| |
One of the most prominent landmarks of downtown Muskegon,
The Amazon Building, is now at the forefront of the city’s
redevelopment plans. Located along the Muskegon Lake Shoreline,
in the heart of the downtown, the Amazon Building was constructed
as a knitting mill at the turn of the Century. In recent years
the building has housed a number of light industrial and commercial
activities with varying degrees of success. The condition
of the building, and costs associated with making necessary
improvements, prevented meaningful use or redevelopment.
In 1999, the Amazon building was included in the Renaissance
Zones that were designated in Muskegon and Muskegon Heights
by the Michigan Economic Development Corporation. That, along
with some creative economic development financing, has provided
the impetus for a wonderful re-construction of the site. Ground
was broken in the Fall of 2000 on a $16 million redevelopment
project to convert this five story, 185,000 square foot building
into 118 historical loft apartments and residential units.
The conversion of the Amazon will provide some excellent,
and needed, downtown residential units while at the same time
maintaining the character and history of the structure. The
building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places
and will incorporate many features to add to the historic
look including century-old lampposts, extensive brickwork,
windows modeled after the originals, and a courtyard fountain.
This project is a major piece of the tremendous redevelopment
that is taking place in Muskegon’s Central Business District.
The residential units will give people a chance to live in
the downtown and bring tremendous synergy to other projects
that are taking place along Western Avenue and throughout
the downtown waterfront area. |
