News Photo by Steve Schulwitz This property on 2nd Avenue is slated to be renovated thanks to a grant from the Michigan Economic Development Corporation. Five other buildings also received funding for improvements.

ALPENA — A $839,401 Revitalization and Placemaking (RAP) grant from the Michigan Economic Development Corporation will help pay for improvements to six properties in the Alpena Downtown Development Authority district.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announced the grant funding coming to Alpena on Wednesday.

According to DDA Executive Director Anne Gentry, $763,092 will be allocated to the projects, which the property owners have to match, and the DDA will keep $76,309 for administering the grant.

The DDA is contributing a $5,000 grant from its own budget to each one of the projects to help get them done.

There was no announcement on when the projects would begin or how long it would take for them to be completed.

Gentry said the money the DDA receives will be used toward future downtown projects.

The grant funding is welcome, Gentry said, because it will be used to spruce up properties in the DDA that need some improvements and help set the stage for sure development.

The projects that have been selected to receive a portion of the MEDC funding are the HPC Credit Union on Chisholm Street, Emery Enterprises, the new Bay Athletic Club and Thunder Bay Community Health Services center, which will open downtown, and the properties located at 700 and 701 N 2nd Ave.

The 700 N. 2nd Ave. address is a mixed-use facility where Frieier’s Pizzeria and several other small businesses were.

The 701 N. 2nd Ave. address has a single-story brick building that is ideal for office or commercial space.

The Sunrise Mission on Chisholm Street will also receive state funding for needed improvements.

“Today’s grants underscore our commitment to the state’s Make It in Michigan economic development strategy, supporting the People, Places, and Projects that are integral to the growth of Michigan’s economy,” Whitmer said in a press release. “These investments will help create vibrant places that attract and retain talent, add critical housing, enable business creation and attraction, and provide resources for Michiganders and our communities. I will work with anyone and do anything to continue getting things done for our state.”

Mike Mahler, the economic development director for the Alpena Area Chamber of Commerce and president of the DDA, said that when the six projects are completed, they will add to the aesthetic of the downtown and the new expanded boundaries of the DDA. He said some of the old buildings needed work, and the improvements to them will bolster the economic viability throughout the DDA district.

“The improvements to the buildings that are in the expanded district will prove that the move to expand was great to do,” he said. “New life will be breathed into the older buildings, and it will make the district more vibrant, and people will be more apt to invest in our community.”

Gentry said the money from the state likely expedited some of the projects because it will provide the property owners with financial assistance. She said that in less than a year, a lot of investment has been made in the expanded DDA district, and the progress can be seen already, and the revitalization of the buildings will expand that.

“Many of these renovation projects aren’t possible without the funding support from grants like these, and it’s exciting to see the north side of downtown, especially the expansion area, have so much investment over the last few years,” she said. “Since the DDA has been expanded, the street was completely redone by the city, which also added matching lampposts, trees, curb, and stamped concrete. Two facade projects were awarded grant funds in 2024, and now there are two more projects in this corridor that will be transformed. This shows the ripple effect that both public and private investment have on surrounding properties. We are grateful for the property and business owners who are choosing to invest so much in these important areas for our community.”