TRAVERSE CITY -- From Cass and Front Street to the Depot Property, Traverse City leaders are making big plans for the future of the area.

At a meeting Monday night, Traverse City Commissioners agreed to write-up a purchase agreement for the Depot Property near the library. If all goes as planned, in 30 days Habitat For Humanity and Home Stretch will be the new owners and can begin building a new affordable housing development.

Tino Breithaupt, the Vice President of Economic Development for the Traverse City Area Chamber of Commerce says this year there have been 18 expansion projects in the region.

Glen Arbor based company Cherry Republic is building a new three story headquarters on Front and Cass Street. Tuesday night the Downtown Development Authority began talks with the city about using Brownfield Redevelopment money to continue construction across the street for a civic square.

Brian Crough says,"That parking lot could be transformed into a civic square that would be available for ice skating splash pad farmers market friday night lights."

He says it would make for better traffic flow downtown."We are always having to close streets because we don't have that type of park downtown, so this would make it possible."

Traverse City is also one out of five cities in the state that was chosen to apply for the Next Michigan initiative. If both county and city leaders agree, the state will give Traverse city better access to tools that will help recruit businesses to the area.