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Kalamazoo to buy former Bright Eyes site on South Burdick for water‑system consolidation
Summary
The City Commission approved purchase of two South Burdick parcels for $335,000 as part of a long‑range plan to consolidate water treatment sites and install new transmission mains; commissioners said the work could require demolition of existing buildings and extensive construction in the neighborhood.
The Kalamazoo City Commission approved a purchase agreement Monday to buy 1156 and 1204 South Burdick Street from Burdick Crosstown LLC for $335,000 to support a planned consolidation of the city’s water treatment footprint.
City Public Services Director James Baker told the commission the purchase is intended to provide additional surface area and subsurface space near the city’s central treatment plant for new wells, larger treatment facilities and major transmission piping needed as the utility consolidates treatment that currently occurs at multiple sites.
“The consolidation plan calls for us to bring in additional stations for treatment at that one location,” Baker said. “We’re talking about more wells, and we’re talking about bigger treatment facilities.”
Why it matters: Kalamazoo’s water master plan, prepared under direction from the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE), compared alternatives including a Lake Michigan intake or consolidating existing stations. City staff concluded consolidation offered lower net present cost and greater precision in delivering consistent water quality across the system.
What the commission approved: The motion to approve the purchase was made by Commissioner Decker and seconded by Commissioner Hoffman; the roll call vote was recorded in favor by all commissioners and the motion passed. The manager was authorized to sign purchase documents.
Project details and neighborhood impacts: Baker said the work tied to consolidation will include drilling additional wells, installing large-diameter ductile‑iron mains (on the order of 24 inches), and other utilities that could require demolition of buildings in the immediate footprint. He cited ongoing consolidation work at other stations (stations 5 and 14) and said the city’s capital improvement program currently targets beginning major work at the central site around 2028.
Commissioners asked for sensitivity to small businesses and nearby homes. Commissioner Bridal said he supported the purchase but urged staff to seek “creative opportunities to avoid having to demolish small business storefronts” when feasible. Vice Mayor Jean Hess asked whether the acquisition would address local flooding; Baker said the parcel lies within a floodplain but that the larger floodplain issues involving Portage Creek and the Kalamazoo River require a separate, federal‑scale Army Corps effort funded through the 2024 Water Resources Development Act.
Next steps: Staff will proceed with the property closing and will integrate the site into planned capital projects, including transmission main replacements beginning in 2026. Baker said detailed design of the new footprint and public-facing amenities (he described the likely long-term surface use as passive green space) will come later in the capital program planning process.
Ending: The commission’s approval allows staff to secure land needed for the water consolidation program; the city will provide specifics on demolition, design, and community engagement as planning and engineering move forward.
