Economic Development

Invest in Ithaca

The City of Ithaca partners with Greater Gratiot Development, Inc (GGDI) for full-service economic development services. GGDI, established in 1978, is a private non-profit organization devoted to the retention, expansion, and attraction of business & industry in the Gratiot Community. City staff works closely with GGDI, making business startup, expansion, or re-location projects come together as seamlessly as possible.

The success of this economic development strategy can be seen throughout the area, where you will find a vibrant mix of high-technology industrial, agricultural, commercial, and professional businesses. Hosting two Michigan Certified Business Parks and a Professional Commerce Park, Ithaca has plenty of shovel-ready property suitable for almost any size project.

Click on image to access fetchgis.com

Commercial & Industrial Incentive Programs

The entire City of Ithaca was recently designated a Michigan Core Community and a Low-Mod Income Community, which enables developers to access a number of local and state incentives for redevelopment projects, focusing on (but not limited to) our historic downtown district.

In 2005, the entire 100 block of Center St, encompassing the majority of Ithaca's Downtown District, was listed on the National Register of Historic Places, making historic renovations eligible for federal tax credits valued at 20% of eligible investments.

A list of incentive programs offered through the Michigan Economic Development Corporation include the following (not all incentives will be applicable to individual projects -- call us to discuss your specific project):

Downtown Upper-Story Rental Rehab Program

The Michigan State Housing Development Authority (MSHDA) offers a number of attractive incentives to communities to rehabilitate upper-story apartments in downtown areas.

Developers & Contractors

Industrial Parks & Renaissance Sub Zones

south ithaca industrial park info sheet 001

Ithaca Commerce Park

Success Story

ZFS ITHACA, LLC

ZFS ITHACA, LLC IS POISED TO TAKE OVER THE ROLE OF MICHIGAN'S LARGEST SOYBEAN PROCESSOR

ZFS Ithaca will be a 40 million bushel per year soybean processing operation, a 4.5 million bushel grain storage facility and a feed ingredients transloading site serviced by both rail and truck. The plant will operate 24 hours a day, 355 days a year and will process more than 28,000 bushels of soybeans a day.

Located in the beautiful city of Ithaca in central Michigan, ZFS Ithaca is expected to quadruple the state's soybean processing capacity and will impact agriculture in the state for decades.

The new plant will create about 75 jobs and is expected to raise the value of soybeans for producers, while reducing the cost of soybean meal, a primary feed ingredient for Michigan's livestock herds and poultry flocks. It will also bring several infrastructure upgrades to Ithaca and its surrounding area.