It’s a more than 100 year old building, but it’s makeover is stunning and the results of that months-long renovation were showcased last night to several hundred investors, guests and dignitaries as Cornerstone Alliance raise the curtain on its new headquarters at 80 W. Main Street in the heart of downtown Benton Harbor.
Designed to be a linchpin for additional economic development growth and to attract like investors to rehabilitate buildings in the central business district of the community, Cornerstone’s new space was unveiled in a Renovation Reveal Party replete with a bevy of local food trucks that additionally showcased the culinary talents of the likes of Lark’s Bar-B-Que, Sammy Arepas, and the Doggie Bag. Even 98.3 The Coast broadcast live from the upbeat affair. All three of the food trucks are past clients of the Women’s Business Center at Cornerstone Alliance.
More than 200 guests celebrated as Cornerstone Alliance unveiled the results of the restoration project of the century-old building, and President Rob Cleveland thanked businesses and individuals who had the vision to make downtown Benton Harbor a vibrant and diverse hub of activity. Cleveland says, “This new office provides a collaborative, inviting and creative space that will serve as the epicenter for economic development in Berrien County for generations to come.” He adds, “Cornerstone Alliance has assisted a dozen companies that have invested more than $50 million in the community in 2017. Like those companies we serve, Cornerstone Alliance sees the benefit of growing in Berrien County. Our new location in Benton Harbor will be a catalyst for development throughout Michigan’s Great Southwest.”
During last night’s event, Cornerstone Alliance revealed 5,700 square feet of premiere office space that, before construction, were two separate businesses, divided by a common wall. There are 12 individual offices; a conference room; a resource center for entrepreneurs on the main floor, and a second conference room on the building’s mezzanine-level.
The renovation project was led by Benton Harbor-based Pearson Construction, a longtime Cornerstone Alliance investor. An essential component of the renovation project was to honor and preserve the 100-year history of the building. Some of the original beams were salvaged and re-purposed; exposed brick walls remain intact, and were part of the overall architectural design.
Burt Pearson, President of Pearson Construction says, “We appreciate and welcome the challenges of projects like the Cornerstone Alliance adaptive reuse at 80 West Main.” He notes, “Our design-build team of Sean Ebbert and Arunas Rumsa were tasked with creating a modern office environment that would retain as much of the historical aesthetic of the building as possible. We receive the most satisfaction from projects where we recycle an old building and give it new life. It takes a special vision of an owner to see this, and Cornerstone Alliance clearly saw the possibilities.”
In March of this year, Cornerstone Alliance sold the building at 38 W. Wall Street, its location for more than 20 years, to Mosaic CCDA. In April, the Cornerstone Alliance team moved to its temporary offices at 53 W. Wall Street during the renovation. Cornerstone Alliance’s new headquarters will continue to offer services in Economic Development, Small Business Services and the Women’s Business Center, SCORE of Southwest Michigan and the Renaissance Development Fund.
Greg Vaughn was with Cornerstone even before the Wall Street sites, remembering his days in the Vincent Place when he first started, saying, “What started nearly 30 years ago on Main Street at the Vincent Building in Benton Harbor continues today, just one block away at 80 W. Main Street.” Vaughn is Chief Operating Officer and VP, Business Development for Cornerstone Alliance. He says, “This move shows our long-standing commitment to development in the City of Benton Harbor and our mission to serve all of Berrien County.”
Cleveland was very appreciative of the investors and others who helped make the new space a reality, saying, “There were so many people who played roles in renovating Berrien County’s new economic development home. Cornerstone Alliance is grateful to the Benton Harbor Brownfield Redevelopment Authority, the Building Department and Mayor Muhammad for their support of this project. We had tremendous help from area service providers and contractors including: Pearson Construction, Doubleday Office Products, City Plumbing and Heating, Linear Electric, Inc. and others who provided excellent work and craftsmanship in this transformational project.”
Cornerstone Alliance is a non-profit, investor-governed economic development organization primarily focused on increasing employment opportunities, private sector capital investments and the local tax base in Michigan’s Great Southwest; with specialized business services offered in economically distressed areas.
Inasmuch as I am vacationing on the West Coast with severely limited internet access and horrendously slow speeds, I am unable to bring you photos of the new space at this time, however stay tuned in the coming days for an update to this story, complete with additional details and photos to share this great story of revitalization and growth from the greater community of Michigan’s Great Southwest.
