Cooley School, vacant since 2010, with scaffolding as masonry, window and roof work moves forward for conversion to apartments.
Cadillac, Michigan, August 31, 2025
The Cadillac City Council will consider a staff recommendation to hire Pinnacle Construction Group as construction manager for Blight Elimination Program (BEP)–funded work on the long‑vacant Cooley School. The $676,127 BEP grant will cover masonry, window and roof scopes that protect the building’s structure as it is converted into 23 apartments, at least 12 of which will be reserved for households at or below 120% AMI. City staff recommend Pinnacle as the single manager for BEP scopes with no mark‑up; Garrett Family Community Partners will pay contractor invoices up front and be reimbursed after completion.
What’s happening now: The Cadillac City Council will consider a staff recommendation to hire Pinnacle Construction Group, Inc. to serve as construction manager for the portions of the Cooley School redevelopment covered by a federal Blight Elimination Program grant totaling $676,127. The council meeting is scheduled for Tuesday at 6 p.m. at the Cadillac Municipal Complex, 200 North Lake St.
Why it matters: The overall redevelopment plan calls for converting the long‑vacant Cooley School into 23 apartments, with at least 12 units120% of area median income (AMI). The BEP grant is targeted to specific scopes of work that protect the city’s investment and the building’s structural integrity.
The State Land Bank Authority awarded the city $676,127 in BEP funds for masonry repairs, window removal/repair/replacement, and roof removal and replacement. City documents say the funds must be overseen in ways required by the grant, prompting the need for a designated construction manager for those scopes.
City staff recommend contracting with Pinnacle Construction Group of Grand Rapids because Pinnacle is already the overall construction manager for the Cooley project, and staff view having one manager for the BEP scopes as the most effective and efficient arrangement to coordinate contracts, schedules and compliance. The proposed arrangement calls for Pinnacle to perform BEP construction management with no mark‑up, meaning BEP grant dollars would be used for project costs rather than management mark‑ups. City documents state the city will incur no costs that are not 100% covered by the BEP grant.
Under the proposed payment flow, contractor invoices will be paid up front by Garrett Family Community Partners, the purchaser/developer entity tied to DKD Development that holds a purchase agreement with Cadillac Area Public Schools. Pinnacle would compile and approve all invoices submitted to Garrett and provide copies to the city. After BEP‑associated work is complete, the city will transfer BEP funds to Garrett as reimbursement.
City staff also recommend the council waive competitive bidding and award the construction manager contract to Pinnacle to meet grant requirements and reduce risk to the city.
The Cooley School building, built in 1923 and closed as a school in 2010, has been vacant for years. Local planning actions already taken include rezoning the site from single‑family to multi‑family, adoption of an obsolete property rehabilitation district, and creation of a brownfield redevelopment plan. Those steps were intended to make state grants and tax‑increment incentives available to address environmental cleanup, asbestos abatement and other redevelopment costs.
Previous project estimates shared during public meetings place the overall redevelopment near $4.7 million. Earlier ownership transactions and planning filings show a purchase of the school and annex and an original conceptual plan that included multiple apartments in the main building and annex. Environmental assessment and abatement work are part of the scope needed before interior conversions proceed.
The project has been framed as a response to local housing needs and as an effort to create “missing middle” housing — mid‑scale rental units aimed at working households. Public meetings have included strong views on both sides, with opposition raised over cost and scale and supporters pointing to the need for more housing. City leaders have cited housing supply and employee recruitment as drivers for pursuing redevelopment over demolition.
At Tuesday’s meeting, council members will consider the Pinnacle contract and also whether to set a public hearing for Sept. 15 on a separate item that would allow short‑term rentals in the B‑3 district by special use permit.
Plenty of sunshine. High 77F. Winds light and variable.
A clear sky. Low 48F. Winds light and variable.
Lots of sunshine. High 77F. Winds light and variable.
Clear skies. Low 48F. Winds light and variable.
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Pinnacle is proposed to manage the BEP‑funded portions of the Cooley School redevelopment, including masonry, window and roof work, and to act as the construction manager of record for those scopes with no mark‑up on management fees.
The city secured $676,127 from the State Land Bank Authority under the Blight Elimination Program to pay for the specified scopes of work.
Contractor invoices will be paid up front by Garrett Family Community Partners. Pinnacle will compile and approve invoices and provide copies to the city. After BEP construction activities are complete, the city will transfer BEP funds to Garrett to reimburse those payments.
The redevelopment plan calls for 23 apartments. At least 12 units will be set aside at rents and for households at or below 120% AMI.
The Cadillac City Council meets Tuesday at 6 p.m. at the Cadillac Municipal Complex, 200 North Lake St., where members will decide whether to award the Pinnacle contract and consider scheduling a public hearing on short‑term rental rules for the B‑3 district.
| Feature | Detail |
|---|---|
| Project | Cooley School redevelopment into apartments |
| Units | 23 apartments with at least 12 affordable ≤120% AMI |
| BEP grant | $676,127 from State Land Bank Authority for masonry, windows, roof |
| Recommended CM | Pinnacle Construction Group, Inc. (no mark‑up for BEP scopes) |
| Developer / purchaser | Garrett Family Community Partners (purchase agreement through DKD Development) |
| Payment flow | Contractor invoices paid by Garrett; city reimburses with BEP funds after completion |
| Council action | Consider awarding CM contract and possibly set hearing on short‑term rentals (Sept. 15) |
| History | Building built 1923; closed 2010; rezoned and placed in rehab/brownfield plans to enable redevelopment |
Contact for local follow-up: clamphere@cadillacnews.com
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