Plans for the Clinton River Development Project are in place for Mount Clemens

MOUNT CLEMENS, Mich. (WXYZ) – Mount Clemens plans to move City Hall to the city’s central business district to make room for new development along the Clinton River for spectators to enjoy.

The state of Michigan has committed $2 million to Mount Clemens to begin the relocation process.

Mayor Laura Kropp hopes that in addition to revitalizing and redeveloping the downtown, it will bring people to the area, boosting the local economy. One idea is to turn the area into a multifunctional space.

“We want this to be the epicenter of Macomb County.” Kropp said.

Kropp says the Mount Clemens city government is in talks to secure the building for new city offices. The next step is to raise funds to relocate the fire station, and then develop a plan to renovate the east bank of the river.

“We’re going to bring economic development to Mount Clemens, we’re going to take the river and connect it to our community so people will use it, launch their boats and want to spend more time using Mount Clemens as their fun space,” Kropp said.

Marcel and Taylor Johnson own Little Daddy’s Cheesecakes, and they’ve benefited from increased foot traffic downtown over the years, and they’re excited about the opportunity for more.

“We had our own client base before opening, but it grew exponentially” since then, thanks to an influx of new residents and foot traffic in the downtown business district, which appears to continue to grow, Marcel said. “It’s just a bonus since we got here.”

The city center has the fewest vacancies in the last ten years.

All of this comes as the city prepares to begin a downtown revitalization project that will begin in March 2026. People in the area can expect extensive construction, but businesses will remain open.