The Man Behind Milan’s Downtown Renaissance

Dave Snyder believes in Milan. It’s easy to understand why, looking at the thriving downtown today. The shops are full. People are out and about for pleasure and commerce. Milan is the place to be. But it wasn’t always that way. The thing that sets Snyder apart is he saw the Milan of today when the shops were boarded up and the sidewalks empty.

Snyder, who has been instrumental in transforming downtown Milan into a destination, recently won a seat on the city council, reinforcing his deep commitment to the area's future. Fifteen years ago, Snyder was called to Milan by a family connection, which led to him taking on a project that would eventually redefine the cityscape.

Snyder recounts, "I got asked to come here 15 years ago to open a bakery with my nephew. Within a year or two, the buildings that the bakery was in were in foreclosure, so I purchased the buildings." His purchase of a quarter of the row of buildings marked the beginning of a transformative journey for downtown Milan, driven by Snyder's vision.

The project was ambitious, involving state, federal, and banking partnerships. "It was about a five-year process. This was a blighted block of Milan, one business in the eight storefronts, and nobody living up above," Snyder explains. The extensive renovation went back to the brick walls, stripping away years of modifications to restore the buildings' historic charm.

The reconstruction, completed in May 2016, was a success. "We opened the apartments and had all the apartments rented within three months. Not one has been vacant for lack of a tenant any day since," Snyder shares, illustrating the desirability of living in downtown Milan.

Snyder's efforts weren't just about buildings but also about fostering a thriving business community. "Rachelle, the owner of Northern Chicks, was actually the very first of those businesses. She led the way, and we filled in all the other spaces," he says. “All of the tenants are pretty much the original tenants that moved here with one exception.”

With that, Snyder has set his sights on three buildings across the street. He follows the same plan of stripping down the units and refurbishing them with a nod to their history. “Some of those apartments above hadn’t been occupied since before the Second World War,” he says. “Two apartments have woodwork from 1900. We took it down, cleaned it up, and put it back in place. We’ve removed the gray paint from the exterior to show the original brick.”

His connection to Milan runs deeper than just business. "I never lived in Milan until the beginning of the construction project,” Snyder says. “But this feels more like home than any place I've been in as an adult." He notes the surrounding healthy communities and sees the same potential for Milan, "a nice town with beautiful parks and good schools."

With over 27 storefronts undergoing significant restoration, Snyder sees a collective acknowledgment of Milan's potential. "A lot of people have recognized that there's potential in this community," he states.

Looking forward, Snyder's optimism for Milan's growth is unwavering. "It's got a really bright future. I expect we'll find ways to make the community grow, build momentum in housing so that we're completely filling our schools and using the city services."