College of Agriculture & Natural Resources Mass Timber

The Michigan Mass Timber Catalyst Program has awarded $350,000 combined with a year of technical assistance to boost the development of nine building projects around the state.

“Demand for mass timber is growing in Michigan, with more than 65 projects complete or in development statewide,” said Sandra Lupien, director, MassTimber@MSU at Michigan State University. “But this is still a new technology and early adopters need support to overcome commonly faced knowledge gaps. The Michigan Mass Timber Catalyst Program awards provide funding and support to help ensure successful implementation by these nine teams.”

“From a woodworking school in Adrian to a municipal building in Grand Rapids, housing in Highland Park and the Grand Traverse Bay area, to mixed-use facilities in several locations, we are pleased to see the interest in mass timber projects and are excited to encourage them,” said Patrick Mohney, senior lands program manager with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources’ Office of Public Lands.

Special UP application period

Although the nine teams represent an array of project types and broad geographical range in the Lower Peninsula, the initial call for proposals, which closed Dec. 22, netted no applications from the Upper Peninsula. Therefore, the catalyst program will open a supplemental call for proposals, making available $50,000 for projects in the U.P.

The supplemental U.P. application period runs from Feb. 9 to March 2. Those awards will be announced March 16.

Mass timber enables the construction of tall buildings – even skyscrapers – using wood in ways that were previously not possible. Beams and panels are made of layers of wood which are engineered to be both strong and fire-resistant. Both MSU and the DNR have invested in mass timber buildings: MSU’s STEM Teaching and Learning Facility on its East Lansing campus and the DNR’s Newberry Customer Service Center in the eastern Upper Peninsula.

Projects awardees

The catalyst program provides financial and technical support to project teams engaged in the early planning and design phases of new building construction projects that use mass timber as a primary structural or architectural material. Projects may include commercial, industrial, public/institutional, multifamily residential and other building types that demonstrate innovative and optimized use of mass timber.

The awardees are:

• Genesis, Highland Park: $60,000. City on the Rise Development, LLC plans adaptive reuse of an existing two-story apartment building.
• CoHab House, Lansing: $60,000. Part of the larger Churchhill Gardens project that includes housing and supportive services for older adults and veterans. 
• Daniels and Zermack Architects, LLC, Harrison Township Town Hall and Library: $45,000. Renovation and addition to transform three buildings into a single, unified structure.
• Sam Beauford Woodworking Institute – Enrollment Growth Project, Adrian: $45,000. Educational facility dedicated to skilled trades.
• The Hive Building B, Detroit: $40,000. Mixed-use anchor of The Hive on Gratiot, combining residential, retail and community-serving space in a six-story structure.
• Bella Vita Condos, Traverse City: $25,000. Developer Endless Roads LLC plans a mixed-use, multistory development at 302 W Front St.
• Kent County Administration Building, Grand Rapids: $25,000. The facility will house the county clerk and treasurer offices and core administration functions.
• MSU Research Foundation, East Lansing: $25,000. The foundation is developing a new institutional project on Crescent Road in East Lansing.
• Mixed-Use Building, Mt. Pleasant: $25,000. This three-story building from N18 Developments, leverages hybrid construction types.

Awardees’ project teams will become part of a cohort that will receive technical assistance by Woodworks, MassTimber@MSU and other collaborators to help them successfully implement mass timber in their projects. The program also includes public engagement and knowledge-sharing activities to promote best practices and accelerate adoption of mass timber construction in Michigan.

Contact: Sandra Lupien (director, MassTimber@MSU), 510-681-3171 or lupiensa@msu.edu; or Patrick Mohney (DNR), 989-387-8189

The Michigan Mass Timber Catalyst Program is produced collaboratively by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, Michigan State University's MassTimber@MSU, the Michigan Green Building Collaborative and WoodWorks, with participation from the Michigan Bureau of Construction Codes, the Michigan Bureau of Fire Services and InvestUP.

Funding to support this program is provided through a one-time State General Fund appropriation to the DNR in Public Act 121 of 2024. The purpose of this allocation is to aid in the development of a mass timber market in the state of Michigan.