November 2023

Historic Mill will be Boutique, Luxury Lodging

Zehnder’s of Frankenmuth is redeveloping the former Mill located on the Cass River, adjacent to the Zehnder’s Restaurant, into a boutique, luxury lodging property called The Mill at Zehnder Park. The City of Frankenmuth projected renovation totals $7.6 million and is expected to create 15 new jobs. SFI assisted the company and City of Frankenmuth with a Commercial Rehabilitation Act tax abatement and the project is currently in Phase I, which includes sitework and demolition. Phase II is expected to begin sometime in 2024 and SFI continues to assist with a possible Community Revitalization Program grant. The grain milling industry in Frankenmuth has a long history. In 1847, just two years after the founding of Frankenmuth, the Hubinger brothers built the original mill on the banks of the Cass River. A variety of retail concepts operated on the east side of the structure until the last one left in 2017, leaving the mill vacant.

New Housing Coming to Old Town Saginaw

SFI assisted in securing a Revitalization and Placemaking Grant for the 303 Adams Street Development in Old Town Saginaw. The project is planned to be a four-story mixed-use development with 52 one and two bedroom apartments and 4,680 sq. ft. of street facing retail development.

The project is expected to begin this fall, with completion slated for summer, 2025. SFI is also working on local incentives to support the $15.8 million investment.

$5 Million Housing Investment

The City of Saginaw solicited bid proposals for the sale of property located at 505 Millard St., which was formerly the Jefferson Apartments. The City reviewed a list of respondents and awarded the 505 Millard building project to Fifth Avenue Partnership LLC. The developer intends to create forty market rate apartments in the long vacant building and the total investment will likely exceed $5 million.

New Placemaking Project for Downtown Saginaw

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer joined the Michigan Economic Development Corporation to announce that a new public gathering space will soon be coming to Downtown Saginaw with support from the Michigan Strategic Fund. One of several placemaking activities currently taking place in Saginaw, the Memorial Cup Legacy Project will serve to enhance the image of the City and commemorate the 2024 Memorial Cup taking place in spring 2024. The Memorial Cup Legacy Project plans to redesign and enhance a 300-foot section of Symphony Lane, a City-owned street near TheDow Event Center entertainment district. The street will be rebuilt and transformed into a vibrant public gathering space with bump-outs and infrastructure for food trucks, electrical access, Edison-style street lighting, a pedestrian-friendly crossing, a Memorial Cup sculpture, lighting, landscaping and connections to TheDow Event Center.

Shaheen Development Adds 100+ Employees

Saginaw Future has worked closely with Shaheen Development for numerous years on multiple projects. The company has grown by over 100 employees over the last three years due to expansion and customer demand. In 2020, Shaheen Development had 204 employees and today, the company has 313 employees. Shaheen Development is a family-owned, community-based real estate development company that owns and manages more than two million square feet of residential, mixed-use, and commercial real estate in the Great Lakes Bay Region.

Higher Purpose to Address Affordable Housing

Rescue Ministries of Mid-Michigan has been working with Gene Pinkelman on the development of 2800 E. Holland Ave. in the City of Saginaw. The 11,000 square-foot facility will house multiple non-profits all working together on affordable housing solutions in Saginaw County called Higher Purpose. The total budget for the project is estimated at $700,000.

APEX Government Contracting Opportunities

The Region 5 Saginaw Future APEX Accelerator, formerly, the Saginaw Future Procurement Technical Assistance Center, assists businesses in identifying and securing government contracts. In the first quarter, the PTAC assisted 15 regional companies that won 54 government contracts valued at nearly $4.2 million.

The federal government is a multibillion-dollar purchaser of goods and services. States and local governments are also major purchasers of products and services. The APEX can help you understand and take advantage of government contracting opportunities for NO FEE.

(l-r) Rebecca Younk and

Delena Spates-Allen

The APEX Accelerator was the featured presenter at the November Saginaw County Chamber of Commerce Percolator Breakfast.

BGT Aerospace LLC

Saginaw Future and the Great Lakes Bay Manufacturers Association assisted BGT Aerospace with an Industry 4.0 Technology Grant for $18,000. The total investment is $34,000 and will used for the implementation of Solid Cam software to connect Solid Works and BGT’s inspection procedures. Located in Tittabawassee Township, the company will create two jobs and retain four.

Facade Grant

(l-r) Jared Sanderson and Jenna Miller

The Saginaw Downtown Development Authority (DDA), administered by SFI, assisted The Work Wear Store with a $5,000 façade grant. The project includes front window and door repair, sidewalk repair, side entrance vestibule installation, as well as new door, paint, lighting, and parking lot improvements. The capital investment for this project is $17,700.

CMEP Grows in Saginaw

CMU Medical Education Partners (CMEP) has a total of 476 jobs. This includes the creation of 89 new jobs by the graduate medical education program. The Graduate Medical Education system and the CMEP have added pediatrics, podiatry, and psychiatry resident programs.

SFI has been working closely with CMEP and serves on the CMEP Board representing the community.

Developer Looking for Restaurant Tennant

Old Town Saginaw Properties recently acquired 111 and 115 N. Hamilton St. in the City of Saginaw and SFI and the DDA are assisting with a façade grant. The total investment for the renovation project is estimated to be $500,000. The developer is working on finding a tenant for the space and hopes to open a new restaurant in time for the Saginaw 2024 Memorial Cup presented by Dow.

Vargas & Sons Tortillas Expansion

Vargas & Sons Tortillas received a façade grant through the Saginaw DDA administered by SFI. The $30,000 expansion project includes a new storefront, framing, treated lumber, siding, trim and a new metal roof cap to protect the building from the elements. SFI assisted the business, located at 125 S. Park Ave. in the City of Saginaw, with the application process.

New Saginaw Future Board of Director Members

Jaye Blakely

Vice President and

Senior Institutional Consultant

Fifth Third Bank

Mark Pinkerton

Vice President,

Personal Lines

Frankenmuth Insurance

Coming Home Mixers Connect Career Seekers

with World Class Regional Employers

Two Discover Great Lakes Bay Coming Home Mixers connected young professionals and skilled trades persons, who are currently in the region or have left and are interested in coming home, with world class regional employers. Coming Home East MI in Saginaw featured 30 employers with 241 registrants and Coming Home Middle MI in Mt. Pleasant had 21 employers and 180 registrants.

Discover Great Lakes Bay is a collaboration made up of economic development organizations from Arenac, Bay, Clare, Isabella, Gladwin, Gratiot, Midland and Saginaw Counties. The Michigan Economic Development Corporation, Great Lakes Bay Regional Alliance, Great Lakes Bay Regional CVB, Fullerton Tool Company and Downtown Restaurant Investments were sponsors, and Central Michigan University, Michigan Works! and Saginaw Valley State University were key partners.

Improving Child Care Accessibility

Saginaw Future Inc. and Region 5 are partnering with the East Central Michigan Child Care Coalition serving Arenac, Bay, Clare, Gladwin, Gratiot, Isabella, Midland, and Saginaw Counties dedicated to improving child care accessibility.

Currently, our nation is facing a child care crisis, with the child care sector being one of the slowest to recover from COVID. The federal and state funds used to stabilize the industry have ended. It was predicted by the Century Foundation that, "More than 70,000 child care programs—one-third of those supported by the American Rescue Plan stabilization funding—will likely close, and approximately 3.2 million children could lose their child care spots."

We ask you to take five minutes of your time to fill out the survey below that best relates to you and/or share accordingly:

Share this survey with your friends, colleagues, and employees who are parents or raising children: Survey Link for Parents
If you know other employers, encourage them to take the Employer Survey as well. Survey Link for Employers

If you use child care services, consider sharing this survey with your child care provider or other providers you know: Survey Link for Child Care Providers

Thank you for your support and commitment to our community's well-being!

Virtual attendance is encouraged. Meetings will be livestreamed on YouTube at:

https://www.youtube.com/cityofsaginawmi

For More Information and to RSVP email - MemorialCupInfo@saginaw-mi.com

Save the Date for the Great Lakes Bay Region Workforce Housing Summit

Saginaw Soup

(l-r) Judges: Bob Johnson - Editor for The Saginaw News & The Bay City Times,

Andrew Lay – CEO of Hierographx, Shawndrika Pulliam - Owner of Ultimate Message

and Wellness and 1st Place Winner of Saginaw SOUP Fall 2022,

Brenda Moore - Mayor of the City of Saginaw

We thank our judges of our most recent Saginaw SOUP entrepreneurial pitch event! It was a great time and we look forward to sharing more information on the next Saginaw SOUP Competition.

Saginaw Soup is a collaborative effort to support and encourage entrepreneurship in Saginaw County made up of the Saginaw DDA, Saginaw Economic Development Corporation, Bridgeport DDA, Michigan Small Business Development Center, City of Saginaw, Central Michigan University Research Corporation and Saginaw Future Inc. Who’s ready to Shout Out Your Ultimate Pitch?! Follow the Saginaw SOUP Facebook page to stay up to date with its latest happenings.

Great Lakes Tech Park Featured

in Business Facilities Magazine

With 148 acres available, the shovel-ready Great Lakes Tech Park was featured in Business Facilities Magazine, which focuses on commercial real estate (CRE) news, economic development, site selection & logistics for C-level executives. The September / October 2023 Issue featured the article ‘Semiconductor Industry Set to Electrify Over Next Decade” that aligns itself with Regional business attraction efforts and site location opportunities at the Tech Park.

Please save the date for the Saginaw Future Inc. Annual Awards Luncheon | 02.23.2024 | 11:30 AM | SVSU

Great Lakes Bay Region 5 Good News

Great Lakes Bay Region 5 is an economic development partnership that covers Arenac, Bay, Clare, Gladwin, Gratiot, Isabella, Midland and Saginaw Counties.

The county-wide and multi-countywide economic development organizations collaborate on talent attraction and retention, site location, asset development, business attraction and more. Below are recent regional good news stories and information.