TRAVERSE CITY — Media is invited to cover the Freshwater Research and Innovation Center’s “topping off” celebration from 9–11 a.m. Friday, April 24 at the Discovery Pier parking lot, 13271 S. West Bay Shore Drive (bay side of M-22).
A topping off celebration is a-time honored construction tradition, marking the placement of the building’s final structural beam. It is a milestone in the Center’s construction, which began in September 2025 and is on track for completion in spring 2027.
The $29.1 million project is a collaborative effort of Discovery Pier, Northwestern Michigan College, Traverse Connect, Michigan Technological University and 20Fathoms. From 9–10 a.m. these community partners and donors will sign the beam. At 10 a.m. the beam will be craned into place at the construction site across the street.
The 38,000 square foot facility is a landmark project establishing northern Michigan as the epicenter of water innovation and a globally relevant hub for the blue economy.
By co-locating working pier space, advanced laboratories and business incubation under one roof, the Center will serve as the home for water technology and marine mobility, where ideas become solutions, technologies become ventures and opportunities become careers.
The project has already secured more than $28 million in commitments from federal, state and private funders, with fundraising ongoing for equipment and the public exhibit space. Once complete, the Center is expected to draw national and international tenants, create high-wage jobs and generate research with global applications.
Visit freshwatercenter.org to learn more.
Release date: April 20, 2026
For more information:
Cari Noga
NMC Communications Director
cnoga@nmc.edu
(231) 392-1800 (Call or text)