The face of Liberty Street continues to change as McKinley begins to wrap up the renovation of the old National City Bank branch next to the Michigan Theater.

"We're closing up the street this week," says Frances Todoro-Hargreaves, commercial portfolio manager in charge of the project with McKinley. "We should finalize the project by July 10."

For years the building's façade matched the contemporary look of the parking garage behind it and the old TCF Bank regional headquarters a few doors to the west on Liberty. Then McKinley focused its attention on the center of downtown and revamped the ugly gray of the old TCF Bank building into the colorful McKinley Towne Center, complete with infill storefront space designed to look like downtown's traditional late 19th Century design.

It wasn't much longer until McKinley bought the old National City Bank branch and tore off the bland red brick contemporary street face. The new facade resembles a traditional downtown storefront with decorative brick and other masonry details.

McKinley is still looking for a tenant for the 10,000-square-foot space. The space is divided into two sections, so it could service two tenants or one large one.

"We are very flexible," Todoro-Hargreaves says.

Source: Frances Todoro-Hargreaves, commercial portfolio manager for McKinley
Writer: Jon Zemke