City secures grant of nearly $1M for Culligan Plaza renovations in downtown Alpena

What’s happening: It’s good news in downtown Alpena – and 15 other Michigan communities – as the City has been awarded a $991,995 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) for its planned Culligan Plaza renovations, one of 16 Michigan communities recently approved by the Michigan Strategic Fund to share in $20 million in CDBG funds. Alpena officials followed the grant news by announcing that the $1,185,550 renovation project is now fully funded.

What it is: Culligan Plaza is a public space at the center of Alpena’s Historic Downtown District. Built in the mid-1980s, city officials and community stakeholders contest that it’s now time to update and revitalize an important public space that has become, to paraphrase, a bit outdated.

What’s planned: The City of Alpena, its Downtown Development Authority, and the Target Alpena Economic Development Corporation have partnered on the $1,185,550 revitalization project, working with Petoskey’s Drost Landscaping on the design. Plans call for removing the fountain, steps, all existing concrete elements, and just about everything else to make way for a new interactive water feature, public events stage, concrete ADA-compliant surfaces, new trees and landscaping with green infrastructure features, an ADA-compliant family restroom facility, and more.

It's expected that construction of the new-look Culligan Plaza will begin in spring of 2024.

How they’re doing it: In addition to the $991,995 Community Development Block Grant, project stakeholders have secured funding by way of the City committing a 10 percent cash match of the grant of $118,555, $20,000 from an Alpena County Youth and Recreation Commission grant, and a $100,000 donation from the First Federal of Northern Michigan Legacy Foundation.



Why it’s important: “I can’t express how excited we are to bring the Culligan Plaza renovation project to fruition for the Alpena community,” says Rachel Smolinski, City Manager, City of Alpena. “We asked the community what they wanted for this space in the heart of their downtown and the new design is a true reflection of all that feedback. The project will replace aging and outdated infrastructure with a vibrant, accessible, and engaging public space for the community to enjoy year-round. In addition, we will add much needed public restrooms to the downtown and include improvements to the adjacent parking area. I would like to thank the community, the Culligan Plaza planning committee, First Federal Legacy Foundation of Northern Michigan, City of Alpena staff, and Target Alpena for their work to bring this project together.”

But that’s not all: The additional communities awarded Block Grants include the City of Three Rivers, City of Cadillac, City of Corunna, City of Manton, City of Howell, Village of Cassopolis, Briley Township, City of Reed City, City of Fennville, Village of Port Austin, City of Caspian, Village of Muir, Village of Mackinac City, Village of Fowlerville, and the City of Litchfield.

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