Downtown Flint’s hospitality will be on full display in the form of a 101-guestroom hotel.
Hilton Buckham Square is a newly announced addition to an increasingly dense landscape in the city’s business district. The forthcoming Michigan Community Revitalization Program (MCRP) project is expected to generate almost $40 million of investment, including about $7.9 million in MCRP funds through the Michigan Economic Development Corp. (MEDC).
A state agency designed to help nurture business, industry and stimulate job growth, MEDC is an investment partner in the recently announced venture that bears the name of the well-known hospitality chain.
Uptown Reinvestment Corp. and co-applicants in the project were approved for a performance-based equity investment. Construction of the hotel at the site of the former Genesee Bank could begin as soon as the final days of September, says Otie McKinley, MEDC media and communications manager.
“Any time we get involved in something like this that is going to contribute to the development of a downtown area, it is a big deal,” McKinley says.
What McKinley describes as the “full-feature hotel” will be located at 352 S. Saginaw St. in a property that has sat vacant for about 20 years. Vandalism and decay will be among the challenges in renovating the building, according to a memorandum presenting the project to Michigan Strategic Fund officials.
Michigan Strategic Fund’s board approved the development last week.
Hilton Buckham Square Hotel’s 1,005-square-foot roof will provide a view of historic Buckham Alley, along with a forthcoming site. The overall hotel space will also replace 37,155 square feet of blighted and obsolete structures.
“The rooftop deck will overlook Buckham Square, a large green space that will be created on the site of two nearby blighted buildings as a part of the project,” adds McKinley.
“The project is expected to generate a total capital investment of $37.9 million and will serve to attract more visitors to the downtown and bring increased economic activity to the area.”
Other sites and amenities at the location will include a restaurant, banquet center and public space designed to accommodate food trucks.
About 75 permanent full-time jobs, averaging earnings of $12.13 hourly, are projected to result from the hotel’s operation.
Along with the MCRP, financing and support for the project includes resources provided by the City of Flint, Huntington Bank, and Local Initiatives Support Corp. Almost $14 million in development funding toward the Hilton Buckham Square is already being finalized.
“Businesses continue to relocate and grow in downtown Flint,” McKinley says. “The addition of the new Hilton Buckham Square Hotel is yet another testament to the city and state’s commitment to revitalizing the great city of Flint as a place to live, work, and play.”
Uptown Reinvestment Corp.’s background in downtown initiatives and real estate development like the Hilton Buckham Square includes some of the city’s most visible landmarks. The organization developed the Flint Health and Wellness District project that involved relocating Flint Farmers’ Market, opening the Michigan State University College of Medicine’s Flint campus, the Genesys PACE facility, and the demolition of the Genesee Tower to establish an urban park campus. The $30 million of investment spanned four city blocks.
Uptown also renovated the historic Capitol Theatre, using $5.5 million of an MCRP equity investment. The company is a developer in the Mott Community College Culinary Institute’s relocation to downtown Flint, which is expected to enhance the business district.
MEDC’s support of the hotel development reflects not only its roles supporting local employment and tourism opportunities, but the organization’s view of Flint as a significant community contributing to the advancement of the state.
“We are deeply involved in this project,” McKinley says.
Michigan Economic Development Corp. invests in $37 million Flint hotel to help grow downtown development added by E.B. Allen on
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