Downtown Development: Muskegon
Eric Richardson
[Flickr]
MUSKEGON, Mich. — Obviously I've been a little lax in my postings from here in Michigan. I'm back with family in Muskegon, a small town on the Lake Michigan shore.
Muskegon is like many midwest towns in that it used to be driven by industry and manufacturing. One by one these old economic drivers closed up or moved away, and the city's downtown core started to fade.
In the 1970s the city took a chunk of downtown and joined several old buildings together with new structures to create a mall. It did fine for a while, but in the 90s it too declined and eventually closed. A few years ago it was torn down and they began the process of trying to redevelop downtown Muskegon.
Today where the mall was a street once again runs (Western Avenue, pictured above). This time, though, it runs through empty lots and a few abandoned buildings. There's talk of development, even of live-work units. You've got a furniture store moving into an old social club, and a school being built.
And yet even with all the progress you get some things that make you just scratch your head and ask, "Huh?" The city plans to build a new 200-space parking garage just two blocks from an old parking structure they plan to tear down. They'll do so on a prime corner closest to the lake.
This urban redevelopment really is a national thing. The issues that we have in Downtown Los Angeles are much the same as those faced in downtown Muskegon. Different scales, sure, but the same sort of revitalization issues apply.
I do think our interactive map is a lot better than theirs.
meekorouse on January 01, 2007, at 12:34PM – #1
wow I didn't know you were from Muskegon! My dads family is from the Muskegon/ Grand Rapids area (as well as Sheboygan Wi. area)
Be sure and take some photos while you are there if you don't mind. My dad's daughter still lives there and does a lot of work as well volunteers in the area and I haven't been there since I went to my Grandma's funeral in Fall of 1985.
I miss the custard and bakeries in the area. I would have hoped that some things would have picked up over time.
All the world will be thinking of Grand Rapids this next week. I hope that you might still be there for President Ford internment?
Pamela =) ps: thanks for the updates from Michigan as it's appreaciated.
Eric Richardson (@blogdowntown) on January 01, 2007, at 12:58PM – #2
It's funny the random connections you find to places far away. One of my bosses and I were talking this fall and we discovered that he had been here to Muskegon decades ago to act in a film shot by the company I used to work for during high school.
I grew up in South Carolina, but went to high school here in MI and my parents still live here. Kathy and I fly back to LA tomorrow.
I've taken more photos while here, but my favorites are up as a flickr set.
Brandon on May 01, 2007, at 05:39PM – #3
I came across your website when I was googling Muskegon photos. I'm originally from Muskegon so seeing your Muskegon Flickr set was cool.
Brandon on May 01, 2007, at 05:45PM – #4
I have something to add. You wrote: "The city plans to build a new 200-space parking garage just two blocks from an old parking structure they plan to tear down."
This isn't completely accurate. First of all the old parking garage which is now gone was bought by a demolition company who have now torn it down. More importantly the new garage they are discussing isn't being proposed by the City of Muskegon, but by the County of Muskegon. I agree it is dumb to tear one down and turn around and build a new one, but the city can't be blamed for this one.