residential density drives commercial momentum. When more people live downtown, business follows, and downtown becomes less of a concept and more of a daily destination. A DOWNTOWN BUILT ON COMMUNITY RELATIONSHIPS The Hudsonville Area Chamber of Commerce plays a central role in this evolution.Community Engagement Director and Chamber Executive Director Lindsey Hicks describes Hudsonville’s business culture as relational and deeply connected. New business owners want a direct connection to the city and chamber, and Hudsonville’s approach is to provide that access, guiding businesses through permitting, licensing, and integration into the community. The chamber also acts as a connector, helping businesses build relationships with local leaders and with each other. Hicks points to a longstanding tradition of local businesses supporting community events, even when it means sacrificing convenience or normal sales patterns for a day. For Flats as an example of how Hudsonville has used collaboration to unlock value. A previously blighted building site was paired with adjacent city and DDA-owned parcels that had been vacant for years. Through coordinated sequencing and shared intent, the city and DDA sold the land to a developer, the building was demolished, and the project delivered housing while returning a large portion of the parcel to the public for a future phase. Dotson describes it as a domino-effect project where multiple actions had to occur in the right order, and the outcome was a significant win for both development and long-term planning. The next major downtown catalyst is Terra Station, a project that will bring 141 residential units and roughly 4,800 square feet of commercial space into the heart of downtown. Once used as a former farmers’ co-op site, the land was acquired by the city and structured through a purchase development agreement, allowing the project to move forward with clarity and alignment. Hudsonville’s view is that 115 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 07, ISSUE 02 HUDSONVILLE, MI
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