COLDWATER, MI — A former fire-damaged downtown building now offers new housing and business space.
Developers Grace and Noah Roberts celebrated the project’s completion Saturday, May 9 at 22 W. Pearl St.
The mixed-use project features the Grace Roberts-Elevate Michigan Top Producers realty office and five modern apartments, representing an investment of over $1.2 million in downtown.
A $605,636 state Revitalization and Placemaking grant awarded in 2025 provided crucial support, making the project possible, according to Noah Roberts.
“Without the grant, the project would not have been financially possible,” he said. “Local lenders and other downtown business owners agree that this type of support is essential for projects like this.”
The development helps address the clear shortage of housing in Coldwater’s downtown core. While new apartments have been built on the city’s outskirts, walkable, centrally located units are still limited.
“The need for housing — especially affordable housing — is very apparent,” Roberts said. “We wanted to create a place where people could live comfortably and maybe even walk to work downtown.”
Each unit is about 900 square feet and features one-bedroom, one-bath layouts with modern finishes, quartz countertops, and an in-unit washer and dryer.
The developers aim to keep rents slightly below the broader market to encourage long-term tenants.
“We want people to come and stay,” Roberts said. “If tenants remain for several years, that’s a success for us and for downtown.”
While final rent levels are still being set, larger units are expected to top out around $1,400 per month, with smaller apartments priced below that.
The renovation preserved the building’s original character while updating it for modern use, despite challenges posed by its narrow footprint and the 2020 fire damage.
Designers added multiple staircases and varied ceiling heights to create a functional layout with two apartments each on the first and second floors, and one in the basement.
Unexpected costs arose during the renovation, with one expense standing out.
“The windows were the most expensive part of the building,” Roberts said. “There are 48,” all insulated for efficiency.
City officials supported the effort, viewing it as a catalyst for further downtown investment. The project adds residential density while demonstrating what’s possible for other aging properties.
City Manager Keith Baker said that without the project, the building faced being demolished.
For the Roberts, owners of GNR Rentals & Real Estate, the Pearl Street building marks their first commercial development—and likely not their last.
“We’d like to keep doing projects like this,” Roberts said. “We hope it inspires more downtown revitalization.”
Contact Don Reid, dReid@USATodayCo.Com
This article originally appeared on Coldwater Daily Reporter: See inside this renovated downtown Coldwater building
Reporting by Don Reid, Coldwater Daily Reporter / Coldwater Daily Reporter
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