JACKSON, Mich. — A community kitchen and a job center are one step closer to reality in downtown Jackson after council approved $2.5 million towards the Masonic Temple transformation.
“This is a really special building and we really want to make sure we’re using it appropriately,” Public Information Officer Aaron Dimick said.
The plans include a teaching kitchen in the basement and an open space on the first floor. Those spaces will come with a full kitchen, work stations, a walk-in freezer, storage space, office space and an elevator.
“That could mean catering. That could mean making something to sell in a grocery store or at a market, a food based business where you need a space to make your product and you don’t have it at home or you don’t have another facility,” Dimick said. “This is for businesses that are just starting out; small businesses that are owned by residents in the community.”
The kitchen will be available for residents needing a space to start and operate a small food-based business and to prepare residents for careers in the food industry.
“The idea is we incubate them, and then they are able to launch out from here and get a store of their own where they can make their products and hire more people. So this is a really huge incentive for people to grow their own business in the community."
The city purchased the 115-year-old building in 2017 for $100. Prior to that, it was home to the Jackson Mason Lodge until 1988 and then was acquired by Vermeulen Furniture in the 1990’s for additional showroom space.
When the city bought it, they originally looked to sell the Masonic Temple and the former Vermeulen’s building that sits next door as one property. Those plans changed during the height of the pandemic when the Jackson School of the Arts purchased the former Vermeulen’s location.
Since the city’s purchase of the Masonic Temple, they’ve put more than $2 million into preserving it.
“If it wasn’t for the city coming into save this building and preserve it for future development, it probably would have been in far worse shape than it is right now and we would lose this historic building, and long-term probably would have had to be demolished because it wouldn’t have been feasible to be redeveloped,” Dimick said.
Officials say the four-story building has a chance to have its upper floors developed in the future, which is to be determined at this point.
Support for this project came from other organizations such as the Jackson Anchor Initiative, Lean Rocket Lab, Grow Jackson, the Jackson YMCA as well as the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services Jackson County division.
In a letter to the city, Director Zoe Lyons said she sees this as a unique opportunity.
“I see the potential culinary program as a great opportunity for our foster care youth and those involved with the Juvenile Court as hope for their future,” she said. “Education received in the kitchen will enhance life-skills and provide students with meaningful certification for liveable-wage employment, which equates to a way out of poverty and a means for independence.”
Up next is construction which is still a ways away as there is no timetable for that to start. The city will also be looking for a non-profit organization to operate the kitchen and training center.
“We want people to understand that this is not money that we’re taking away from parks or roads or public safety,” Dimick said. “This is money that we have from the federal government to help our community recover from COVID-19 and to bolster our community.”
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