Downtown

Downtown St. Louis has changed and improved tremendously over the past several years!

In 2007 the City partnered with MDOT and the St. Louis Area Historical Society on an Enhancement Project at the Depot Museum area and South Main Street leading into the downtown. Victorian lighting, stamped concrete, new sidewalks and landscaping were added from M-46 south to the railroad tracks at Crawford Street and the Depot site itself got paving, landscaping and historic light poles as well as renovation work done on the depot exterior, a historic toll booth from the Old Plank Road and a brand new Transportation Pavilion for the display of a 1917 Republic Truck and other local historic items related to transportation. This $700,000 project certainly adds to the already quaint, historic atmosphere of the downtown.

In 2003 the Downtown Development Authority and City, with the help of a grant from the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, invested $750,000 for the repaving and landscaping of three major parking lot/alleyway areas in the Central Business District. This work included the addition of underground electric and Victorian lighting to match the rest of the downtown and nearby parks. In addition, a $344,000 Enchancement Grant through MDOT provided similar work as well as adding brick pavers, new sidewalks, benches, etc. to a three block stretch of M-46 which passes right through the downtown. Plans are also being made to improve the streetscape on Mill Street including underground electric, adding benches and banners.

• Center Stage at the GEM Theater
• Common Threads Quilt Shop
• River Rock Bar & Grill 
• Victoria's Flower Cottage 
• Herbs in the Middle natural food store
• Discount Muffler & Brakes
• St. Louis Hydro-Spray Car Wash
• The Shark Shack
• Therapeutic Massage by Tammy
• Milene's Salon
• Weathervane Antiques 
• Greenland Place Senior Apartments
• Lux Funeral Home of St. Louis
• Helcher's Black Belt Academy

A Tax Increment Financing Program was also put into effect in 1999 as was the expansion of the DDA area to include some sections of M-46. Zoning was also improved in this area, as a Transitional Zone was created allowing for homes along M-46 to be used for low-impact businesses such as antique shops, etc. The TIF program provides a steady stream of income for downtown projects and the Central Business District and M-46 continue to develop at a good pace.

Building owners have shown a lot of pride in the appearance of their storefronts recently as well, and local banks also have been cooperative in a low-interest loan program. Chemical Bank, Firstbank, and Commercial Bank have all made loans to downtown businesses for physical improvements so that the downtown can continue to look better and better.

Also complementing Downtown St. Louis is the location of St. Louis High School, just one block from the Central Business District and beautiful Clapp Park on M-46 the official "Middle of the Mitten" as it is the geographic center of the Lower Peninsula. In addition, the area is dotted with many Victorian homes and the St. Louis Area Historical Society depot museum is only three blocks away. Finally, the City-owned W.T. Morris Memorial Swimming Pool has been rebuilt with help from the DNR and is again an attraction downtown in 2005.  The $400,000 project is an exciting improvement in the downtown.