[{"_1":2,"_86":-5,"_87":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,74],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},"mediaId",6552020,"mediaKeyId","5215013-46f4fb18a16b8549c9aa7ff66b995693","parentId",5215013,"title","Kalamazoo outlines redevelopment framework for 322 Stockbridge: up to 200 units and flood-mitigation plan","audioSeconds",1286,"startMs",2364000,"endMs",3650000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5215013-46f4fb18a16b8549c9aa7ff66b995693&start=2364&end=3650","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5215013-46f4fb18a16b8549c9aa7ff66b995693/thumbnail_2364000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6552020/Kalamazoo-City/Kalamazoo-County/Michigan/Kalamazoo-outlines-redevelopment-framework-for-322-Stockbridge-up-to-200-units-and-flood-mitigation-plan","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6552020-daa3d5c79e7be24b5f0550a6c88371dc/orig.mp4?Expires=1771159052&Signature=HyGl2ZMNJ5QIJLYBq1d~Q-y7rKcWS~~XBjh1IxZp-p~S4qtM7vG-nna2LjA8O0ResghR-dT7ADgZC4PjVrQ7ql5yS8VBTolp-7VmjM1Fo033xPmUkAI~Y65kD~GvSm8mRBFRwIlJunwC7fJz4xr8gmqQaKrvf6y3aWd5Dl7D1eG1q~AhLDZ-QPdnW~zfRi3jU5QatH4fChABKCsul-K3xYjO2CfySLTPugUwn1gvWhldu7Fji7AN5ikcLVcvSVHh5EDDeMQlbfdZnd2czDZegnfeodJRw8JdLEdexOnNQryVAdqd84JrHlOSequNxE50y~86U3hzXD8OBWeTsJQuSg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","","date","2025-07-07T21:00:50Z","article","Deputy City Manager Rebecca Kick presented a development framework Monday for the nearly 15-acre site at 322 Stockbridge that the city purchased for housing and neighborhood reconnection. The site study lays out two concept options — one that could yield about 200 units and a second with about 143 units — and identifies floodplain work, soil remediation and infrastructure needs as major implementation tasks.

Why it matters: The site borders the Edison neighborhood and is adjacent to local amenities including Upjohn Park, the farmers market and employers; the city purchased the property with site-acquisition funds and sees the parcel as a strategic opportunity to add a mix of housing types, increase walkability and reconnect the street grid.

Key elements of the staff framework: Kick said the team tested the city’s preapproved housing plans — including cottages, duplexes, quadplexes, accessory dwelling units (ADUs) and multifamily buildings — against site constraints and market analysis. The city set a working target of about 170 units for the site as a starting point; option A proposes roughly 200 units (including about 90 multifamily units) while option B proposes about 143 units (including about 78 multifamily units). Kick described a range of housing types aimed at multiple price points and lifecycle needs, and emphasized that many of the preapproved plans are already built elsewhere in the city to provide comparables for financing.

Flood and environmental issues: Kick said the site currently contains nearly 10 acres of impermeable surface, including a 38,000-square-foot building roof and extensive pavement. The team proposes removing impervious surfaces, reshaping topography and constructing reconstructed wetland/flood-storage areas along the east and south edges to mitigate flood risk. Kick said soil cleanup is required because metal concentrations exist in the site soils; she described the need to import clean soils before residential construction. \"We will be changing the topography of the site,\" Kick said, adding that the team expects to raise some areas but did not provide final elevation numbers in the presentation.

Infrastructure and implementation questions: The site contains a storm-water pipe easement that runs through the middle; utilities and roads will be required to make the site development-ready. Kick said those infrastructure costs and soil remediation are the major fiscal hurdles and will determine the project scale. She said the city will present more detailed civil engineering, topography and flood-capacity numbers as the design phase advances.

Timeline and community engagement: Kick said the design-phase work will continue through September–October 2025, with a community workshop planned through the Edison Neighborhood Association (meeting currently scheduled for July 21 or 22). Staff said they will use neighborhood feedback to refine a preferred plan, then determine lot configuration, development process and possible partnering approaches (including market-sale lots, small developers, community development organizations or community land trust arrangements). Kick said capital-investment sizing would be developed for future budget cycles and that city-level funding discussions could be brought into the 2027 budget process.

Financing and housing tools: Kick noted the preapproved plans are designed to enable FHA-eligible construction and other financing pathways; she and commissioners discussed down-payment assistance, developer capacity and mechanisms such as community land trusts to preserve affordability. Kick also noted the city has used programs such as site-acquisition funds from the Foundation for Excellence and has coordinated with engineers and the Army Corps of Engineers on flood-storage planning at other nearby sites.

Outstanding decisions and risks: Kick cautioned that unit counts could change after civil engineering and contamination remediation: \"once we get into civil engineering, would we change that? Would we lose 25 units or 10 units here or there ... that may absolutely happen,\" she said. Commissioners pressed for detailed flood modeling and for clarity on soil remediation costs, topographic changes and measures to limit tax impacts on adjacent homeowners. Kick said staff will post the flood report and supporting studies on the 322 Stockbridge project web page and return with more granular numbers.

Next steps: Staff will present refined plans after neighborhood engagement, publish engineering and flood analysis materials, and return with recommendations about parcel configuration, developer selection approach and capital implications.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","July 7, 2025 Committee of the Whole","oneSentenceSummary","City staff presented two development options for the 14.97-acre 322 Stockbridge site that would add housing and green infrastructure; staff emphasized flood mitigation, soil remediation and phased public investment, and will hold neighborhood engagement this month.","taxTitle","Kalamazoo City, Kalamazoo County, Michigan","taxId",3977,"location","headline","shortSummary",{"_33":75,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":76,"_41":77,"_43":78,"_45":79,"_47":80,"_49":81,"_51":82,"_53":83,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":84,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":85,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},6552025,"Kalamazoo unveils redesigned Arcadia Creek Festival Place with four-season, family-focused vision",1189,179000,1368000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5215013-46f4fb18a16b8549c9aa7ff66b995693&start=179&end=1368","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5215013-46f4fb18a16b8549c9aa7ff66b995693/thumbnail_179000.jpg","/articles/6552025/Kalamazoo-City/Kalamazoo-County/Michigan/Kalamazoo-unveils-redesigned-Arcadia-Creek-Festival-Place-with-four-season-family-focused-vision","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6552025-e121643348a323ed5bcf6d998d60f688/orig.mp4?Expires=1771159052&Signature=W2rkj0NxWVNlyheeJVIKn055PdJCraUg2o8A6MPC~OQgeH7tW29Rc2Rv2Ua1~13kH2U0~78cmGVFqW0MlA-lQzen88joi9VhJAp8RJFD8P64wz8Ys7FX66A3ArjSQ4Kc1WerzjRMrjF0GfY5DPFcjQklWHR2fHwLes1yj6kgMTOK3-7br~pzru7D46GJIhIzq8dUtbV7UMyGUSYYZKSwJ5rE3iRXhLsN0oj15Vce~eyd8jsIwxWMgX9X-xMYV02nqAfD6pm6LW5Xo5Fp0RADm4Qrstg4HQjNlfKZJ6vcsmI2GvJcBbkypva4lzszhU9xJcY5FVkDX8brBBCrGEzzqg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Deputy City Manager Rebecca Kick presented a preferred plan Monday for the redevelopment of Arcadia Creek Festival Place that would keep large festivals while adding everyday park amenities, improved creek access and a four-season program of activities.

The plan, developed through stakeholder charrettes, open houses and a steering committee, would reconfigure the site into distinct \"rooms\" including a terrace lawn with accessible seating, an open-air pavilion and a building along Kalamazoo Avenue for event support, storage and restrooms. \"We have raised $4,000,000 to start this,\" Kick said, adding that the city expects phased construction because that amount would not cover a building.

Why it matters: The site hosts major city events and is adjacent to downtown neighborhoods. The redesign is intended to preserve festival capacity — including possibly two stages — while giving residents daily park amenities such as a larger playground, splash pad, improved paths to the creek and universal accessibility to water features.

Most important details: The design emphasizes flexibility for both large and small events, universal access (including paths to the creek), reduced event costs through on-site infrastructure and lower-maintenance materials, and winter programming. Kick said designers tested three initial schemes and moved toward a combined preferred plan that concentrates event infrastructure along the north edge and neighborhood-focused park space to the south. \"You do not need to fence off the entire site\" for events with temporary alcohol licenses, Kick said, citing the Michigan Liquor Control Commission practice that event planners designate alcohol service areas rather than enclosing an entire park.

Funding and next steps: Kick said the city will receive final schematic documentation and an updated cost estimate in September and will schedule a one-day work session that month. An RFP for architectural services for the building is under way. The city hopes to issue construction bids by spring 2026, but Kick cautioned the project will be phased: \"that $4,000,000 would definitely not get us a building,\" she said, and additional fundraising — including sponsorship packages, foundations, crowdfunding through Michigan Economic Development Corporation programs such as Patronicity and philanthropy — is planned.

Questions from commissioners focused on timing, building uses and event logistics. Vice Mayor Rosemary Hess asked whether construction would begin immediately after bidding; Kick said the project team anticipates construction beginning in spring-summer 2026 contingent on final design and funding. Commissioner Decker pressed about the building's upper floors and whether they might include housing or offices; Kick said first-floor space is being planned specifically for park functions and concessions while upper floors are being left as a \"blank slate\" to be defined with a development partner. Commissioner Bridal asked whether nearby alleys and streets could serve as overflow or programming space for large events; Kick said tools such as opening Coopson's Alley would provide more flexible circulation without requiring additional street closures.

Operations and access: The preferred design calls for improved, lower-cost event operations by providing on-site storage, green-room and volunteer spaces to reduce the need for rented trailers. The plan also incorporates maintenance and repair considerations such as locally sourced fixtures. Lighting upgrades, improved globe-style LED fixtures and better creek-path illumination were cited as part of a broader effort to connect the festival site to nearby destinations, including the arena and Rose Street Plaza.

What remains unresolved: Kick said the team has not yet estimated the cost of stage infrastructure (sound, lighting and rigging) for the dual-stage idea, and the building square footage and life-safety requirements will be refined during schematic design. She said fundraising will include requests for sponsorships of discrete elements (playground, terrace, pavilion) and recommended a 20% endowment target to support long-term maintenance.

Administrative action: At the start of the meeting, Vice Mayor Hess moved and Commissioner Decker supported a motion to excuse Commissioner Cooney from the room; the commission voted in favor.

The commission will review final design documents, a cost estimate and phasing recommendations during a September work session, and staff will return to the commission with those materials for feedback.","Deputy City Manager Rebecca Kick presented a preferred redevelopment plan for Arcadia Creek Festival Place that blends large-event capacity with everyday park features, aims for full site accessibility, and includes a phased funding and construction timeline.","actionData","errors"]

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Kalamazoo outlines redevelopment framework for 322 Stockbridge: up to 200 units and flood-mitigation plan

Kalamazoo unveils redesigned Arcadia Creek Festival Place with four-season, family-focused vision