Placemaking in the City of New Buffalo, MI
The Southwestern Michigan Association of REALTORS® received a $2,400 Placemaking Grant from the National Association of REALTORS® to help make the City of New Buffalo a better place.
The grant will be used to provide equipment and staff for testing the viability of projecting artwork, moving images, and videos onto walls at night along New Buffalo’s downtown streetscape. That project is designed to bring light, movement, and excitement into the downtown area year-round and engage both locals and visitors to gather in that destination spot.
“People will have more reasons to stay downtown, after being on the beach, while waiting for dinner reservations or for their friends to gather,” explained Kay Hartmann, spokesperson for the Design Visual Impact Committee. “The art and light show will have an economic impact by encouraging visitors and locals to linger in the downtown area to shop, eat, and drink.”
Dan Coffey (RE/MAX Harbor Country) was the REALTOR® sponsor for the grant. Coffey explained the reason for his endorsement stating, “I hope that this project will make the neighborhood more economically viable by attracting more people to the downtown area to walk around and spend money in the stores and restaurants.”
Placemaking in South Haven
