Several key projects are moving ahead in downtown Traverse City, with a final design soon to be unveiled for Rotary Square, a planned new farmers market pavilion headed to a potential spring groundbreaking, and TC Downtown Development Authority (DDA) board members approving a letter of support Friday for a mixed-use development with workforce housing and a downtown market on Lot O.

Rotary Square
After an extensive public engagement process that included three community surveys, multiple open houses, and pop-up input sessions – collecting over 1,000 points of feedback, according to consulting firm Progressive Companies – a final design is set to be unveiled for Rotary Square.

Progressive Companies provided an update to DDA board members Friday on the project, intended to create a community vision for the new public square at the southeast corner of State and Union streets (pictured). Two design concepts emerged for Rotary Square this summer after being winnowed down by the public from a wider ranger of options. Concept A – nicknamed “Outdoor Living Room” – featured a centralized large lawn with seating around the perimeter. Concept B, nicknamed “Petoskey Stone,” featured more organic, curving lines throughout the park. Both designs featured various landscaping, aesthetic, and recreational elements for residents to consider and prioritize.

Jason Ball of Progressive Companies said public support favored the Petoskey Stone design in a 60-40 split. However, elements from both concepts are likely to be incorporated into the final version. Ball hinted at what the final design – which will be presented at the DDA’s October 17 board meeting – will include based on top community priorities. Those include a small stage area and shade structure, the use of natural materials, and a strong connection to FishPass to the south. That connection could include closing off or reconfiguring the alley to allow for pedestrian flow between Rotary Square and FishPass. DDA Executive Director Harry Burkholder emphasized that “any use of the alley or modification of the alley would be in collaboration with the city,” which has final say over that component.

Residents also articulated elements they didn’t like, Ball said. Those include overhead lighting, water features, and too many large artworks or components that would eclipse the natural environment. In addition to a final design, Progressive Companies is expected next month to provide construction cost estimates and phasing recommendations, which will allow the DDA to tackle park renovations in stages. “I think that's going to be a strong element of the project that will give you all some flexibility,” Ball said. “You probably don't have to do it all at once if you don't have the funds.”

An operations/management framework will address ongoing park sustainability, including programming/events, upkeep, and a capital investment strategy. Burkholder said that once a design is unveiled – with a public event expected in November to showcase the plans – the DDA board will focus next on implementation.

Farmers Market Pavilion
DDA board members approved $33,000 Friday for final design work on a new farmers market pavilion and parking lot improvements for Lot B along Grandview Parkway between Cass and Union streets.

Beckett & Raeder has been working with the DDA to update 2016 plans for the pavilion, a permanent structure that would provide shelter for vendors and customers and serve as a visual landmark for the farmers market. The structure’s general design – a 310-foot-long steel and wood pavilion with 10-foot-wide walkways – has largely remained consistent, as it was created based on extensive feedback from residents and farmers. Chris DeGood of Beckett & Raeder said the latest version features sustainable materials and design practices, LED lighting, skylights, and the ability to accommodate future solar panels on the metal roof.

Beckett & Raeder has also had to work extensively with city engineering to update the pavilion’s configuration within the parking lot. The city has plans underway to repave Lot B and install stormwater infrastructure, with the DDA and city working to align the two projects so they can happen in tandem next year. The city must pull back some of its northernmost parking that is intruding into the state’s right-of-way on Grandview Parkway, leading to a loss of a few dozen spaces. The DDA and city have arrived at an agreed-upon layout for the market pavilion and parking lot to maximize efficiency and avoid disrupting underground infrastructure, DeGood said.

The total project cost – including the pavilion construction, design work, upgrades to the city’s parking plans, and a 13 percent contingency – is estimated at $2,580,600. That would come in under budget, as the DDA has allocated $2.8 million for the project in the 2025-26 fiscal year. Once final design work is completed this fall, the project is expected to be bid out in December or January ahead of a targeted early spring construction start. The farmers market pavilion is one of three priority projects the DDA wants to tackle using funds remaining in the TIF 97 fund – set to expire in 2027 – along with Rotary Square and riverwalk improvements.

Lot O
DDA board members Friday approved providing a letter of support for a five-story, mixed-use development planned for Lot O, the city parking lot next to The Omelette Shoppe at the corner of Cass and State streets. As previously reported in The Ticker, the building is planned to have 44 income-restricted apartments – with an average tenant income under 53 percent of the area median income (AMI) – and a ground-floor food market called Cherry Capital City Market. HomeStretch is partnering with multiple entities on the residential component, while Harvest Food Systems of Tamarack Holdings is leading the market.

Jon Stimson of HomeStretch said his organization will be applying for Michigan State Housing Development Authority (MSHDA) funding in the upcoming October round, an application which the DDA letter of support is intended to bolster. “I think as a board we’re very excited about this new project,” said Chair Ed Slosky. Board member Pete Kirkwood agreed, saying the development “seems very much in line with our mission.” The project partners hope to break ground on the building in 2026.