MOUNT CLEMENS, Mich. (WXYZ) — Construction is underway for a new apartment complex in downtown Mount Clemens that city leaders say will give the population a major boost.
The development, called The One, will be located on North River Road where the old Victory Inn used to be. The project is a $10 million investment secured from grant funding in previous state budgets.
Watch Evan Sery's video report below:
Mount Clemens Mayor Laura Kropp told me the timeline looks to be about 18 months. When construction is complete and tenants move in, she said it could possibly double or triple the population of downtown Mount Clemens.
"One-hundred-and-sixteen-unit apartment complex," Kropp said. "It should double or triple our downtown population."
The complex will include affordable housing units and market-rate apartments. Kropp said attracting residents is crucial for the city.
"We have 16,000 residents in Mount Clemens, but in that what we consider to be the downtown footprint, we have less than 100 people," Kropp said. "We have to have more people living in it."
The city just finished Phase 1 of a major multimillion-dollar revitalization project. People currently come to Mount Clemens to explore stores in the downtown area.
"We have a lot of momentum," Kropp said.
"Phase 2 will be moving city hall off of the river and Phase 3 is the main street project that will happen in 2028. It's such a walkable historic downtown. It's a great place, but we have to have more users for it."
Jason Johns, general manager for the city's Champagne Chocolates store, has lived and worked in Mount Clemens all his life.
"My family's actually been in town since the 1870s. They come up from Ohio," Johns said.
"Its always been a big time interest of mine. With the old mineral baths, we used to have all the hotels in town, people would come from as far away as Europe to bathe in the water," Johns continued. "It is exciting. I wish some of my family members that were here back in the day could see whats happened since they've been gone."
I caught up with Jacob Gwizdala while he was eating lunch downtown Monday. He works in Mount Clemens.
"There's so much potential down here," Gwizdala said. "That's what every city should want is more people in the city... they just made the downtown more walkable, so keep the machine rolling."
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