Downtown in progress
Projects
New plazas, rebuilt streets, a creekside festival site and new buildings. Here’s what’s changing downtown, and where to follow along.
In shortThis page lists building and improvement projects in downtown Kalamazoo, with what is happening now and links for updates.
Current projects
- Underway
Downtown Kalamazoo Placemaking
New, lively spaces that connect downtown’s gathering spots: Exchange Alley, Farmers Alley, the Rose Street plaza at Arcadia Creek, the North Kalamazoo Mall, and a festival street on Burdick from Lovell to Cedar. Construction on the Farmers Alley and Rose Street plazas was approved in March 2026. The other sites depend on funding.
- Underway
Arcadia Creek Festival Place
A $3.6 million transformation of downtown’s festival grounds, with a new pedestrian bridge, stages, a playground, water features, a pavilion and amphitheater, and a plaza. The park closed in December 2025 for the work and is expected to reopen in 2027 at the earliest.
- Underway
Streets for All: Kalamazoo Avenue
Kalamazoo Avenue is being rebuilt from the ground up, starting in July 2026 and moving east one block at a time through 2028: new water and storm lines, buried power lines, new lighting, sidewalks and street trees. Later it will become a two-way street. One lane stays open for most of the work.
- Complete
Downtown parking updates
New parking zones and rates started April 1, 2026, with the first 90 minutes free in the Epic Center and Kalamazoo Mall ramps. New accessible parking spaces are being added on downtown blocks that didn’t have them, after curb ramp upgrades.
- Complete
Bigbelly expansion
Twenty-six new smart trash and recycling units replaced 58 old cans in 2025, bringing downtown to 51 dual units, funded by the DEGA.
- Planned
Kalamazoo State Theatre restoration
The 1927 movie palace on South Burdick has new owners, who plan to restore it and reopen in 2027, the theater’s 100th year. This is a private project.
- Planned
New development: approved site plans
The City approved site plans for 209 W. Cedar St. (including 219 W. Cedar) in September 2026 and for 401 E. Michigan Ave. in October 2026.
- Open for comment
Imagine Kalamazoo 2035
The City’s updated vision for Kalamazoo, which will guide future priorities and investments. A draft was released for public review in September 2026.
Construction and detours
Downtown businesses stay open during construction. For current closures, see Streets for All updates (opens in a new tab), or call 311.
Have a question about a project?
Email downtown@kalamazoocity.org or call (269) 337-8993. Board-funded projects are discussed at the monthly DDA & DEGA meetings.