This past June, construction began on Holt’s newest business development. Esker Square is a $12 million mixed-use development that will house apartments, retail, and office space on Cedar Street in downtown Holt. The project is the first private development to come to Holt as a result of the Realize Cedar initiative and will pave the way for a more livable, walkable community for residents and businesses.
“We feel privileged Esker Square will be a part of creating a downtown and gathering place in Holt,” said Scott Gillespie, owner of The Gillespie Company, LLC, the firm building the development. “It’ll be called home for more than 60 folks and be called home for some area businesses – which is a big deal to us.”
Though the company cannot yet announce which businesses will fill the new commercial space, they are excited to contribute to the thriving business and community atmosphere of Holt.
But that’s not the only way Esker Square will make an impact on Holt. They have also partnered with the Delhi Brownfield Redevelopment Authority and the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) to clean up environmental contaminants in the soil on the construction site. Environmental pollutants from previous property owners originally made the property unsafe and undesirable for redevelopment. The Delhi Brownfield Redevelopment Authority, which has a long history of cleaning up contaminated properties, worked with The Gillespie Company to ensure that the proper steps were taken to turn the once blighted property into the site of a future commercial development.
It’s all a part of the Delhi DDA’s efforts to create a vibrant downtown area that attracts residents, businesses, and jobs while boosting local property values.
“Holt has done a great job of creating some wonderful space and places for residents to gather and business to flourish, this will create jobs, bring some new faces and continue to activate the area,” Gillespie said. “They’ll have more food options and have walkability to do fun things from home — whether that is within Esker Square or their home around the corner.”
To learn more about the Esker Square project, visit thegillespiecompany.com/properties/esker-square/