The Grand Valley Chapter of the American Institute of Architects has recognized the toilet and shower building at Grand Haven State Park with its Sustainable Design Honor Award. This innovative building uses sustainable design features such as natural ventilation, daylighting and recyclable and natural materials. Designed and built according to LEED standards, it is a prototype for future state park buildings.

The Toilet and Shower Building at Otsego Lake State Park uses many of the same sustainable design principles as the Grand Haven Toilet and Shower Building, this version incorporates site-specific features such as rain gardens to handle runoff, and uses a slightly different palette of materials in keeping with its wooded site.

The project utilized many "green" technologies including wind turbines, solar tubes, motion light sensors, timed showers and low flow water and toilet fixtures. The marina includes 134 slips, fuel sales, sanitary pump-out, a three lane boat ramp, Harbormaster building, park and areas to shore fish on Lake Huron.

The harbor re-purposed a former "brownfield" in Mackinaw City. A brownfield is a piece of industrial or commercial property that is abandoned or underused and often environmentally contaminated. In this case the harbor development used land that had previously been the site of oil storage tanks and a transfer station for an oil company.