I2P signs purchase agreement for Alpena Mall
ALPENA, Mich. — I2P, which stands for Ideas to Production, is a company currently set up where the old Kmart used to be in Alpena Township. They work on giving manufactures what they need to produce their goods and expand.
Currently, they have two tenants in their building that have seen rapid growth. Company Representative Jackie Krawczak says, because of this, they needed to look at expanding their own facility. “The original intention was to actually have more office space in there, but it’s completely taken over with activities for these businesses to grow,” she said. “So, we realized that we need more space.”
I2p is looking at the Alpena Mall as the space they need to expand. In a press release on Monday, they announced a purchase agreement with the mall owner has been signed. Their next step is requesting a special use permit from Alpena’s Planning Commission, allowing portions of the facility to be used for warehousing, light and clean manufacturing, and commercial office purposes.
Krawczak says if the permit is approved, the number of jobs that would come with it would greatly improve Alpena’s economy. “Manufacturing in a community brings outside money into the community,” he said. “It’s not just spreading more dollars inside the community and that’s vital to the growth of a community. I know it’s sad to say ‘oh our mall,’ but on the other hand this gives us more opportunity to put more money and infuse more money into the economy locally.”
The special use permit will be presented to the planning commission on Oct. 12. As for the businesses in the mall, their current leases will be honored.
