Traverse City Downtown Development Authority (DDA) board members approved a contract Friday for $486,000-plus for design work on a downtown riverfront project that could include improvements to the J. Smith Walkway, a new pedestrian bridge over the Boardman/Ottaway River, pedestrian amenities in the surrounding alley and parking lot, and stormwater and environmental upgrades. Board members also approved overage costs for the Hannah Park improvement project under construction on Union Street, plus discussed planned changes to the DDA board makeup and upcoming downtown events.

Riverfront & Hannah Park Projects
DDA board members voted Friday to move forward with next steps for possible improvements to the Boardman/Ottaway riverfront area – one of a handful of key priority projects identified for the remaining funds in downtown’s tax increment financing (TIF) 97 plan.

Members approved a contract with INFORM Studio for a not-to-exceed cost of $486,419.50 for schematic design and design development services related to “Phase 1-A” of the Boardman/Ottaway riverwalk area. INFORM Studio helped create a major design concept for the entire riverwalk area in 2022 – a multi-phase project estimated at the time to cost at least $63.5 million and likely take years (if not decades) to implement. Given the uncertainty of TIF 97, however – one of two major funding sources for downtown public infrastructure projects along with Old Town TIF – members significantly scaled back their immediate vision.

The new focus area, Phase 1-A (pictured in yellow, map), includes the J. Smith Walkway, a new bridge to replace the existing bridge over the river between the J. Smith Walkway and farmers’ market lot, pedestrian amenities in the surrounding alley and parking lot, and environmental improvements. INFORM Studio’s contract would get the DDA through major design work, producing “pretty accurate drawings and a pretty accurate cost” for improvements, said DDA Executive Director Harry Burkholder. The board could then decide to move forward with construction on one or more projects in partnership with the city, depending on the expense. INFORM Studio has given a ballpark construction estimate of $6 million for the Phase 1-A area, but that figure is only preliminary until design work can be completed, Burkholder noted.

Board members acknowledged design work was costly but also pointed to the complexities of working with river-adjacent infrastructure. Board Vice Chair Ed Slosky also noted that the existing pedestrian bridge over the river is “falling apart.” Though still deemed safe for pedestrian use by city engineering, it only has an estimated 10-year lifespan left, Slosky said. Board member Gary Howe said that even if Phase 1-A improvements were all the DDA board was able to tackle from the riverfront plan before TIF 97 expires, “that’s OK as long as we really nail it in this node.” Burkholder emphasized that the project wasn’t only a placemaking but also an environmental one, with opportunities for stormwater infrastructure, shoreline softening, and fisheries habitat. The INFORM Studio design work is expected to take roughly seven months.

Board members also approved $4,000 in overage costs related to a Hannah Park overlook project under construction on Union Street. Upgrades are being funded by the Old Town TIF ($105,000), Brown Bridge Trust ($12,000), City Parks Fund ($20,700), and Capital Improvement Fund ($68,000). During construction, contractors discovered a portion of the footing was missing and found a large open joint between two adjacent footings. Repairs required additional engineering work, with expenses exceeding the project’s contingency budget by $4,000.

Though board members agreed the costs were relatively minor, Chair Scott Hardy was irked that the city asked the DDA to foot the bill when the project had been co-funded. Burkholder noted the city’s Parks and Recreation budget was “at its limit.” Hardy responded: “We once again become the city’s piggy bank whenever they have problems with engineering, cost estimates, and the like," though he “begrudgingly” voted to approve the expenditure. Burkholder said the overlook will likely be complete in 2-3 weeks, minus some spring clean-up.

DDA Board Makeup
The DDA board could soon be shrinking from 12 to 9 members. Mayor Amy Shamroe proposed the reduction at the city commission’s meeting this week, pointing to a handful of recent resignations that have left several vacancies on the DDA board and to the difficulty meeting quorum requirements. Most other city boards have 7-9 members, she noted.

Former DDA board members Katy Bertodatto and Gabe Schneider resigned last year, while Hardy has announced his resignation effective March 1. Hardy cited a “fractured relationship (between the DDA board and) some commissioners who seem more interested in airing personal grievances than maintaining a prosperous downtown” in his decision.

Shamroe said it was a “natural time to reduce the number of seats” since the reduction can happen by attrition rather than having to remove any active members. The city commission simply won’t fill the seats vacated by Bertodatto, Schneider, and Hardy. City commissioners are scheduled to vote on the board size change at their March 17 meeting.

Downtown Events
In addition to Traverse City Restaurant Week – which starts tomorrow (Sunday) and runs through March 1 – and a new downtown music series announced this week called Live After 5, more downtown events are on deck. The Downtown Traverse City Association (DTCA) will host a new shopping event called “Get Away or Stay & Play” March 14-16 to be timed with Spring Break, DDA Director of Events & Engagement Sara Klebba said Friday. Participating businesses will feature discounts, vacation-ready products, refreshments, themed decorations, and more.

Klebba also said the DTCA Art Fair series will return in 2025, including the Old Town Arts & Crafts Fair June 14 and National Cherry Festival Arts & Crafts Fair June 29. The Downtown Art Fair – traditionally held in August – is moving to September 13-14 to overlap with the inaugural Traverse City Mural Festival being hosted by the Traverse City Arts Commission September 12-17. Burkholder said the Arts Commission received over 100 artist submissions for the festival, with the field narrowed down to 13 finalists this week. Finalists will be vetted and likely further winnowed to a select group of artists invited to participate.