*## Hospital Employees Among Beneficiaries as New Development Tackles Affordability Crisis*

Downtown Kalamazoo — City commissioners are preparing to approve brownfield development grants worth about $1.8 million to help finance The B on Burdick, a new apartment complex that will add 85 rental units across from Bronson Methodist Hospital.

Developer Jamari Bogan says the project will include 18 studio, 48 one-bedroom and 19 two-bedroom apartments, along with other facilities at the site near the hospital campus.

While the developer says he could build the project without financial help, he would have to charge rent rates that are well above the average median income for many renters. The brownfield grants will provide gap financing to make the development affordable for workers who need it most.

Other proposals will bring down the cost of renting about 20 percent of the units to more affordable rates, according to city planner Jamie McCarthy.

The project is being undertaken through a partnership of Bronson and Bogan Developments. Groundbreaking is scheduled for June, with completion expected in 2028.

## Workforce Housing Meets Hospital Needs

The complex will include 20 units reserved for qualifying hospital employees, addressing a critical need for workforce housing near a major employer in the city. The development also features a gym and grocery store on-site, with childcare nearby, promises to provide an enviable work-life balance for hospital staff.

Bronson Methodist Hospital has long been one of the city's largest employers, yet affordable housing options for workers have been scarce. This development directly addresses that gap.

## Brownfield Redevelopment Strategy Pays Off

The project takes advantage of new state tools that expand brownfield development incentives for affordable housing. The brownfield designation is meant to create development opportunities once properties are made available for private acquisition, particularly in areas contaminated with asbestos or other environmental hazards.

Two neighboring buildings were demolished in downtown Kalamazoo since the beginning of 2026, including one this week at the corner of Rose Street and Cedar Street. The 14,803-square-foot building previously housed Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety Fire Station No. 1, while the Community Answering Service building at 433 South Rose Street came down in January.

The asbestos-contaminated area has been part of the city's brownfield plan since 2004, designed to create development incentives once the property is made available for private acquisition.

## Downtown Revitalization Continues

The B on Burdick is just one of several residential projects under way in downtown Kalamazoo. The city's economic development strategy, approved in 2024 after a 10-month discovery process, takes a place-based approach to growth.

Other projects include:

  • A dilapidated vacant industrial building on Porter Street being revitalized into 58 residential units and 5,000 square feet of commercial space
  • The previous Spearflex building on Kalamazoo Avenue becoming office space and an additional 57 housing units
  • A redevelopment of three brownfield sites across the city into housing, commercial space and a 127-room boutique hotel in the historic courthouse building

## Citywide Growth Strategy

Director of Community Planning and Economic Development Antonio Mitchell describes Kalamazoo as "a very welcoming community" with young energy that celebrates differences. The city's growth strategy seeks to maximize benefits from ongoing and planned projects throughout the community.

"We want to help more businesses expand and grow—especially micro and small businesses," Mitchell said. "We're working with our Can-Do Kalamazoo campus and incubator as well to assist them and make sure individuals in our neighborhoods also have opportunities."

The B on Burdick represents another win in that strategy, bringing affordable housing options to workers who need them while revitalizing brownfield sites that have been vacant for years.