October 21, 2020 – The City of Midland has announced its receipt of a $190,000 Rural Business Development Grant (RBDG) from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to be used toward funding the initial stages of the Center City Redevelopment Project.
A brief check presentation ceremony was held at the Midland Area Community Foundation in Center City on Wednesday, October 21. Attendees included USDA Rural Development State Director Jason Allen, Small Business Administration Regional Administrator Robert Scott, Rep. John Moolenaar (MI-4), and members of the Center City Authority Board.
The grant will be used to fund the pre-engineering and construction drawing phase of the Saginaw Road streetscape project from Dartmouth to Patrick Road. This first-phase streetscape effort will include the construction of eight-foot wide walking and biking paths on both sides of Saginaw Road, pedestrian and motorist lighting upgrades, and the addition of new street trees and aesthetic landscaping. The overall Center City Redevelopment Project aims to encourage pedestrian usage, improve accessibility for all visitors, and create an engaging environment for residents and businesses in the Center City district.
“This project is an excellent example of the type of public-private partnerships we strive to cultivate in local government,” said Midland Mayor Maureen Donker. “We are fortunate to be able to pursue this initiative with support from partners in local, state, and federal government and in private industry to give the Center City district the love and attention it deserves.”
Rural Business Development Grant money must be used for projects that benefit rural areas or towns outside the urbanized periphery of any city with a population of 50,000 or more.
Pre-engineering and design work for the Center City Redevelopment Project is anticipated to begin in 2021 with completion in 2022. For more information, visit www.midlandcentercity.com/redevelopment.
