MUSKEGON, Mich. — A building that’s been abandoned since 1989 is one step closer to finding new life and bringing much-needed housing to West Michigan. On Tuesday night, the Muskegon City Commission unanimously approved a request for a planned unit development for Parkland Properties, which is looking to renovate the old Shaw-Walker Furniture Factory. 13 ON YOUR SIDE took a tour of the building after Parkland bought it in late 2023.
The plan is to turn the building into 450 apartments, 70 condominiums, 37 townhomes, and more than 20,000 square feet of commercial space. City commissioners and residents alike were happy to see something being done with the old building.
"Twelve years ago I moved into the Nims neighborhood and when I went to look at the first house, you drive by this ugly building. I'm so happy that Parkland Properties is going to take on this project and get that eye sore out of our neighborhood," said Mark Flermoen.
"I'm also here on behalf of the Lakeside Business Improvement District who this morning gave me the authority to talk in favor of the project. We support it 100%. Whatever we can do to get this thing going, let's get it going."
Developers say their apartments are targeting "workforce and attainable housing." Specifically, they say they have about 30 studios that are currently projected to start around $800 per month while one-bedroom apartments will be around $1,000 per month and two-bedroom apartments will be around $1,700 per month.
Parkland Properties is hoping to get to work this fall. They estimate that the construction would take four to five years to complete.