In the first project, Fort Saginaw LLC will redevelop the former Ippel Building at the corner of Court Street and Michigan Avenue in a $5-million project. The new 48,000-sf mixed-use building will contain office and retail space, including an oyster bar, coffee shop and bakery. Saginaw County will use a $222,500 Community Development Block Grant to strengthen the basement walls of the building in preparation for redevelopment. The project is expected to create 50 new jobs.

Also Downtown, Denha Foodland Corp. plans to redevelop and expand its existing supermarket located at 1122 E. Genesee at a cost of about $1.6 million. To support the project, Saginaw County will use a $153,761 CDBG grant for demolition, street and curb improvements and site preparation for construction of a 30,000-sf building. The project is expected to result in 27 new jobs.

"This is a great example of cooperation between the County of Saginaw, City of Saginaw and State of Michigan to revitalize areas of the city that we have targeted for investment," says the city's interim city manager Cecil A. Collins, Jr. "Projects such as these are further evidence of the turnaround taking place in our city. We truly appreciate the governor's focus on redeveloping core cities like Saginaw."