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Saugatuck Township to Create ‘Town Center’ as Part of Blue Star Highway Revitalization
The Saugatuck Township Pedestrian Plaza in the works after receiving state grant over $185,000
The exterior of the Saugatuck Township office will soon be transformed into a community-centric Town Center as part of the Blue Star Highway revitalization initiative. The new Saugatuck Township Pedestrian Plaza will serve as a community gathering space that will also be home to farmers markets, live performances and seasonal festivals.
The Saugatuck Township Pedestrian Plaza project received $185,600 from the Michigan Economic Development Corporation’s Revitalization and Placemaking program in collaboration with Greater Muskegon Economic Development, Lakeshore Advantage, and The Right Place Inc. It is among seven placemaking projects that received a total of $1.3 million in RAP funding within the region and the only one in Allegan County.
“The Saugatuck Township Pedestrian Plaza is a transformative initiative designed to revitalize a key segment of the Blue Star Highway and create an inviting, vibrant and accessible public environment,” said Saugatuck Township Manager Daniel DeFranco. “Being located right on Blue Star Highway, our goal is to reimagine a thoughtfully-designed community gathering space that promotes accessibility and walkability within the Blue Star Highway corridor. It’ll feature ADA-compliant pedestrian walkways to connect neighboring businesses and amenities, seating areas, shaded zones, and open spaces for relaxation and social gatherings, like farmers markets, live music and festivals.”
MEDC’s RAP program provides access to gap financing for place-based infrastructure development, real estate rehabilitation and development, and public space improvements. Eligible applicants are individuals or entities working to rehabilitate vacant, underutilized, blighted and historic structures and the development of permanent place-based infrastructure associated with traditional downtowns, social-zones, outdoor dining and placed-based public spaces.
“We’re grateful for this collaborative effort to bring regional dollars home to support local placemaking,” said Jennifer Owens, president of Lakeshore Advantage. “Investments in community spaces, like the Saugatuck Town Center, help bring local visions to life, support vibrant downtowns, and make our region more attractive to the next generation of talent.”
The Saugatuck Township Pedestrian Plaza is expected to begin construction in spring 2026, with an anticipated completion date by Summer 2026.
