Developer cancels $23 million La Piazza project in Grand Blanc

GRAND BLANC, Mich. (WNEM) — A planned $23 million mixed-use development in Grand Blanc will not move forward after the developer and property owners failed to reach an agreement.

Developer Chuck Sekrenes said the La Piazza project, first announced in March 2025, has been canceled. The development would have brought a 47,000-square-foot complex to South Saginaw Street, combining restaurants, retail, offices and apartments.

“I’m sorry that it didn’t happen. I feel bad that we couldn’t pull it off,” Sekrenes said.

The project planned to include the properties of the Crossbow Inn and Ziggy’s Ice Cream of Grand Blanc. Sekrenes said the owners of Ziggy’s Ice Cream are divorcing, and negotiations over the property broke down.

“Within the last year, they decided that they’re getting a divorce. And we tried to negotiate a little bit. We tried renegotiating again. And for what they feel it’s worth, it’s not even feasible to make this project work,” Sekrenes said.

Sekrenes said the owners of Ziggy’s Ice Cream want $2 million for their portion of the property on the La Piazza site. That is over $1 million more than what Sekrenes is willing to pay.

Smaller project planned

Sekrenes said he still plans to develop the Crossbow property, which he already owns.

“We will end up doing a version of a mixed-use on that site there, but probably not more than 12,000 square feet. Where La Piazza was going to be almost 47,000 square feet,” Sekrenes said.

Sekrenes said he is working on additional projects in the area, including one in Grand Blanc Township. He said that development will include a restaurant and an Irish pub.

“It’ll have a restaurant. It’ll have hopefully an Irish pub. And it’s going to have something I think that everyone is going to be excited to see come to town, but I can’t tell you what it is yet,” Sekrenes said.

Sekrenes said an announcement on the Grand Blanc Township development could come in 30 to 60 days.

The owner of Ziggy’s Ice Cream of Grand Blanc did not respond to a request for comment.