Council adopts amendment to South Water Street Brownfield Plan to clear way for riverfront redevelopment

The Saginaw City Council on an unanimous voice vote adopted a resolution amending the city—s Brownfield Plan to include the South Water Street redevelopment at 107, 111 and 121 South Water Street, clearing the way for demolition, site preparation and infrastructure work tied to a private redevelopment.

The amendment, presented by Grace Smith, economic development coordinator with Saginaw Future, covers work needed to redevelop a riverfront block where a deteriorating multistory structure had become a public-safety concern. Smith told council the plan supports demolition, due‑care activities, site preparation, infrastructure improvements and landscaping needed to prepare the property for a proposed event center and two smaller outbuildings.

The project promoter has stated the private investment on the site is $21,000,000. Smith said the proposed development would include a 2,400‑square‑foot event center and two 300‑square‑foot outbuildings, and would activate a long-vacant section of the downtown riverfront.

Nut graf: The Brownfield program reimburses or enables recovery of environmental and site‑preparation costs that would not be incurred at greenfield locations; the council—s adoption allows those eligible costs to be considered for recovery under the plan for the South Water Street parcels and is a necessary step before redevelopment work begins.

Council discussion confirmed the parcels are contiguous and that the smaller outbuildings are expected to serve as restrooms; the planning commission previously reviewed and approved the site layout, a council member said. The council took a motion to close the public hearing on the plan before moving to adopt the resolution.

The vote: the motion to adopt carried on an affirmative vote; the clerk recorded no nays. The council did not specify additional conditions in the meeting record.

Ending: With the amendment adopted, staff and the Brownfield authority will proceed with steps set out in the plan to allow reimbursement-eligible site work; no construction schedule or firm development timeline was provided during the presentation.