East Jordan, Michigan — August 19, 2026 — A $805,000 Brownfield Redevelopment Grant from the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) will help transform a vacant, contaminated property in downtown East Jordan into a mixed-use development featuring new housing, commercial space and jobs.
The 0.45-acre site at 116 Main Street, within walking distance of the south arm of Lake Charlevoix, has been vacant since 2020. The property was originally developed in 1901 as the Lake Side Hotel and Livery before later serving as a Charlevoix County Road Commission storage area and public community center.
Site investigations funded through EGLE Brownfield Site Assessment funding in 2025 identified metals and organic compounds in the soil. The contamination is believed to have resulted from fill material brought onto the property over the years.
The new $805,000 grant will fund additional environmental assessments, demolition and asbestos abatement, along with the transportation and disposal of an estimated 4,500 tons of contaminated soil.
The remediation will allow the long-vacant property to return to productive use and support redevelopment in East Jordan's downtown area.
Redevelopment plans call for a 22,800-square-foot mixed-use building combining commercial space with 17 residential units.
The housing component will include both for-sale condominiums and for-rent apartments, with eight units reserved for households earning between 60% and 120% of the area's median income.
The $8.6 million project is expected to create approximately 12 new jobs while increasing foot traffic and improving walkability in downtown East Jordan. The redevelopment also is expected to serve as a catalyst for additional investment in the surrounding area.
The new building is expected to be ready for occupancy by early 2028.
The East Jordan project is part of Michigan's broader effort to return contaminated and underutilized properties to productive use.
In 2025, EGLE's Brownfield program provided more than $23 million in brownfield incentives to 76 projects across 52 Michigan communities. Those projects are projected to generate more than 440 housing units, 600 jobs and $675 million in capital investment.
The program demonstrates how environmental remediation funding can help communities overcome the costs and risks associated with redeveloping contaminated properties.
The East Jordan redevelopment highlights the growing role of brownfield incentives in unlocking stalled construction opportunities. For construction owners, developers and contractors, publicly supported remediation projects can create opportunities across environmental cleanup, demolition, asbestos abatement, site preparation, infrastructure and vertical construction.
The project also demonstrates how public funding can help make challenging sites financially viable. With $805,000 in state assistance supporting an $8.6 million redevelopment, similar brownfield programs could help construction owners pursue contaminated, vacant or underutilized properties that may otherwise be difficult to develop.
The combination of housing, commercial space and job creation also reflects an increasing emphasis on projects that support broader community redevelopment. For construction firms, this can create opportunities to participate in projects that combine multiple building scopes while contributing to downtown revitalization and long-term economic development.
Source: Michigan Govt.
