Hastings spruces up its downtown

After three decades, downtown Hastings is getting a facelift.

Construction began this month on the $3 million Downtown Streetscape Project in the Barry County city in southwestern Michigan. Work will add upgrades and design changes along one of the city’s main thoroughfares – State Street – from Boltwood to Broadway. The city is home to about 7,500 people. 

Courtesy of Dan King, Hastings Community Development director
What's happening:  Besides infrastructure improvements that include new sidewalks, street lights, decorative aggregate concrete and mid-block crosswalks, the project adds amenities – a fireplace, outside dining areas, new flower beds, new flower pots, hanging baskets, shade sails, new table and chairs, and public art pedestals. 

Construction kicked off Sept. 11 and will continue on the north side until the winter weather sets in. State Street is expected to remain open through fall construction. Businesses will remain open and accessible to customers throughout the project. The downtown is home to boutique stores, restaurants and service-related businesses.

The south side of the project will start in the spring and work will wrap up no later than June 28, 2024. 

The back story: “The current streetscape was completed over 30 years ago so it was time for a facelift,” says Dan King, community development director for Hastings. “This project had been in the planning stages for several years and incorporated a considerable amount of public engagement for the development of the final plan.”

The price tag: The project cost is $3,535,358. The primary sources of funding are proceeds from a tax-exempt bond and Downtown Development Authority monies. 

Courtesy of Dan King, Hastings Community Development director
The vision: By the time the work is completed, downtown Hastings will be inviting for people as well as cars. Mid-block crosswalks on two of the core downtown blocks should help slow traffic through town. “Traffic calming is a feature of the crosswalks,” King says, “but there will also be features such as furniture on the bump-outs that will allow pedestrians and shoppers to linger longer in the core of downtown.”

What's next: “Although not scheduled,” King says, “we do have a vision to update both Church and Jefferson streets both north and south of State Street in the coming years.”

More details: The general contractor for the work is Katerberg VerHage of Grand Rapids. A foreman will be in contact with all business owners on a regular basis when construction is occurring in front of their businesses. Construction will take place between 7 a.m. and dark weekdays, with occasional work on Saturdays. 

During construction, access from the road to businesses will be limited. Sidewalk access may only be from the east or west street intersection. Parking on the north side of the street will be closed during the construction of that block.
Courtesy of City of Hastings
Once the sidewalk concrete is completed, various parking spaces will be closed for continued construction access and 75 percent of the parking on the north will be open following the 2023 construction season.

What they’re saying: “We are extremely excited that the Hastings Downtown Development Authority, (city) Planning Commission, and City Council collaborated on this large investment in the core downtown of the city of Hastings,” King says. “Once completed, we are confident that both residents and visitors alike will linger longer in the core downtown and take advantage of all the unique retail and dining options the community offers.”

Rosemary Parker has worked as a writer and editor for more than 40 years. She is a regular contributor to Rural Innovation Exchange and other Issue Media Group publications.