March 15, 2005

LANSING – Governor Jennifer M. Granholm today announced that a $700,000 Brownfield Redevelopment Grant and a $300,000 Brownfield Redevelopment Loan have been awarded to the city of Springfield for the Baker Oil Redevelopment Project. The funds were awarded as part of the Jobs Today Initiative that will put thousands of Michigan residents to work by speeding up state and local construction and infrastructure improvement projects.

“Helping communities turn vacant or abandoned properties into productive properties is crucial to not only keeping our communities viable, but also to providing opportunities to retain and attract future growth,” said Governor Granholm.

The funding will be used to address the previously identified environmental issues that could adversely affect the property re-use. The project will redevelop a 1.7-acre site for the construction of a car wash and a commercial and professional office building. Future phases of the project propose the addition of a small retail food business and a second commercial and professional office building.

“Returning brownfields to productive use is key to Michigan’s environmental, economic, and land use strategies,” said Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) Director Steven E. Chester. “The DEQ is committed to working with communities to restore these properties to their full potential.”

Editor’s note: DEQ news releases are available on the department’s Internet home page at www.michigan.gov/deq.

Revised March 15, 2005 by Pat Watson