Radke, interim director of the Sault Ste. Marie Economic Development Corporation. “This project satisfies strategic needs within our community by diversifying housing and enhancing the tourism development ecosystem. This project will eliminate vacancy from a prominent historic downtown corner and increase traffic to the area. We thank the Blairs for investing in Sault Ste. Marie as well as the MEDC for their commitment to the project.”
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