Downtown Kingsley will look radically different at some point in the coming months.

The Kingsley Downtown Development Authority (DDA) is expected to put out a request for proposals this week to demolish all buildings on the south side of Main Street between Brownson Ave and Elm Street. The buildings are clustered on the east half of the block; the west half is already vacant land.

It’s the next step in a long-discussed plan to construct a large development to revitalize and energize downtown.

“The goal is a mixed-use development with a housing component and a retail component,” Kingsley DDA Chair Max Anderson tells The Ticker. “And whether that's one giant building – it likely won't be – or a mix of buildings, it will be something that fits harmoniously with the character of downtown Kingsley as it exists today.”

Anderson will be thrilled to see the wrecking balls swing after many years of planning.

“It feels fantastic, and it’s a sense of relief,” Anderson says. “It’s probably been five or six years that we’ve been talking about this, two years where we’ve been actively involved in acquiring properties and everything else…I’m just excited to continue the process and keep the ball rolling.”

Buildings will be demolished on five of six parcels (one is vacant) that were acquired by the Grand Traverse County Land Bank for this project. The DDA holds purchase options on another seven vacant parcels immediately west, allowing a block-long potential footprint for the proposed new development.

The buildings to be demolished include several old auto service buildings and the former flower shop that faces Brownson, which includes the well-known Kingsley fly fishing mural. This demolition work is on a deadline.

“It has to happen before September of this year because there was a grant that was received to pay for some or most or all of it, and the timing of that is such that it needs to be done by September,” Anderson says.

In regard to next steps, Anderson stressed that what exactly is built at the site is something the community will help shape. 

“Nothing about this is just going be shoved down anybody’s throat or forced on the community,” Anderson says. “This is going to be a very methodical process and there’s going to be a lot of opportunity for public input. It’s absolutely critical.”

Funding for the development, which is expected to be complete by 2028, could come for a variety of sources. Kingsley was recently named a Redevelopment Ready Community (RRC) by the state of Michigan after many years of work by Kingsley officials to achieve certification. Anderson expects it will be “huge” for Kingsley and this project in particular.

“Basically, this is the key that unlocks tons of funding opportunities for growth and development in the community for projects just like this,” Anderson says. “There's a lot of MEDC money where they won't even talk to you unless you're RRC certified.”

Village manager Charlie Jetter tells The Ticker he’s glad to be at the brink of action.

“I’m really excited to see some change at that corner,” he says. “I think it's been long awaited, and I think the community has been very patient, and I think the community is also kind of at the edge of their seat waiting to see what's coming next for this.”

Jetter echoed Anderson’s sentiments regarding the importance of public input as the various details of the development take shape. 

“In order for this to be successful, we have to have community feedback,” he says. “There's no other way to say it. The community has to come out, they have to give their opinion and we have to listen to it and move in that direction.”