Ray Minervini Sr., president of The Minervini Group, has been selected by the Traverse Connect board to receive the 2025 Distinguished Service Award.

The DSA is "among the region’s oldest and most prestigious civic awards, presented annually since 1929," according to a Traverse Connect release. The release calls Minervini a "Traverse City community member known as the visionary of the region’s largest preservation and redevelopment projects" at The Village at Grand Traverse Commons.

His "long career in construction and development began in the Detroit area where he was raised," the release states. "Guided into a construction career by his father, a mason, Ray launched his career in residential construction in the 1960s, beginning with his first project, a cottage for his sister’s family outside of Kingsley, eventually transitioning to commercial construction in the 1980s. Ray and his wife, Marsha, built their own home on Old Mission Peninsula and relocated to the region in the 1990s, continuing his construction career while thoughts of retirement was on the horizon."

However, "a community movement to preserve the former Traverse City State Hospital captured not only his attention, but his time and treasure," the release continues. "An experienced builder and restorer of historic buildings, Mr. Minervini and his family, through The Minervini Group, acquired the 19th-century property for $1 in 2002. With this famously nominal purchase, Ray launched the first redevelopment project of a former asylum in the country. Inspired by European villages, the State Hospital property gradually transformed into a mixed-use destination featuring residences, restaurants, retail shops, offices, wineries, and cultural spaces. Over time, the development has expanded into a 500-acre property with extensive parkland, trails, and community amenities."

Buildings once slated for demolition "are now hubs of economic activity, home to nearly 90 small businesses employing 500 full- and part-time employees, and contain 276 residential units, including 68 units allocated for attainable housing," the release states. "Ray Minervini previously received other community honors, including the 2014 Milliken Distinguished Leadership Award, the 2019 Key to the City of Traverse City, and the 2023 Paul Harris Service Above Self Award."

Local real estate developer Michael Wills says Minervini's work "has strengthened our local economy, protected an irreplaceable historic landmark, and created a gathering place that residents cherish. His willingness to engage the public, share the site’s history, and champion thoughtful development
has made him a trusted and respected figure in our community. His contributions have left a lasting mark on Traverse City, and our community is better because of his dedication."

Minervini will be honored at the Distinguished Service Award Luncheon at the Park Place Hotel and
Conference Center on May 13 at 11am. Tickets are $50 per person and available online here.