One Year Later, Michigan Ave. In Downtown Is Open Again

After over a year of complete closure, Michigan Ave. in downtown Battle Creek is back open for traffic as The Milton project nears completion.

On Friday afternoon, Michigan Ave. between Capital Ave. and McCamly St. was reopened, for the first time since November 1, 2018; the closing was necessary as the long-vacant Heritage Tower was overhauled into The Milton, which is designed as a mixed-use residential and retail structure. The road was initially projected to be closed for just a few months.

Officials with The Milton say that around 30 apartments have now been finished, and they expect the building will be open around the New Year, with tenants starting to move in. However, the work on Battle Creek’s tallest building is not yet complete, and construction is expected to continue into the spring.

Apartments within The Milton range from in rent from studio units at $816 to two bedrooms at $2685.

Work began to overhaul the historic tower in May 2017, after the building sat empty since 2008. The initial opening goal for the project, which cost over $30 million, was spring of 2019; however, various issues including a brief strike by contracted workers contributed to the delay.