Historic Flint building to be transformed into restaurant

FLINT, Mich. — A vacant historic building in downtown Flint is set to begin a new chapter as a restaurant themed around the city’s 1936-37 Sit-Down Strike.

The property at 703 S. Grand Traverse St., most recently used as a law office, will become the Sit Down Taproom & Purveyor, an American public house-style restaurant and bar.

The building’s redevelopment is part of a grant initiative announced by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer in a Feb. 12, 2026, news release aimed at creating opportunities for housing and commercial space in Genesee County. The effort is supported by the bipartisan Revitalization and Placemaking (RAP) program and the Build MI Community (BMC) Grant initiative.

The project will receive a $250,000 BMC grant to support redevelopment costs and is expected to generate a total capital investment of $834,500. The City of Flint also approved local support in the form of a tax abatement through an Obsolete Property Rehabilitation District, with an estimated value of $100,000.

“It is inspiring to see a project that will both support the placemaking efforts in downtown Flint while honoring our city’s great history, and we are thankful to the Michigan Economic Development Corporation for supporting these efforts,” said Tyler Rossmaessler, executive director of the Flint & Genesee Economic Alliance. “The redevelopment of this 112-year-old vacant house will bring a new space for locals and visitors to gather and enjoy food, drinks, and community.”