The owners of Art 634 have purchased the long-vacant adjacent properties, the Zoerman-Clark building and the Acme Industries site near the corner of Ganson and Mechanic Streets in Jackson.
The former Acme Industries and Zoerman-Clark Manufacturing property is a roughly three-acre piece of land owned for several years by The Enterprise Group Property Development LLC, an entity of The Enterprise Group of Jackson. The Acme Buildings were demolished in 2010, and the site holds potential for non-residential development. Its use dates back to the mid-1800s, with a history of creating farm implements, wagons, furniture, and heating and cooling products. The historic former Zoerman-Clark buiIding at 626 N. Mechanic Street, is the only building remaining on the site. The last tenant in the building, The Cascades Humane Society, vacated the building upon completion of their new facility on Carmen Drive in 2004.
The site’s proximity to Art 634 and Armory Arts Village has long held placemaking potential as the entry to the arts district, and has been so-designated through historic Planned Unit Development District (PUDD) zoning classification and master-planning efforts.
With need for parking and a vision of future arts-related concepts, La Renaissance II, LLC, the owners of Art 634, recently acquired the site and received assistance from the Jackson County Brownfield Redevelopment Authority (JCBRA) for environmental site assessment and liability protection assistance to help facilitate the purchase. The financial assistance will also provide an evaluation of future Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) grant or loan potential for site development.
Tim Rogers, President & CEO of The Enterprise Group, stated, “We are thrilled to be able to sell this property to adjoining property owners who have consistently invested in Jackson’s arts culture to make Art 634 a destination for both local residents and tourists alike. Their continued commitment to the success of Art 634 ensures they will be good stewards for the future use of the property.”
“We appreciate the support of the JCBRA’s funding for site assessments, which facilitated the speed of the closing,” said Mark Riggle, La Renaissance II, LLC partner. “Their willingness to also fund the grant/loan evaluation for future funding opportunities will greatly assist us as we plan for future development of the site.”
