The Freshwater Research and Innovation Center eyes this time next year to open
By Molly Cox | Feb. 21, 2026
A burgeoning industry is taking root in Traverse City: blue technology. While marine technology covers traditional engineering tools for exploring and working in marine environments, blue tech refers to the application of innovative technology to drive sustainability and protect marine environments.
The Freshwater Research and Innovation Center (FRIC) is a collaboration between Discovery Pier, Northwestern Michigan College (NMC), Michigan Technological University (Michigan Tech), 20Fathoms, and Traverse Connect. Next year, the 38,000-square-foot facility on West Bay Shore Drive will be home to several blue tech companies and at least two college marine science and technology programs.
We spoke to Matt McDonough, CEO of Discovery Pier, and Ed Bailey, the construction project manager, to learn more about FRIC and what locals can expect when it opens in early 2027.
History of the Site
For 70+ years, the land that the Discovery Pier and FRIC sits on served as a holding area for coal that was used to fuel Traverse City’s power plant. The plant closed in the 1990s, and the land was donated to Rotary Camps and Services to be transformed into a public space.
In 2016, a grant from Rotary Charities of Traverse City enabled the construction of Discovery Pier and a nonprofit of the same name. The pier is now a popular spot for the public to enjoy the bay whether fishing, picnicking, or taking a trip on one of the tall ships docked there.
After the transformation of the pier, the Discovery Pier’s board of directors began discussing what to do with the land across the road. “The directives from the board were to redevelop the site in a way that would help advance scientific understanding and stewardship of the Great Lakes, and do it with strong partners,” McDonough says.
To get started on this mission, McDonough first reached out to the Great Lakes Water Studies Institute (GLWSI) at NMC, which offers Associate and Bachelor’s degree programs in marine science and technology. (It also boasts 100 percent job placement for graduates.) Currently, the GLWSI’s main offices, classroom, and laboratory spaces are at NMC’s Aero Park campus, a few miles from the waterfront where their research vessel is docked. Moving the program to the FRIC will allow them to operate right on Lake Michigan and grow the program effectively.
McDonough then reached out to Michigan Tech and learned that they were interested in having a presence in Traverse City. An R1 research institution, Michigan Tech’s campus on the Keweenaw Peninsula provides direct access to Lake Superior. By partnering with FRIC, they saw an opportunity to expand their Great Lakes research and marine technology programming to the shore of Lake Michigan.
Traverse Connect and 20Fathoms then joined the FRIC team, recognizing it as a place that would allow blue tech companies to start up, grow, and ultimately expand the blue economy in Traverse City.
The next step was to define the path forward. As McDonough explains, “We said, let’s co-locate all this under one roof and have this place be a driver for blue tech education, innovation, and research and development.”
Fundraising began, including meetings with state government representatives in Lansing.
“The one thing we heard consistently from everyone we met with was how unique our project was, in that you have a small nonprofit like us—at that point I was the only staff person—a community college, a four-year university, an economic development entity, a tech startup all working together and collaborating around an idea. They were all blown away by that,” McDonough says.
FRIC was awarded $15 million in funding from the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA), and the idea started to become a reality.
Becoming a Hub for Blue Tech
Ed Bailey has a background in mechanical engineering and project management for new construction. He retired in June from NMC and jumped right into his role as project manager for the construction of FRIC.
“It’s going well,” says Bailey of the progress. “The building is coming out of the ground now, although it’s relatively slow because of the weather. It’s scheduled for completion in early 2027, so probably a February-March timeline. It’s currently on track and you will see steel going up in the next few weeks.”
Discovery Pier will remain open and its programs will run throughout construction.
As the building moves forward, “the goal is to attract both small and large businesses,” says Bailey in reference to the completed campus. There will be shared and individual laboratory spaces on the first and second floors, as well as offices, a classroom, and a spacious lobby with educational public exhibits. There is also space allocated at the pier for FRIC’s tenants to dock their research vessels.
Finding those tenants is one of the next key initiatives for FRIC, and one source is the NMC’s Great Lakes Blue Tech Challenge. The mission of the competition is to inspire, support, and fast-track early-stage businesses that are developing technologies and solutions for issues impacting the Great Lakes basin.
“Funding for that comes from NOAA, and we have been able to offer $60,000 in cumulated prizes for the award,” Bailey explains. “The idea is to provide a cash influx and make them [blue tech entrepreneurs] aware of this region as sort of a home, creating that economic development opportunity.”
FRIC partners hope to entice blue tech businesses to come to Traverse City and create a workforce pipeline via the college programs that will operate there. Ultimately, this could help to build up a stronger, year-round economy that isn’t as reliant on tourism.
“We want them [the local community members] to have a sense of pride and ownership in the facility and support this bigger effort to change the narrative for Traverse City. It’s known as this great place for beaches and cherry pie, but it also has a very entrepreneurial spirit,” says McDonough.
Building Community Interest
The team is also spending a lot of time (and money) to make sure the public lobby is a point of pride for the center, and that the multimedia exhibits highlight the important work being done there.
“It was important to us, Discovery, to not develop a research faculty where there wasn’t a public education component…we want the community to be really proud of what happens here,” says McDonough.
The 3,000-square-foot lobby is being designed by Bridgewater Studios out of Chicago, which specializes in creating high tech experiential spaces. “The plan is to showcase to the public the tech involved in marine and water technologies,” Bailey says.
After years of dreaming, strategizing, and fundraising, the FRIC team is excited to welcome visitors in 2027.
“We hope to host a public speakers’ series where we have university researchers, experts in different things dealing with the great lakes, and blue tech entrepreneurs,” McDonough says. “If folks are interested in what’s happening here, there’s going to be opportunities to become informed.”
To follow along with the building’s progress, you can check out the site’s construction cam and learn more on the FRIC’s website at freshwatercenter.org.
