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DDA lays out downtown projects, market analysis and a $3 million grant pursuit
Summary
The Downtown Development Authority described planned downtown investments — business-district market analysis, storefront programs, depot-town ADA improvements, facade grants and a $3,000,000 LEO grant applied for Cross Street bridge assistance — and answered council questions about the Shine team contract and small-manufacturing programs.
YPSILANTI — The Downtown Development Authority presented its annual priorities to the city council, emphasizing business retention, storefront vacancy reduction and capital projects in the downtown and Depot Town districts.
Lise (DDA director) said the DDA's top budget items are the intergovernmental agreement with the city, staff wages, landscaping contracts, downtown waste management, facade and building‑rehab grants, holiday lighting and capital infrastructure projects. The DDA is implementing a small-business retention CRM, preparing a business‑district market analysis to be completed by the end of the fiscal year, and planning ADA improvements to Great Lakes Plaza and a Depot Town mural and social-district launch.
Councilors pressed for specifics on the Shine team contract; Lise said the program began with a $36,000 contract that was extended and that staffing now covers roughly 15 hours per district plus shared responsibilities in parks. She said she will provide the most recent contract details to council. Lise also described collaboration with Growing Hope and Recast for shared-kitchen and small-manufacturing incubator projects.
During budget Q&A, Lise confirmed the DDA had applied for a $3 million LEO grant to support Cross Street reconstruction and related work — a central capital item in the city manager's infrastructure priorities. Several councilors asked for follow-up reports and contract figures to understand how DDA investments leverage city and state funds.
What happens next: DDA staff will supply the requested Shine team contract, more detail on the market-analysis timeline and the status of the LEO grant application as part of the council's ongoing budget deliberations.
