City agrees to sell Steel Middle School parcel to developer if redevelopment milestones are met

The Moskegan City Commission on May 12 approved a purchase-and-development agreement with Q9 Development that gives the city control of the former Steel Middle School parcel during initial phases and an option for the developer to acquire the school site only after specified milestones are satisfied.

City attorney Brennan Gorman described the agreement as a way to protect the neighborhood from prolonged vacancy if the developer failed to perform: the developer takes the housing-phase parcel immediately; the city retains the middle-school parcel until housing milestones and subsequent redevelopment steps are met.

Developer Rashard Thrower said the project will begin with new-for-sale housing and proceed to adaptively reuse the school property as a mixed community asset including a multiuse indoor sports complex, youth programming and other community uses. "We're looking to start up a nonprofit organization... put this into a community land trust and reduce the price of those homes," Thrower said, adding the developer plans a range of floor plans and price points and will explore lenders and a Q9 home-buyer program to lower barriers to ownership.

Thrower described the sports complex as the project's "crown jewel," proposing multiple courts, training space, a media/broadcast area and allied health partnerships for physical therapy and youth programming. Commissioners praised neighborhood engagement, conditioned continued oversight and emphasized the importance of local involvement in design and timing. The commission voted to approve the purchase-and-development agreement and will monitor milestones in subsequent reports to the council.