The leading wave of cool coming to the Eastside of Kalamazoo
Welcome to Project Cold Front. We are building an intentional, creative density hub revolving around 1601 E. Main St, designed to pioneer equitable property ownership, combat gentrification and displacement, and build a vibrant Eastside neighborhood where historically under-resourced residents can live, work, and stay rooted.
Shaped directly by local culture and aligned with the Imagine Kalamazoo Eastside Neighborhood Plan, this is a human-centric ecosystem led by underinvested creatives and change-makers working in absolute lockstep with neighbors to collectively reimagine our Eastside neighborhood’s future.
The Blueprint
Seven Spaces. One Unified Ecosystem.
Six Residential Units
& One Commercial Space
Pioneering scalable and replicable public-private partnerships that combat gentrification and displacement, protecting permanent asset building, living wage stability, and long-term equity for Eastside neighborhood residents who love where they live.
One Neighborhood-Centric Coffee Shop
A ground-floor commercial anchor serving as the living room for the Eastside neighborhood. Through innovative, revenue-aligned leasing structures and public-private support, this space creates low-barrier opportunities for entrepreneurs; ensuring beloved local businesses can grow, thrive, and remain permanently rooted on the Eastside.
One Living Canvas
Community-steered, visually cohesive anchor designed to unify the neighborhood, electrify passersby’s, and inspire those within it.
The Foundational Spark
Three underinvested creatives are working to secure property and build permanent equity in one of Kalamazoo’s smallest, most energetic, and historically under-resourced areas: the Eastside neighborhood. They believe that by working hand-in-hand with long-standing neighbors—and leveraging strategic public-private partnerships—their collective artistic talents and business models can combat gentrification through human-centric, creative-led development that amplifies cultural identify, keeps residents rooted, and drives equitable economic stability.