Battle Creek’s Tiger Room Renovation Gets $125,000 From The State

A historic Battle Creek building that has been mostly unused for some time is getting an infusion of cash from the state for its renovation efforts.

The Michigan Department of Agriculture announced on Tuesday that they were awarding a $125,000 grant to Battle Creek Unlimited for the Tiger Room Accelerator Kitchen Project, under their Value Added and Regional Food System Grant Program.

The Battle Creek Enquirer says that the Tiger Room on Van Buren St. near Division St. is owned by St. Philip Catholic Church, and housed many youth programs, sports facilities and other things over its 117-year history.

The plan is to transform the building into an accelerator kitchen, which would be available for use to chefs or bakers who need commercial kitchen space as they start growing their business.

This grant will help with the project, but Battle Creek Unlimited is seeking another $2 million from the US Economic Development Administration. In total, $4 million is needed to begin the renovations.