A project to install a mural, a cement pad, a picnic table and a bike rack in this space on Auburn Road between Deanna’s Men’s Styling Shop and Mr. Miguel’s Mexican Grill & Cantina will soon be underway if the city of Utica’s request for a Michigan Municipal League Local Economies grant of $8,000 is approved.
By: Sarah Wright | Shelby-Utica News | Published July 9, 2025
UTICA — A parcel between Deanna’s Men’s Styling Shop and Mr. Miguel’s Mexican Grill & Cantina will soon be developed into a small park area.
Utica city officials recently requested a Michigan Municipal League Local Economies grant of $8,000 for this project, which includes a mural by Kevin Gano on the adjacent wall of Deanna’s Men’s Styling Shop at 7654 Auburn Road, which faces the parcel and Mr. Miguel’s Mexican Grill & Cantina at 7636 Auburn Road.
“That little pocket park would include a cement pad, picnic table and bike rack,” Utica Mayor Gus Calandrino said during the City Council’s June 10 meeting. “The picnic table would be painted to thematically complement the mural . . . in the same color scheme, same design by the same muralist.”
The goal of the Michigan Municipal League’s Local Economies initiative is to help communities create more balanced small business ecosystems through researching entrepreneurship and small business support systems in southeast Michigan. Utica has since been granted the $8,000.
The grant requires all work to be completed no later than Sept. 30.
During Utica’s City Council meeting on June 10, the council unanimously approved a motion to accept the grant, subject to it being awarded to the city, as well as the unanimous approval to allow the mayor to enter into an agreement with the property owner to lease the wall space and place the cement pad and picnic table on private property.
Project plans should be covered by the $8,000.
Brad O’Donnell, Utica City Council member, described the project as “exciting.”
“It’s a cool project. I mean, if you look at the mock-ups and everything, it’ll be nice,” he said.
Calandrino recently confirmed that the grant was awarded to the city and work on the project would soon begin once paperwork related to the project was taken care of. Gano is in the process of working on a color rendition of the mural.
For more information, visit cityofutica.org.