COLDWATER, MI (WTVB) – The Coldwater Planning Commission approved a Special Land Use permit request Monday night from Southern Michigan Bank and Trust in the hopes it will lead to the former Gillespie Funeral Home being turned into a seven unit housing structure.
The property at 27 Marshall is owned by Southern Michigan Bank & Trust. The bank recently announced they were working with the City of Coldwater and the State of Michigan on grant funding which would be used to restore the building. Once completed, the property would be known as “Southern Flats.”
City Planner Dean Walrack said in his report for Monday’s meeting that five of the seven residential units are proposed to be one-bedroom units. The other two units would be studio apartments.
The project is contingent upon receiving Michigan Economic Development Corporation funding through its Rental Rehabilitation program since a substantial investment is required to rehabilitate the structure and bring it up to code.
Economic Development Assistant Audrey Tappenden said the project is eligible for $420,000 of grant funding.
The total project cost is currently estimated at $1 million.
A decision by the Michigan E.D.C. is expected to be made sometime in the spring.
In other business, the Planning Commission approved a pair of special use permit requests from proposed recreational retail marijuana establishments that would be close to each other on South Willowbrook Road.
One is from Lume Cannibis which would operate from the current location of Coldwater Auto Service at 351 South Willowbrook Road. Coldwater Auto Service plans to move to a new location sometime in the near future.
The second request was from Green Peak Industries of Diamondale for an establishment at 352 South Willowbrook that would be in the north-most suite of the commercial strip development which was formerly occupied by the Sears store.
Monday’s approval means there would be at least four recreational retail marijuana stores operating in the I-69/U.S. 12 corridor on the east side of Coldwater
City Planner Dean Walrack said on Monday night the city has received a fifth application for a proposed recreational marijuana store in a former party store at 880 East Chicago next to Auto Zone.
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