August 18, 2005

The Department of Environmental Quality announced today that funds have been awarded to brownfield redevelopment projects in the Village of Spring Lake in Ottawa County and to Washtenaw County for a project in the city of Ann Arbor. The Clean Michigan Initiative funds include a $100,000 Brownfield Redevelopment Grant and a $260,000 Brownfield Redevelopment Loan to address environmental concerns and facilitate development at a former industrial site in Spring Lake. The Ann Arbor CMI grant of $700,000 and loan of $300,000 will assist with the redevelopment of Broadway Village at Lowertown.

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

The brownfield redevelopment funds were awarded as a part of Governor Jennifer M. Granholm’s Jobs Today Initiative that will put thousands of Michigan residents to work through construction projects. The projects announced today are expected to create over 600 new jobs for these areas.

The Lake Pointe project, in the Village of Spring Lake, will return a contaminated, abandoned, and idle industrial facility to productive use. The 1.26-acre former Graflax site to be redeveloped was previously used to manufacture machine parts. The funding announced today will be used to investigate the site for suspected contaminants, identify environmental issues, demolish the old factory, and perform the necessary due care activities required to reuse the property.

Following this work, an investment of at least $8,000,000 in private funds is anticipated for acquisition of the property, construction, and furnishings required for the development of 34 condominiums and a restaurant that is expected to create 20 full-time jobs. The Village of Spring Lake will create additional public walkways to complement the development and connect additional points on the Lakeside Trail that circles Spring Lake.

The Ann Arbor project focuses on a 6.4-acre property that was previously used for various industrial activities where work will focus on identifying environmental issues and performing the necessary due care activities required to enable reuse of the property. Once completed, planned development on the site will incorporate 145 apartments, along with office, commercial, and retail space, and a 640-unit parking structure. Other features of the development include public spaces for outdoor activities, broad tree-lined sidewalks, pedestrian improvements to the Traver Creek corridor, and stormwater retention.

Private investment totaling $86,000,000 will be combined with local and state funding for an estimated total project cost of $179,000,000. It is anticipated that this investment will create 582 new jobs in the office, commercial, and retail businesses that will be a part of this redevelopment project.

The Brownfield Redevelopment Program provides funding to local units of government for environmental response activities on brownfield properties where redevelopment is likely or proposed. Brownfield properties are vacant or abandoned properties with known or suspected environmental contamination. The Brownfield Redevelopment Grant and Loan Program was initiated in 1988, and has provided over $69 million for 203 projects statewide.

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

“Protecting Michigan’s Environment, Ensuring Michigan’s Future”

Revised August 18, 2005 by Pat Watson