New Redevelopment in Highland Park, The Shops at Woodward Place

Site Name: Former Union 76 Auto Service 15502 Beech Daly Redford Township, MI ID #: 00019562

The DEQ cleaned up the former Union 76 Auto Service (Facility #19562) located at 15502 Beech Daly, Redford Township, by removing seven underground storage tanks in 2002.  The DEQ expended $371,982.18 at this site using Clean Michigan Initiative funds. This cleanup has assisted Redford Township in facilitating a redevelopment of this and adjoining properties, as announced by a press release from the Michigan Economic Development Corporation on March 13, 2007.

Medical Building LLC will utilize a brownfield Single Business Tax credit valued at $167,420 and state and local tax capture valued at $167,000 to demolish existing structures at 15502-15534 Beech Daly Road and build a new 12,000-square-foot facility to house pulmonary, physical therapy and family practice offices affiliated with nearby Botsford Hospital. The township will contribute approximately $1.9 million to the project which includes land purchase, road construction and façade and streetscape improvements. As many as 30 professional and support jobs will be created on total project investment of $3.1 million. The project was also supported by the Michigan State Housing Development Authority.

SITE NAME: Captain Oil Change 589 West Columbia Ave. Battle Creek, MI ID #:  13000362

LOCATION:  The former Captain Oil Change site is located on the south side of Battle Creek on West Columbia.

SITE HISTORY:  The Captain Oil Change site is an approximately one-half acre property that was the site of a former quick oil change business from 1980 to 1994.  From 1950 to 1980 the building was either vacant or used for commercial purposes.  The property was residential prior to 1950.  The building has remained vacant since 1994 and the property has tax-reverted to the City of Battle Creek.  Past operations at the site have resulted in environmental impacts that were detected during Phase I and Phase II Environmental Site Assessments that were conducted in early 1999.  The soil was found to be contaminated with polynuclear aromatic compounds, volatile organic compounds and heavy metals.  However, the horizontal and vertical extent of contamination was not determined.  The building was in very poor condition and had a variety of abandoned containers with hazardous substances in them.  There were also two abandoned underground storage tanks (USTs).

CLEANUP ACTIONS:  $20,000 in Site Assessment Fund grant monies were used by the City of Battle Creek to conduct Phase I and Phase II environmental site assessments in 1999. $161,772 in Clean Michigan Initiative (CMI) monies were used to: remove all abandoned hazardous substances from the inside of the building, complete asbestos abatement in the building, demolish and remove all demolition materials from the site, remove the abandoned underground storage tanks from the subsurface, excavate and remove all contaminated soils from the site and conduct a limited remedial investigation to ensure that all contaminated soils have been removed and that the site is clean.  This work began in September of 1999 and was completed in October of 2000.

REDEVELOPMENT:  The City of Battle Creek sold the property and a new 3 unit mini-plaza was constructed in 2006. Currently two businesses are located there, a Check into Cash and Papa Murphy's Pizza.  Grubb and Ellis is offering the middle 1400 square foot unit for lease. A total of 17 jobs have been created so far, and private investment made of over $250,000.

LOCATION: The project area is a 2,280 foot section of the Grand River located in downtown Jackson from the Holton Dam to a point just north of Louis Glick Highway. This section of the River is adjacent to commercial properties whose uses include restaurants, hotel, offices, a bank, and retail businesses.
SITE HISTORY: A concrete culvert was constructed in the project area of the Grand River in 1937 which diverted the flow of the surface water under a concrete cap. This action was an effort to reduce the odors associated with wastes dumped in the River upstream of downtown Jackson. The cap proved to be an acute health hazard to the community. Since 1978, there were six incidents where a child has been trapped beneath the cap and drowned. These deaths resulted in an outcry by the community to remove the cap and make it possible for a person to escape from the River. In addition to the public health improvements, removal of the cap promoted waterfront redevelopment projects, attracting more businesses and patrons to the downtown area.
The City of Jackson implemented a pilot phase of the cap removal project in the summer of 1998. A 300 foot section of the cap was removed and the river bank stabilized successfully. Contaminated soil was encountered, costing the city an additional $62,000 to remove and dispose of it.
CLEANUP ACTIONS:  The state spent $1,100,000 in CMI funds to assist the city of Jackson in removal of the cap and pay for excavation and disposal of contaminated soils along the river.  The project was completed in December 2000 with removal of the Holton dam.
REDEVELOPMENT:  Although these CMI funds were intended to abate an acute health risk, significant redevelopment has occured in the project area. Most notably, a new headquarters building for Consumers Energy was sited next to the reconstructed riverbank.

Zoning: Office/Commercial    Master Plan Use: Office/Commercial

Local Incentives: Several Incentives, including tax increment financing, were used to support the new Consumer's Energy headquarters.