MEDC MiPlace

For this we are celebrating the City of Gladstone DDA, our newest MI Main Street Network Level Community!

The Gladstone DDA currently administers a façade grant program, coordinates the Gladstone Farmers Market and community events, supports business recruitment and retention, leads downtown marketing and placemaking initiatives, and is implementing the City's Downtown Action Plan. Through partnerships with businesses, property owners, local organizations, and the City, the DDA is building on these efforts by pursuing Michigan Main Street designation to strengthen organizational capacity and implement the Main Street Four-Point Approach.

With support from the Michigan Community Revitalization Program (MCRP) through the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC), the YMCA of Greater Flint is providing programs for residents of all ages to learn, move and connect.

In April 2025, Downtown Flint celebrated the opening of the LiveWell on Harrison building, a $41 million mixed-use development featuring 50 apartments and the new location for the YMCA of Greater Flint. In addition to creating housing on site, the facility is also home to Hurley Physical Therapy Clinic and the Crim Fitness Foundation, bringing together health services directly in Flint’s downtown.

The LiveWell on Harrison project builds on the City of Flint’s Master Plan, Imagine Flint, and its vision for a health and wellness district. As the site of the relocated YMCA of Greater Flint, the development also marks a new chapter for the local institution, which served the Flint community at its previous location for 63 years.

“The new Downtown YMCA in Flint is a renewed investment in the people and future of our community. The support from the Michigan Economic Development Corporation was instrumental in helping bring our vision to life,” said Shelly Hilton, CEO of the YMCA of Greater Flint. “Because of MEDC’s partnership, the YMCA is able to provide a welcoming space where families can connect, children can grow and community members of all ages can access programs that strengthen health, wellness and belonging in the heart of downtown Flint. This investment not only improves the overall well-being of our community today but also helps ensure the long-term sustainability of the Flint YMCA so we can continue serving generations to come.”

Read the full Success Story here to learn more about how the project came together: https://www.michiganbusiness.org/reports-data/success-stories/ymca-of-greater-flint/

Small businesses are the heartbeat of our commercial districts and they are foundational in creating the welcoming, vibrant places where people want to gather, explore, and spend time. That’s why the MEDC is proud to support 69 small businesses through more than $1.5 million in Match on Main grants announced earlier this week.

This year’s application cycle saw a record 144 applicants from 83 communities, underscoring the strong demand for place-based investment and entrepreneurial support. Match on Main provides up to $25,000 to eligible businesses launching or expanding in core downtown areas and walkable commercial corridors.

Since its start in 2019, the program has supported 727 small businesses, resulting in hundreds of new jobs and more than $25 million in private investment. By empowering locally owned businesses, we’re strengthening commercial districts, driving long-term economic growth statewide, and building resilient local economies. Check out the full list of recipients listed in the press release linked below!

Congratulations to Washtenaw County Office of Community & Economic Development, Northfield Township Historical Society, and Firefly Preservation Consulting for their achievements in historic preservation!

Northfield Township was established in 1832 and has long been known for its productive agricultural industry and rural character. Preserving these assets is a key part of the Township’s master plan. In 2018, the Northfield Township Historical Society completed an extensive survey of more than 1,300 properties in the township. The next year, Washtenaw County received a Certified Local Government (CLG) grant from the Michigan State Historic Preservation Office to research historic contexts for agriculture and other themes in a survey report. Completed in 2021, the goal of this phase was to identify and prioritize farmsteads and other properties for preservation and provide a foundation for historic designation efforts.

In 2022, the County received a second CLG grant to build upon these efforts by completing a Multiple Property Documentation Form, and up to five individual nominations to the National Register of Historic Places. The nominations recognized several properties for their early architectural significance and two properties for their association with the township’s German ethnic heritage. The project concluded in early 2026 with the completion of the form and listing of five new rural properties in the National Register of Historic Places. This multi-phase project to survey and designate rural properties is a model which could be followed in other townships across the state.

"This award – recognizing and promoting the preservation and restoration of historic structures in Northfield Township – not only helps protect the rural character of this community, but also models a thoughtful, phased approach other Washtenaw County Townships might follow to preserve their heritage," said State Rep. Jennifer Conlin (D-Ann Arbor).

“History surrounds the residents of Northfield Township, and the Northfield Township Historical Society has done an amazing job highlighting and honoring our history,” said State Sen. Sue Shink (D-Northfield Township). “That our residents cherish our history is shown by how many have worked to list their historical properties. As a former long-time board member of the Northfield Township Historical Society, I know how well-deserved this honor is. Many people worked diligently over many years to gain local, county, state, and national support for this project."