our story
Historic Downtown Alpena is the economic and cultural hub of Northeast Michigan and the heart of the City of Alpena. Located on the shores of the Thunder Bay River and beautiful Lake Huron, Downtown Alpena has been the economic hub of the area since its 1800's history as a major lumber port. Walk through downtown and you'll discover a variety of architectural styles from Italianate to brutalist that tell our community's story from our settlement in the 1880's to the economic peak in the 1960's to the revitalization that started in the 2000's.
Now Downtown Alpena is home to a diverse and vibrant set of over 200 businesses, including art galleries, three theaters, a winery, brewery, and cidery, the the first National Marine Sanctuary on the Great Lakes, and a variety of offices, restaurants, bars, non-profits and shops. Alpena is the third largest city in Northern Michigan, second only to Traverse City and Cadillac, and our downtown is proud to be the commercial and cultural heart of our community.
If you haven’t visited in a while, you’ll find that a lot has changed. There are so many new spots of growth, with new retail businesses opening their doors, new restaurants serving delicious meals, year-round festivities and events, and your favorite shops and spaces waiting to welcome you to our corner of the world.
Downtown Alpena is vibrant, artsy, and growing. Come join us!
Now Downtown Alpena is home to a diverse and vibrant set of over 200 businesses, including art galleries, three theaters, a winery, brewery, and cidery, the the first National Marine Sanctuary on the Great Lakes, and a variety of offices, restaurants, bars, non-profits and shops. Alpena is the third largest city in Northern Michigan, second only to Traverse City and Cadillac, and our downtown is proud to be the commercial and cultural heart of our community.
If you haven’t visited in a while, you’ll find that a lot has changed. There are so many new spots of growth, with new retail businesses opening their doors, new restaurants serving delicious meals, year-round festivities and events, and your favorite shops and spaces waiting to welcome you to our corner of the world.
Downtown Alpena is vibrant, artsy, and growing. Come join us!
what's new
ALPENA FLOWER FESTIVAL
Join us in Downtown Alpena, Michigan for the second-annual Alpena Flower Festival from Friday, June 7 through Sunday, June 9, 2024. For three days, downtown will be decked out with fresh flowers! View breathtaking floral displays throughout the downtown created by local florists, stunning floral backdrops for photos, floral art, and more. Enjoy floral-related activities throughout the downtown all weekend, including live painting by local artists, free kids' crafts, live music, poetry readings, themed cocktails for the adults, and more. Come join us for Michigan's most creative floral festival. Prepare to be enchanted. |
RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES- FACADE GRANT APPLICATIONS OPEN
In 2024, the DDA expanded its Façade Grant program to allow properties that are residential in use to apply for grant funding and designated a separate pool of funding for grant awards to eligible residential façade grant requests. Properties that are exclusively residential in use (such as single family, multi-family, duplexes, townhouses, or rentals) are also able to apply for funding through the program. Properties may apply for up to 50% of eligible façade costs with a maximum of $10,000 request/facade. Applications are due on the following dates:
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announcements
now accepting downtown dollarsWe are excited to share the following businesses now accept Downtown Dollars:
upcoming meetingsThe Alpena Downtown Development Authority Board of Directors has its next meeting on Tuesday, May 7, 2024 at 3:00 pm at City Hall Council Chambers. Members of the public are welcome to attend in person or remotely with the link found on the agenda.
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facade grants now open
The Alpena DDA is looking for applications from property owners who are considering updating the facade on their building! The DDA received $400,000 to support facade renovation projects throughout the DDA district, including the newly expanded area.
Properties can apply for up to 50% of project costs in grant funding. The second deadline to apply for funding is Friday, May 24, 2024 at 5:00 pm. check out the dda's 2023 annual report
6 new businesses. 5 new apartments. $2,442,590 of private investment. $1,431,091 in grants secured by the Alpena DDA. Learn all about the growth that happened in Downtown Alpena in 2023 by viewing our Annual Report below.
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