The Portage City Council gave final approval on May 12 to a $56 million mixed-use development that will reshape the corridor near City Hall and the public safety headquarters.

The project, called The Paisley at Portage Creek, will rise at the corner of 412 West Centre Avenue and 7860 Shaver Road, according to the site plan prepared by Hurley & Stewart LLC and published by the City of Portage.

A development years in the making

The project was first proposed several years ago. It finally cleared the city's approval process with the May 12 council vote, according to mlive.com.

The development will include an apartment complex as part of a larger mixed-use plan. The site sits near Portage City Hall, the new Zhang Farmers Market, and the city's public safety headquarters.

The site's recent history

The broader area has seen significant land movement in recent years. The City of Portage purchased the former Panda Dynasty restaurant property on Westnedge near Shaver Road for roughly $500,000 last year, according to a WWMT News Channel 3 report.

Panda Dynasty operated at the location for more than 30 years before closing. The building was demolished after the city acquired the property.

Officials said a mixed-use development with housing and commercial space could rise in its place, though nothing official has been confirmed.

That statement came from city officials speaking to WWMT. The Paisley development is the confirmed project moving forward in the area.

Construction already underway nearby

Road work is already changing the streetscape around the development site. The West Centre Avenue Reconstruction Project began in early May between Oakland Drive and Shaver Road, according to WKZO.

The project includes resurfacing the roadway, installing a new sidewalk on the south side, and upgrading sidewalks on the north side to meet Americans with Disabilities Act standards. City officials said initial work focused on a retaining wall near the Portage Creek crossing.

The southeast eastbound curb lane is closed from Oakland Drive to Shaver Road. Eastbound traffic has been shifted to the north side near Portage Creek. Work is expected to be completed in August 2026, weather permitting.

Portage's growing commercial landscape

The Paisley development arrives as Portage experiences a wave of new business investment. Mayor Patricia Randall told WWMT that the city is seeing a net gain in businesses despite some closures.

Recent openings include:

  • Tous Les Jours, a French-Asian bakery on South Westnedge Avenue that hired 27 people
  • Tequila's 3 Mexican Restaurant and Cantina behind Crossroads Mall, adding approximately 50 jobs
  • Raising Cane's and Zap Zone XL entertainment venue in the former Sears space
  • Ignite Studios gym and a Donut Den on the corner of Oakland and Centre
  • Barbershop Stubble and Stash across from City Hall

In February, Walmart held a ribbon cutting for an $8 million renovation at its Portage location.

On the industrial side, Pro Services Inc. announced a $12.4 million expansion in Portage last year, with a goal of creating 250 new jobs. The Michigan Strategic Fund approved a $1.25 million performance-based grant to support that expansion.

What comes next

With final city approval secured, The Paisley at Portage Creek can move to the construction phase. The development will add housing and commercial space to one of Portage's most active corridors, just as road improvements are reshaping the same streets.

The city has not announced a construction timeline or expected completion date for the development.

"I think Portage is growing, and we're going to have more and more businesses here and I'm excited for it," said Simar Singh, owner of Tous Les Jours, in a WWMT interview about the city's commercial climate.

Singh is a Portage Northern graduate and Western Michigan University alum who opened the bakery after working at General Motors. He said he expects the location to eventually grow to 40 employees.

All together, the recent wave of business investments in Portage represent tens of millions of dollars being directed toward the city's downtown and commercial corridors, according to WWMT.

"Vacancies are being filled in a city long known as a regional shopping destination," Mayor Randall told WWMT. "The new niches and flavors are reshaping the future."