Doug Poland found more than networking at Developer Day — he found a roadmap.
Poland, an owner and principal of Blue Water Industrial Development LLC, had only recently entered the world of industrial real estate when he attended this year’s Developer Day, hosted by regional economic development organization
The Right Place. The event, designed to connect developers with municipal leaders and public-private tools, offered clarity and momentum on two major projects.
“It turned out to be literally the best program I’ve attended in a long time,” Poland says. “A lot of question marks I had were answered and filled in.”
Developer Day brings together more than 200 participants across the development ecosystem — city planners, investors, construction firms, engineers, and developers.
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The Right PlaceThe Right Place paired its annual Development Report with Developer Day to spark real-time conversations around emerging trends in the data.
It seeks to remove barriers to development by offering real-time connections and practical insights. One-on-one meetings between municipal leaders and developers allow direct conversations about zoning, incentives, and long-term community goals — a setup Poland describes as “speed dating for land use.”
The event came at a pivotal time. Poland is working on a 195,000-square-foot facility in Muskegon County and a 40-acre brownfield redevelopment in Spring Lake Township.
“These are my first industrial developments, so getting face time with the people who run programs like
MI Sites and the
Strategic Site Readiness Program was invaluable,” he says.
Filling knowledge gaps
The Spring Lake site, a former salvage yard, is among just 11 properties in Michigan selected to advance to the second step of the
Michigan Economic Development Corporation’s MI Sites initiative. Poland is also working with Lakeshore Advantage to secure state readiness funds and received support from the
Ottawa County Brownfield Redevelopment Authority.
“Being at the event helped fill out my understanding of these programs, and meeting Tim Mroz and Paul O’Connell in person was huge,” he says, referring to leaders at The Right Place and the MEDC. “They helped answer questions and made things that were previously unclear much easier to grasp.”
The Muskegon County project, located on a former prison site, will house Forming Technologies, a growing manufacturing company that had considered relocating out of state. Incentives from the MEDC helped the company remain in Michigan. Once complete, the facility will employ more than 100 workers.
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The Right PlaceDeveloper Day brings together more than 200 city planners, investors, builders, engineers and developers from across the ecosystem.
“That’s over 100 families supported by a building we helped develop,” Poland says. “In Muskegon, we’re turning a prison into a workplace. In Spring Lake, we’re converting a salvage yard into something productive. That’s exciting.”
Poland’s experience highlights the intent behind Developer Day. The event is timed to coincide with the release of
The Right Place’s 2025 Development Report, which compiles regional data on commercial, industrial, retail, and housing trends. The Right Place partners with brokers, municipal sources, and internal analysts to produce a comprehensive view of the region’s real estate market.
“We aggregate data to give developers a full picture of what’s happening across the region,” says Mroz, senior vice president of community development at The Right Place. “And by pairing the report with Developer Day, we’re able to roll it out to 200 people and have real-time conversations about what the data is showing.”
Attractive area for investors
The 40-page report, filled with charts and graphs, offers digestible insights for developers looking to invest or expand.
“All four sectors still show opportunities to invest,” Mroz says. “While national headlines focus on concerns about the office market, our vacancy rate in West Michigan is still several percentage points below the national average.”
Industrial development continues to be especially strong.
“Our regional vacancy rate is around 2.4% — the national average is nearly three times that,” Mroz says. “Most spec development is leased before it even comes online.”
Retail is also making a comeback. In the past 18 months, two of the region’s largest malls — Rivertown Crossing and Centerpointe Mall — have been acquired, signaling renewed interest from national investors. This month, it was announced that Breton Village shopping center was sold to Massachusetts-based WS Development.
“These large-scale acquisitions show that national retailers are seeing opportunity in West Michigan,” Mroz says.
Public projects are playing a role as well. Major investments like the riverfront amphitheater and downtown soccer stadium in Grand Rapids are already influencing nearby development. One example is Verdant, a residential project at the former Duthler’s Foods site that gained momentum following the stadium’s announcement.
“We expect those venues to have a spin-off effect on surrounding development,” Mroz says.
How Grandville uses insights
That ripple effect is visible in Grandville, which has used Developer Day as a platform to promote its downtown revitalization strategy and long-range planning.
“This year was great. There was a lot of interest in Grandville,” says Matthew Butts, Assistant City Manager. “I think the word is out that Grandville likes to find ways to make projects happen.”
Grandville is targeting reinvestment in its downtown and a key stretch of 28th Street, areas with aging, auto-centric infrastructure.
“Our intent is to highlight areas ready for mixed-use, multi-story development,” Butts says. “We want people living downtown — that drives more business, more restaurants, more retail, and more redevelopment.”
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The Right PlaceDeveloper Day attendees gathered for a networking reception following the sessions.
To guide that growth, the city adopted form-based zoning codes. These prioritize building design over strict use, giving developers flexibility while maintaining the community’s architectural character. Grandville’s master plan encourages first-floor commercial uses with residential space above, allowing buildings up to four stories by right and six stories with Planning Commission approval.
“It’s about enhancing the livable experience of our community while allowing property owners to see a return on investment,” Butts says. “That’s where the vision and the market come together.”
During Developer Day, Grandville showcased its new Commercial Rehabilitation District and met with Moxie Development, which is planning a three-story, 28-unit mixed-use project at 3066 Prairie St. SW. The city also spoke with other property owners about future potential.
Butts says the city’s relationship with The Right Place has helped accelerate this work.
“We see them as an extension of our staff,” he says. “What’s good for one community is good for all of us.”
Easing communication
Poland, whose projects span Muskegon and Ottawa counties, emphasizes the value of regional collaboration. After 19 years practicing law and a decade in development at Meritage Hospitality Group, he launched Blue Water Industrial Development with longtime partner Steve Wilson.
He says the move into industrial development fits his background. As a former attorney, he learned to navigate complex negotiations and sees clear communication as key to success.
“Ninety percent of legal problems come from a failure to communicate,” he says. “I try to make sure people are hearing each other clearly. That alone can eliminate a lot of problems.”
"Working with partners like Wilson and mentoring younger colleagues, including Mitch Nousain, his partner in Retail Development Specialists, LLC, another development company Poland owns that focuses on single tenant retail development in multiple states, also motivates Poland."
“This phase of my career is about taking all the experience I’ve accumulated and putting it into action,” he says. “I want to have a sense of pride in what I do and feel like I’ve made a difference and left something behind.”
Stories like these are just the beginning. See the full picture of West Michigan’s growth and potential in the
2025 Development Report.
This year marked The Right Place’s fourth annual Developer Day, a model now adopted by other communities to tap into the value of these collaborative events. Upcoming West Michigan Developer Days include Lakeshore Advantage’s Developer Day on August 7 and Oceana County Developer Day on Sept. 26.
Photos courtesy of The Right Place
This series, West Michigan Tech, aims to spotlight tech organizations and employers in the Greater Grand Rapids area that are delivering innovative programs, addressing talent pipeline challenges, and striving to develop, attract, and retain top talent in West Michigan. This series is underwritten by The Right Place.