Before it was Grawn, the small community in Blair Township was originally called Blackwood when it was founded in the 1870s by settler James Blackwood. Now a husband-and-wife development team are hoping to bring the Blackwood name – and the former village center near CR-633 and Brooks Street – back to life with a new neighborhood featuring 38 starter homes, a dog park, and a potential coffee shop/bakery.

Rob and Kate Mead of RK Mead Investments LLC will appear before Blair Township planning commissioners January 21 at 6pm at the township hall for a site plan review for the project, called The Village of Blackwood. The Meads have acquired eight properties – and are working to acquire more – off US-31 in a triangular area bordered by CR-633, Brooks Street, and State Street. Some of the parcels are vacant, while others host mobile homes or other rental dwellings.

The area used to serve as the historic downtown of Grawn, which acquired its name after Blackwood was changed to Grawn Station when a railroad came through in the 1890s (the “station” was later dropped). The name came from Charles Grawn, an early superintendent for the Traverse City school system and grandfather of former Michigan governor William Milliken.

The Meads, who live nearby on Duck Lake, were fascinated by the backstory of the site and dreamed of bringing it back to life. “We see a lot of potential to bring back some real heart and vibrance here,” says Kate. “At the same time, we know there’s a real need for affordable housing. We saw this as a good opportunity to invest in our community and bring in others who want to invest. When you have pride of ownership, it does a lot to connect you to your community and make you want to be more involved.”

That “pride of ownership” concept prompted the Meads to envision a neighborhood of attainable for-sale starter homes, rather than rental units. “We want people to buy into the community by buying these units and helping lift the image of the area,” says Rob. “We have kids who go to the local schools, and many of the teachers that work at the schools have to live far away if they buy something. We really want to find a way to have them in the communities they teach or serve in.”

Kate adds that after fostering teens for a decade and seeing those kids grow up and struggle to buy starter homes after college, she and Rob were motivated to explore options. “Everyone’s entitled to a little piece (of land) to call their own, and we’re in a position to do something,” she says.  

The Meads are planning to build 19 duplexes – or 38 total units – including 28 two-bedroom homes and 10 one-bedroom homes. Each unit will be two stories and almost 900 square feet, with a crawl space for storage and utilities, a concrete driveway and attached garage, and a 26-foot-wide common access drive connecting to both State Street and Brooks Street.

The neighborhood will be developed as a condo association with shared landscaping/maintenance costs. Gas streetlamps will add to the “architectural character” of the area, according to project documents, with homes serviced by township water. A drain field will be built on a vacant parcel across CR-633 and leased to the condominium association for private sewer service. Trees will be planted all along the road frontage, with resident amenities to include a fenced dog park, overflow parking, and a BATA bus stop. Short-term rentals will be prohibited in the neighborhood.

The Meads also hope to relocate and revitalize a historic vacant barn that’s one of the last remaining buildings from the original Blackwood village (pictured, bottom right) for use as a neighborhood coffee shop and bakery. The shop would be moved to a vacant parcel at the corner of Brooks and State streets. The Meads, who serve on the board of directors for Better Together of Northern Michigan, envision the shop serving as a “source of employment for adults in our community who have special needs,” Kate says.

The for-sale aspect of the homes – and their architectural design – will set The Village of Blackwood apart from other affordable housing projects, the Meads believe. The couple have hired Traverse City architect Michael Fitzhugh to design the homes, which Rob describes as having a rustic, wooden Alpine look with modern amenities. The duo haven’t yet set prices for the homes – those will be announced once approvals are obtained and the design parameters are finalized, Rob says – but have been building a model prototype for interested buyers to tour. Kate expects the units to start hitting the market in mid-2026.

The project as proposed is a use by right. Assuming township approval of the site plan, the Meads hope to break ground this spring. Units are anticipated to then come online on a rolling basis over the next 16 months. The Meads describe the buildout as “phase one,” hinting that more units could be developed in the future if initial sales are positive. “This is a mission project,” says Kate. “We are committed to this community and see a lot of potential to give back.”

Township Supervisor Nicole Blonshine, who says the redevelopment of the old Blackwood site was one of her dreams when she initially took office, calls the project “very exciting.” Given Blair Township’s growth – including a new Meijer breaking ground in 2026, the addition in recent years of Amazon and Blain’s, a new emergency services building, the upcoming reconstruction of US-31, and township plans to invest in trails and more – housing remains a key outstanding component for the township’s success, according to Blonshine. “This (project) is exactly what we need,” she says.