Two local projects - the Traverse City Freshwater Research & Innovation Center and affordable housing complex Annika Place - have received major state funding support.

The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) announced Monday that a $1 million EGLE grant will go to the Traverse City Freshwater Research & Innovation Center. The grant will pay for "site assessments, removal of contaminated groundwater and soil, asbestos abatement, and demolition," according to EGLE. The 9.24-acre site has been used for manufacturing, auto repair, and boat storage going back to 1971, according to EGLE, and is "now contaminated with PFAS, metals, and petroleum compounds."

EGLE notes that the $28 million center is expected to "draw millions of dollars a year in research funding and create 30 new jobs. It will be owned by Discovery Center Great Lakes, which is already investing $7.5 million to redevelop Discovery Pier across the street from the work site. Construction on the Freshwater Research & Innovation Center is scheduled to be done in spring 2027."

The Michigan State Housing Development Authority (MSHDA) has also announced funding approval for phase two of Annika Place, an affordable housing complex on Garfield Avenue. "The $18 million Annika Place II development will add 52 affordable housing units, with five being accessible, to the region, including 19 one- and two-bedroom Permanent Supportive Housing units and 33 one- and two-bedroom units for general occupancy," according to MSHDA. "The project will be supported by $16.9 million in MSHDA funding."