Friday, November 05, 2004
By Dave Alexander
CHRONICLE BUSINESS EDITOR

The Community Foundation for Muskegon County has given a local economic development agency a substantial two-year grant to help coordinate downtown redevelopment.

Muskegon Area First has received an initial $50,000 from the foundation's Community Economic Development Fund -- established with federal money from the Michigan State Housing Development Authority. Funding for a second year is guaranteed for an additional $30,000 or up to $50,000 depending on the status of the MSHDA program.

"It is so clear that the future of the downtown will drive the success of Muskegon," said John Workman, a local industrialist and chairman of the foundation's Community Economic Development Fund advisory committee.

The foundation has direct interest in downtown development as one of three nonprofit organizations that have formed Downtown Muskegon Development Corp. -- the owners of the 23-acre former Muskegon Mall property.

Muskegon Area First President Jim Edmonson said his agency will not expand staff beyond the current five. However, staff will put more time toward downtown issues, which inevitably will take time away from other economic development efforts countywide.

The Muskegon Area First board of directors endorses the grant and the shifting of resources, he said.

"They realize the job of manufacturing recruitment and retention is difficult if there is no downtown," Edmonson said. "This is critical to the whole growth of the entire region. Downtown is the heart of the county -- still is and always will be."

The image issues created by demolition of the mall, leaving a sand lot in place of what was Muskegon's historic downtown along Western Avenue, were driven home by a Washington Post Magazine cover story this past Sunday.

"Muskegon is a hurtin' place," the Post reporter wrote, in a story about a local man who is a nonvoter. "Its downtown is desolate, the most impressive landmark being a pair of enormous sand dunes, six stories high, in an empty lot right across from the tattoo parlor. They're pulverized concrete, all that remains of a downtown mall that was returned into dust after the businesses fled for the 'burbs."

Those first-time visitors' impressions of downtown point out the work ahead of Muskegon Area First and other supporters of downtown Muskegon. Edmonson said the goal for the next six months is to put funding together for streets and utilities that are expected to be built beginning next spring. And then there is a need to begin selling land for the initial redevelopment efforts.

Edmonson said Muskegon Area First -- which has assisted Downtown Muskegon Development and the Muskegon Area Chamber of Commerce on developing a marketing plan for the former mall site -- also needs to bring divergent parties together for a consolidated downtown effort.

Besides Downtown Muskegon Development, those interested groups include the Main Street Initiative, Neighborhood Investment Corp., the chamber, community foundation, Neighborhoods of Choice program and the city of Muskegon.

"Hopefully, in two years, we will have left the downtown in the hands of good leadership and staff," Edmonson said.

© 2004 Muskegon Chronicle. Used with permission