R. R. Branstrom | Daily Press 510 S. 10th St. is one of several properties in Gladstone in the planning stages for new development. The new owners of this building, which used to be Colonial Cake Shop and Fairbanks Family Chiropractic, intend to turn it into a bakery.

By R. R. Branstrom

rbranstrom@dailypress.net

GLADSTONE — Sites in Gladstone are poised for rebirth and growth. New homes are being built, several new businesses have opened recently and others are in the works.

“Momentum” is a word that has been used in recent reference to Gladstone, which was an outlier in the 2020 census, with a 5.7% population increase while most other communities in the Upper Peninsula diminished. Though the U.S. Census Bureau estimated that Gladstone lost 0.4% of its population between 2023 and 2024, the city remains optimistic about growth and has been working on attracting new businesses and new residents to town.

Ten brand-new homes are under construction in Gladstone this year, which City Manager Eric Buckman said is about on par with a past growth spurt.

“When we had our building boom in the early 90s, we were averaging like 10 to 15 a year,” he said.

Surveying will take place this season at lots on Braves Avenue near the high school; Buckman said that the city has been preparing to start selling property there and that there have been “several contractors interested.”

Phil & Lee’s Homes is making moves towards developing property they own across from Cameron School. Plans for the Grand View Estates subdivision began in the late ’70s, but only about a third of the land ended up being developed — into homes on Parkway, Pinewood and Maple View Drives. Those residents can expect the woods to the east to be transformed soon, with ground likely to be broken in 2026. General Manager Trish Kidd at Phil & Lee’s confirmed that lots in the subdivision will be sold individually. Dynamic Design Group is the engineer on the project, which will be released for public bid shortly.

A building at 709 Delta Ave., which had been the Arcadia Inn for many years, has earned a $30,000 facade grant from the Gladstone Downtown Development Authority (DDA) to make exterior improvements. Lauri Beschorner plans to convert the upper floors into residential units and open a design studio at the ground level, relayed DDA Director Patricia West. Buckman said that Beschorner — who owns her own business in Castle Rock, Colo. that specializes in residential home design, project management, and flooring sales — has told the city that she’ll break ground on Delta Avenue in early autumn.

Other properties that secured facade grants from the DDA are Gladstone Eye Care 20 S. 10th St. and Superbloom Coffee House at 1016 Delta Ave.

Superbloom is one of a couple new businesses that sprung to life in 2024. Another noteworthy one a few doors down is Saunders Point Brewing, which opened in December.

New in 2025 and now operating are Sip 906 Nutrition at 921 Delta Ave. and Midd Bar and Lounge, which moved into what had been the Sand Bar at 903 Delta Ave.

At 918 Delta Ave., Da Vinci Spas is now open for consultations by appointment only. The business, which is owned by a family who recently relocated to Gladstone from Denver, Colo., designs custom stainless steel and copper hot tubs and pool bases.

A new branch of Peninsula Pharmacy — which has locations in Marquette and Escanaba — is under construction near Pat’s Foods at 117 N. 9th St. in Gladstone, which had housed Trotter’s Floral Touch for about 28 years until it moved across the street to 900 Superior in October 2018. The pharmacy should be ready to open in a couple months.

DeHooghe and Viau Plumbing and Heating sold, but the new operation includes some of the same faces. Still, stepping into a new era, the business rebranded as Gladstone Plumbing and Heating and leapt across the highway to 400 3rd Ave. N.

The place that had been home to Colonial Cake Shop for years may become a bakery yet again. The Zimmermanns are cooking up plans for 510 S. 10th St., which most recently been Fairbanks Family Chiropractic.

A unique floating restaurant aboard a docked boat is being developed by Josh King of K&M Industrial at 80 Delta Ave., in an area that had been zoned fully industrial. Though the rezoning to Planned Unit Development (PUD) was conditionally approved last year and things appear to be progressing, when the boat restaurant might be prepared to open is yet unknown.

Behind Gladstone Deli, a temporary sign has appeared advertising prices for Sunset Glow Tanning. The place would have several steps to go before being ready for customers.

In Van Cleve Park, the group of Native American statues that were recently restored and repainted are getting a new structure to cover and protect them, which is under construction presently.

At the Gladstone farmers market — on Delta between 9th and 10th Streets — permanent pergola-like fixtures have recently been raised.

To top it all off, though it wasn’t planned: a new “Welcome to Downtown Gladstone” sign, replacing one that greeted drivers at the western end of Delta Avenue as they turned off of U.S. Highway 2, will soon be installed. The previous sign was damaged by a vehicle in 2024, and the driver’s insurance will cover most of the cost. The new sign will feature the city’s recently-ado​pted logo and is being produced by Cook Sign Services from Marquette.