Gas Lamp Developments Breaks Ground on Old Town Blackwood, a Walkable Village of Attainable Homes in Northern Michigan
Gas Lamp Developments Breaks Ground on Old Town Blackwood, a Walkable Village of Attainable Homes in Northern Michigan
Developers Kate and Rob Mead set out to build quality, attainable housing for the people who make their community run — and started by building a prototype on their own land.
Old Town Blackwood — townhome-style condominium design, Grawn, Michigan. Rendering conceptual and subject to change.
GRAWN, Mich., September 16, 2026 — Gas Lamp Developments has broken ground on Old Town Blackwood, a new walkable village of 38 townhome-style condominiums in Grawn, Michigan, roughly 12 miles from downtown Traverse City. Priced from $295,000, with a full basement plan available from $315,000, the community was born from a simple conviction: that it is possible to provide quality housing for the people who make a community run.
The project is the work of developers Kate and Rob Mead of RKMead Investments, LLC, who set out to create attainable housing in the same community they call home. The Meads believe everyone should do what they can to help a community thrive — no matter the season — and built Old Town Blackwood around that idea, pairing a timeless village feel with a price point that is uncommon for the area.
Rather than start with buyers' homes, the Meads first built a full prototype on their own property. That let them work out any kinks, refine the design, and prove out a way to manufacture the homes efficiently — delivering the quality and durability they wanted at a cost that is not typical for Northern Michigan. The result is a home built to stand the test of time, with quality materials chosen for the long haul: an energy-smart building envelope with an R-49 roof and R-20 walls, a durable metal roof, cedar-wrapped posts and railings, a Carrier high-efficiency furnace and central air, and a cozy site-built fireplace.
Each light-filled home offers two bedrooms, an attached single-car garage, and a versatile upper loft/storage option, wrapped in open-concept living designed for easy, low-maintenance life Up North. Interiors include a kitchen with peninsula and stainless appliance package, matte-black fixtures throughout, and a private covered front porch and upper balcony. The crawl space plan, priced from $295,000, includes one and a half baths and convenient upstairs laundry.
Buyers who want more room can choose the full basement plan, priced from $315,000. It finishes the lower level as a rec room with a full bath and laundry, giving the home two full baths and flexible space for a family room, home office, or storage. Both figures are base prices and do not include other options selected by the buyer.
Old Town Blackwood is designed as a true village rather than a subdivision — 38 condominiums set around a landscaped village green, with gas-lamp-lined streets, front porches, attached garages, a neighborhood dog park, and future neighborhood retail. Low-maintenance condominium ownership frees residents from the yardwork so they can enjoy all four seasons. Tucked in Blair Township, the community puts residents minutes from Traverse City, Cherry Capital Airport, Interlochen Center for the Arts, and the beaches, lakes, trails, and wineries that define the region.
Gas Lamp Developments recently broke ground, with two homes now under construction. The first homes are expected to be delivered this fall, and the full community is anticipated to be complete within approximately 18 months.
The community will celebrate with a public ribbon-cutting ceremony on Thursday, October 8, 2026, at 4:00 p.m. at the Old Town Blackwood development site in Grawn. Prospective buyers, neighbors, and members of the community are invited to attend.
Beyond the homes themselves, Gas Lamp Developments offers something that sets the community apart: hands-on guidance through the financing process. Sales and Marketing Director Kim Meek brings more than 25 years in the housing industry, including 15 years owning her own mortgage company, and works with buyers directly to help them qualify and find the right loan program for their situation.
A sales office is now open for prospective buyers. To learn more, schedule a visit, or reserve a home, contact the Old Town Blackwood sales office at 231-499-3467 or visit www.GasLampDevelopments.com.
Gas Lamp Developments, a project of RKMead Investments, LLC, is a Northern Michigan homebuilder founded by Kate and Rob Mead. The company is focused on delivering quality, durable, attainable housing for the people who make local communities run, building in the places its founders call home. Old Town Blackwood in Grawn, Michigan, is its inaugural community.
