More apartments and retail space are coming to downtown Jackson next year in the former Beffel Lighting building. In a Tuesday, Sept. 27 meeting, The Jackson City Council unanimously approved of a resolution to allow the 208 S. Jackson Street property to participate in an Obsolete Property Rehabilitation Exemption Certificate (OPRA) to aid in development.

JACKSON, MI – Tax incentives will help apartments and retail space planned for downtown Jackson next year in the former Beffel Lighting building.

In a Tuesday, Sept. 27 meeting, The Jackson City Council unanimously approved a resolution to allow the 208 S. Jackson Street property to participate in an Obsolete Property Rehabilitation Exemption Certificate to aid in development. The OPRA will help developers get the building up and running back to public use, co-owner Jake Cross said.

“Personally, I’m just excited to actually have, what it feels like, a stake in downtown Jackson,” Cross said. “I’m a part of the growth in Jackson and we are investing in the continued revitalization of downtown.”

Cross and his dad Clarence Cross gained ownership of the building in August with hopes of moving Cross’ media business Voyager Film Co. into the space. Currently, the business is in the Lean Rocket Lab business incubator space, 133 W. Michigan Ave., but the growing company needed more space, he said.

They began just looking for a building to suit Voyager Film Co., but, when the pair came across the former Beffel Lighting building, they decided it was the perfect fit for them to use and to lease out to others, Cross said.

The building was built in 1912 and had been home to Beffel Lighting since the 1940s until it closed in 2019.

Related: Downtown Jackson business turning off lights for good after 92 years

President Pat. Beffel, Jr. sold the building to General Capital, which developed the Albert Kahn Apartments in the former Jackson Citizen Patriot building next door. The building was then sold to a private developer before Cross and his father gained ownership.

All three floors of the building will be utilized, Cross said. While they are still in the design phase with an architect, they are hoping for storefront space on the first floor and some apartments on the second and third floors, he said.

Plans call for the first floor to be separated by two storefronts. The space in the back, around 670 square feet, will be used for Cross’ business. The one in the front is 571 square feet.

Cross has been working with residents at Albert Khan Apartments about what they would like to see in the building, he said.

“I think there’s a good number of businesses that could thrive there,” Cross said. “I think based off of the structure, we’ve been told that it’s well suited for a boutique, or maybe like a deli or something food related that doesn’t require like a large kitchen would be possible.”

The second floor will contain apartments, one a one-bedroom and the other a two-bedroom at. These will be 539 square feet and 654 square feet, respectively. The third floor will house a 624-square-foot one-bedroom apartment.

Cross and his dad are new to redeveloping a building like this, but they are up to the challenge and are taking all of the help and advice they can get, Cross said.

“It’s probably taking us longer and we’re taking a lot more extra steps and asking way more questions because this is our first time,” Cross said. “But, everyone that we’ve talked to has been eager to sit down with us, answer the loads of questions that we have and it’s been a great experience so far.”

Developers hope to start construction sometime in December and plan to the building open in August 2023.

Cross and his dad are seeking to invest around $500,000 in the building. He is seeking grants from the Michigan Economic Development Corporation and other sources.

OPRA is a tax incentive given to developments who convey the positive economic impact of a property that is vacant and needs to be brought back to use by the community, Jackson City Spokesman Aaron Dimick said. It gives a tax reduction to the certificate holder of 50% of their taxable value, he said. This tax reduction would last 12 years.

“The idea is that having a tax reduction for a specific property will enable the developer to upgrade the property in a more timely and cost-effective manner,” Dimick said.

While the plans are in the early stages, Cross said he is excited to hear how much discussion has been happening from the building’s neighbors.

“They’re excited to get some use to the building, but also to get a storefront that they can utilize as well. That’s been most of the buzz we’ve been hearing,” Cross said.

More from the Jackson Citizen Patriot:

Napoleon volleyball player Keegan Schoendorf selected as Athlete of the Week

Meet the candidates running for Northwest School Board in November

Knocking down barriers is what retiring Jackson library director is most proud of

Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist visit to Jackson College highlights plan to seek state funding

Jackson County Courthouse public services closing for systems upgrade

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