State and local government discuss the success of brownfield projects in Michigan

TRAVERSE CITY - The Michigan Department Of Environment, Great Lakes, And Energy, Or EGLE, is responsible for funding Brownfield Projects through grants, loans or incentives throughout the state. It’s a program to clean-up environmental messes and redevelop properties for a new purpose. A roundtable was held at the village of Grand Traverse Commons In Traverse City today with state and local leaders.

Over the past 20 years The Village Of Grand Traverse Commons has been in redevelopment. This was possible in part from a $3 million investment from the EGLE’s Brownfield Program.

Phil Roos, Director of EGLE says, “This is a one of the best examples around, of the Brownfield Program where we do we clean up a site that is a public health threat and an eyesore and catalyze an effort that brings in a lot of private investment and turns it into this amazing neighborhood magnet for tourists and people in the community.”

The commons still have 5 to 7 more years of redevelopment. But so far it has provided 782 jobs and with the total cleanup investment of $128 million it has increased the tax base by $24 million.

Raymond Minervini, President Of Minervini Group explains, “I think it’s important to tell the story of how many agencies, how many people it takes to bring a project like this, you know, to get it off the ground. Without the financial incentives, without the, cooperation and approval of the local units of government on up the state of Michigan, none of this happens.”

With the success of the commons through the help of the EGLE, Director Roos is hoping that other communities learn from this project.

Roos shares, “We’d love to see this inspire other communities to transform their downtowns or adjacent to downtown, as we do here in traverse city, and to create new opportunities that will keep people, in the community thriving.”

For Traverse City- a hot topic is housing and Brownfield Redevelopments could have a hand in opening those doors.

Tony Lentych, Chief Housing Investment Officer, Michigan State Housing Development says, “The nice thing about the program. No. No property is off limits, no matter what the problem is. You might be able to find the resources for this program to fix just about anything. And if you can do that, they can even get clean to the point of where they’re livable.”

The goal of the Brownfield Redevelopment is to help create vibrant economic spaces for whatever fits the need in the community.

Roos says, “it’s a way to take a property that is maybe a public health hazard, that it may be a blight. It’s something that’s not attractive to people, and it’s to create all new economic activity and opportunity for people housing.”

EGLE says it has provided more than $150 million to 359 sites in Michigan, supporting more than 19,000 jobs.