The race is on in Mason.
Developers and business owners are moving fast, working to meet the demand for people to live downtown in Mason's picture perfect square.
"Rental units in particular in Mason are in short supply," says Mason's city administrator Deborah Stuart.
Right now, there are a lot of projects underway, including something new for the downtown square: new construction.
In the lot currently rented by Ingham Today and at the lot next door, planning for a mixed use building is in the works.
"(They) have identified a tenant for the first floor, that's a restaurant, and the upper floors will be market rate units," says Stuart.
Down the block, the building at 100 East Ash Street is undergoing work. The goal is to get a tenant on the first floor, and to look up.
"That will be under construction in the next couple of months for three more units," says the city administrator.
Get ready to indulge, popular Jackson area pizza place Klavon's is moving north.
"They definitely are longer term likely next year when they would start construction," says Stuart.
And it's not just new construction, for historic downtown businesses, sales have been good.
It's not Mason without Kean's, and the general store has a new but familiar look after a fire halted business for six months.
"Business has been better, definitely better," says owner Teresa Wren.
The reception to the new space has been overwhelmingly positive.
"I still get people every single day that say this is their first trip back in since we've been reopened," she says. Kean's has been open since December.
She says two lofts in her building are going to be remodeled, and that all the other units are full. Developers have shown interest in the site where the former Baja Grille was closed after the fire.
"Mason has got so much going on right now," says Wren.
For the people who love Mason, it's an exciting time for a growing city.
