SkipStone Crossing is a new, thoughtfully planned community, employing the best practices of Smart Growth and New Urbanism in support of sustainability for our region. The five acre site is geographically located at the base of the Old Mission Peninsula midway between East and West bays. Conveniently located on Munson Avenue (US 31) adjacent to the Dennos Museum and Northwestern Michigan College, SkipStone Crossing is highly visible and easily accessible. The Civic Center, Munson Community Health Center and several churches, parks, beaches and stores are within easy walking distance.
SkipStone Crossing will draw on the character of Traverse City's famous downtown and residential neighborhoods, providing a rich mix of housing types, shops, services, offices and an upscale hotel. An intimate, human-scaled environment with a pedestrian orientation is achieved by hiding much of the parking below and behind the buildings, yet providing sufficient surface and street parking to accommodate patrons and guests.
A master plan has been developed that allows sufficient flexibility to adapt to the market and the specific needs of prospective businesses and residents, who can choose to own or lease an entire building, a floor or just a unit. Construction will be accomplished in phases, determined by space commitments.
Construction of an upscale 92 room, three story Cambria Suites hotel ( a Choice Hotels brand) began in April 2008 and is scheduled to open for summer 2009. The hotel will feature an expanded pool & fitness club that will serve hotel guests as well as other SkipStone Crossing residents and businesses. A comfortable food and beverage area offers a coffee bar, full-service bar, full breakfast buffet and quick-service dining.
The existing Best Western Hotel, immediately adjacent to the east of SkipStone, will remain in operation as it is today.
A cafe' and other shops will find a ready market for their goods and services in the nearby NMC students and faculty, Dennos Museum patrons, SkipStone occupants and residents of the neighborhood with approximately 8,500 potential customers within 500 feet. The orientation of the buildings (see Site Plan) is particularly ideal for street-level shops with offices above.
A three story, 24,000 sf commercial building is planned for the corner of Munson Ave (US 31) and E Front St with 8,000 sf of street level shops and 12,000 sf of offices above. Businesses will immediately see the strategic advantages of the prominent, central, in-town location on a major highway with high visibility, annual daily average traffic counts of approximately 20,000 vehicles per day and easy access.
A retirement community with approximately 146 independent living units designed for active seniors is planned. Each apartment home has a full kitchen, but meals are available in central dining rooms, along with cleaning service, maintenance, and other services, amenities and activities. The in-town location and proximity to the college, civic center, museum affords residents many opportunities for enrichment, unlike most retirement communities where the distance from town isolates the residents. Residents and employees will appreciate the basement level parking, providing security and protection from the weather, conveniently hidden below the structure. This phase will commence when economic conditions improve and the investors and funding are in place.
