How important can a new development be? In the case of the East End mixed-use building, very. This project, all 225,000 square feet of it, is giving business owners and residents of downtown Midland, Mich., reason to believe in a bright economic future.
The East End, developed by co-developers Gillespie Group and Caddis Development, is already 85 percent leased ahead of next year’s scheduled opening. This includes the addition of the building’s newest confirmed tenant, Warner Norcross & Judd LLP, a Grand Rapids-based law firm.
This is good news for the area. The East End building is a key one for downtown Midland’s East End District. The $49 million mixed-use building represents the first phase of efforts to connect the city’s Main Street with Dow Diamond, a 5,200-seat baseball stadium. The stadium is already a popular site in Midland, home of the minor league Great Lakes Loons.
Pat Gillespie, president of Gillespie Group, said, in a written statement, that he is pleased with the pace not only of East End’s construction but of its leasing, too.
“We’re really pleased with the broad diversity of tenants that we have already signed lease agreements with,” he said.
The building will be home to business offices, a wellness center and medical providers. The goal now is to attract a restaurant and retail shops for the street-level portion of the building.
“We expect the East End to become a vibrant center of activity in Midland for both business and entertainment, drawing people into the area all day and into the evening,” said Kevin McGraw, president of Caddis, in a written statement.
The development is expected to create as many as 200 construction jobs. It is also expected to bring more than 500 permanent jobs to downtown Midland, a mixture of new jobs and relocated ones.
