Susan Kessler from the Blueberry Cottage at 109 North Michigan Street in downtown Plymouth appeared before the City Council this week seeking a Commercial Revitalization Rebate Program Grant.
The rebate grant encourages property owners to renovate existing buildings and make improvements to the exterior of the commercial buildings. The grant requires at least two quotes for a project and limits the rebate to 20% of actual costs directly related to the eligible improvements and can’t exceed $25,000.
Ms. Kessler told the City Council they purchased the building in January 2023 and at that time there were roof leaks around the skylights. They had work done to fix the leaks but during this winter the roof started leaking again into their living quarters.
Due to the emergency conditions, they were experiencing, the Kesslers obtained a proposal from Eicher Roofing Solutions for $52,802 and a second quote from 5-Star Roofing Systems for $15,500. She also noted that one of the quotes they received was $132,000. After reviewing the quotes Ms. Kessler opted to use 5-Star Roofing.
The Plymouth City Council understood the extenuating circumstances, justifying the decision to start work on the project before the application was submitted. The council unanimously approved a 20% Commercial Revitalization Grant for Susan Kessler from Blueberry Cottage in the amount of $3,100.
