MASTER PLANNING WITH DISCIPLINE A key reason Hudsonville’s downtown development has stayed on track is its commitment to long-term planning. Northrup notes that the city has adhered to its master plan without deviation, even in the face of pushback. Like many communities, Hudsonville experiences the realities of NIMBY concerns, where residents fear that growth will undermine the quality of life. City leadership has taken those concerns seriously without allowing fear to drive policy. The city’s approach has been to remain consistent, reinforce the plan that was developed through public process, and avoid improvising growth decisions. That discipline has also brought recognition. Hudsonville received a Michigan Municipal League Community Excellence Award for the boldness of its downtown effort, an acknowledgment that sometimes calculated risk, when paired with strong planning, delivers transformational payoff. INCENTIVES THAT MAKE PROJECTS POSSIBLE Groot emphasizes that in the current economic climate, building downtown mixed-use projects often requires layered financing. Hudsonville has used tools such as Tax Increment Financing, brownfield support, and planned unit development frameworks to make early downtown projects feasible. The goal is to structure incentives in a way that supports private-sector viability while protecting public responsibility. Developers need to build and earn returns. The city needs long-term value and community fit. Hudsonville’s strategy has been to find structures where both can win. Early projects reflect that outcome. One threestory building now houses restaurants and a coffee shop on the lower levels with office and residential above. Another new building includes healthcarerelated space alongside a restaurant and mixed-use components.A separate residential development just off the downtown core, Prospect Flats, brought 41 units online and is nearing full occupancy, reflecting strong demand for walkable living options. TURNING BLIGHT INTO OPPORTUNITY City Manager Tyler Dotson highlights Prospect 114 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 07, ISSUE 02
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTI5MjAx