BNSD profiles some of the current market makers working to change the brownfield redevelopment landscape in Michigan.

Mayor George Heartwell
Grand Rapids

Background: Now in his second term as mayor, Heartwell has transformed Grand Rapids into one of the nation’s greenest cities through a number of environmental measures, including alternative fuels for city vehicles and renewable resource energy. The United Nations recognized Grand Rapids as a Center of Expertise in sustainability.

Motivation: What began as a passing interest for Heartwell became a passion during his first term in office, when he assembled the Mayor’s Environmental Advisory Council, a group of 30 environmentalists from across the country. When he ran for a second term in 2007, environmental issues were the centerpiece of his campaign.

Most Memorable Project: A $150 million medical complex with doctors’ offices, a medical building for Michigan State University students and a hospital hotel for patients’ families. The complex, which used $12 million in brownfield credits, is being built concurrently with another project, a 340-room JW Marriott in the city’s downtown district.

Future of Brownfield Redevelopment: With over $800,000 of private sector money contributing to 65 projects in various stages of completion and 6,677 new jobs, the future is looking rather bright for the former Furniture City. Heartwell says Grand Rapids will stay on course with the three-part objective of restoring degraded sites, putting people to work and strengthening the economy. “It’s simple, but profound,” he says.

Definition of Sustainability: “It’s a simple definition: we leave the Earth and its resources better than we found it for future generations. I use the term ‘balanced triple bottom line’ and tried to add balance, because while most of us come at it from the environmental side, we must pay attention to the social dynamic, and that includes the well-being of people. If we’re going to be sustainable, we have to pay attention to those three.”

Susan Sandell
Grant Administrator, Environmental Stewardship Grant and Loan Unit, Environmental Science and Services Division, MDEQ

Background: Sandell was working for the secretary of state’s office when she realized it wasn’t the place for her. After a stint in the Peace Corps, she returned to Michigan and used an old college connection to get appointed to then-governor John Engler’s Council of Environmental Quality. She later joined the MDEQ in the state’s Voluntary Cleanup Program. “There was a lot of learning in the first year,” says Sandell, who holds a degree in political philosophy from Michigan State University. “I was trying to figure out what the heck I was doing so I’d go out into the field and watch guys drill wells.”

Motivation: For Sandell, it’s the challenge that keeps her going. “Every day, there’s something different, a new twist and new people to meet. This job has taught me to be flexible and really think creatively when looking for ways to solve a problem. I started off as a bureaucrat, but I’ve come to look at things differently.”

MOST MEMORABLE PROJECT: Grand Traverse Commons, a “gothic, Tim Burton-like” building that was abandoned for 25 years. After receiving a $2 million brownfield grant to tackle the peeling lead paint, break-ins and graffiti, the site has become the town’s showpiece.

Future of Brownfield Redevelopment: Though Michigan’s current budget crisis has caused a slight drop in demand, the work isn’t slowing down for Sandell, who says that her department is seeing more small projects as the state continues to offer more incentives.

Definition of Sustainability: “Living in balance economically and environmentally. Not too many do, but it would be nice if most people would. I like the idea of living in balance. I hope it’s not a flash in the pan, but it’s really trendy now.”

Joe Hooker
Development Services Manager,
The Christman Company

Background: Hooker entered the business 10 years ago, after receiving an MBA from the University of Michigan. He spent several years as project manager for an office and retail developer before joining the Christman Company, where he has managed the real estate division since 2002.

Motivation: “It’s great to build something and watch it come to life and help your community.”

MOST MEMORABLE PROJECT: The $200 million Michigan Street development project in Grand Rapids, which is nearing completion. Hooker says he enjoys being part of a project that will change the city’s economy.

Future of Brownfield Redevelopment: “Michigan, like many states, has a tremendous amount of brownfield opportunities, so I think we’ll continue to use existing infrastructure instead of trying to keep up with outrageous costs of upkeep. The overall economy has been affected. You’ve got lower rents, greater vacancy rates, and that makes the ability to use these programs all the more important.”

Definition of Sustainability: “Making the best practical choices to lessen the impact the environment has on the community. The Christman Company is extremely committed to this.” (Their new headquarters, the old Mutual Building in Lansing, will be LEED certified.)

Sen. Randy Richardville
17th District

Background: Richardville recently completed his first term as state senator of Michigan’s 17th District, which spans three counties. He served in the state House of Representatives for six years, his last as the second ranking leader on the House Majority Floor. He was also involved in the launch of the Green Michigan Initiative last year, a measure that focuses on several environmental issues, including waste disposal and the development of green energy alternatives.

Motivation: “We have a moral responsibility to take care of the environment, and sooner or later we have to reduce the amount of energy we use. Our challenges—economically—are to create jobs and entice companies to come here while working to reduce urban sprawl. Politicians and governments don’t create jobs, but we can create an environment for companies to create jobs.”

Most Memorable Project: Mason Run, a site that played an important role in the War of 1812. Used as a paper mill for generations, it is now a housing development.

Future of Brownfield Redevelopment: “We’ve got to continue to reinvest in our cities, and we’re doing that by taking these places and making them fun places to work, live and play. Essentially we want to preserve national resources while preserving infrastructure.”

Definition of Sustainability: “Using what we need but replenishing it before it’s gone.”

Bruce Moore
Brownfield Grant Administrator, MDEQ

Background: Moore’s ties to the area go back to the 1800s. He holds a bachelor’s in resource development and a master’s in geography from Michigan State University. Moore has worked on environmental cleanup programs since 1991. He was working in the Superfund program when the director of the MDEQ asked him to become grant administrator.

Motivation: “In Michigan, heavy industrial uses have caused problems for urban communities. When heavy industry moves out of the area it creates significant issues—social, economic and environmental. As a government employee, I’m providing a public service and that inspires me. And it’s nice to be an unofficial promoter of a water wonderland.”

Most Memorable project: “The Detroit Riverfront Promenade has been a very rewarding project. It was a city idea, but it was something we were able to participate in as a partner. We were able to assist the city in its effort to refocus its vision on the river. If you look at what it was and what it turned into, it’s an amazing transformation.”

Future of Brownfield Redevelopment: “We still have a lot to get done, at least in the industrialized north, because there are a lot of places we haven’t found yet. We’re going to continue to see a lot of change in terms of manufacturing complexes being retooled. Another area we need to delve into is renewable energy and how to incorporate it into redevelopment projects.

“The budget crisis is certainly going to impact our program and the crash could be right around the corner; if not this year, then next year. We won’t be able to continue state cleanup projects, and when the incentives disappear for investors, the private sector will stay away from these projects. Currently, there are discussions of various scenarios but nothing concrete yet.”

Definition of Sustainability: “When we start talking about sustainability, we need to look at renewables on a development-by-development approach. How can we create a low-carbon impact development and start imposing those things on future developments? If we can incorporate greening into the redevelopment process, projects become more attractive. Ann Arbor is beginning to look at ways to do this, but without government subsidies it will be hard. We need to do all we can do, even on a smaller level.”

Susan Erickson
Unit Chief for Environmental Stewardship Grant and Loan Unit, Environmental Science and Services Division, MDEQ

Background: Erickson was with Nonpoint, a water quality program, for 10 years when the department was folded into the brownfield division of the MDEQ. A biologist accustomed to wading in streams to perform assessments, she went from wearing hip waders to protective suits, assessing PCB-contaminated warehouses. It’s a scenario the Michigan State University grad never imagined while growing up in Rockford, Ill. “My dream job was being a marine biologist,” she says.

Motivation: “What keeps me going are the successes, when we’re able to help a firm reuse a contaminated site, and when they hire locally, which increases the area revenue. Being a part of it is a great thing. Private sector people are just as passionate as the public sector.”

Most Memorable Project: “I just manage the programs, but one that comes to mind is the one I’ve seen most recently in Grand Haven, called Grand Landing. It was a huge project with lots of public and private involvement. There’s a huge boardwalk along Lake Michigan and the river, and new buildings with retail shops and condos. There are even heated pavements, which helps with snowy winters. It looks like it’s going to be hugely successful.”

Future of Brownfield Redevelopment: “It’s got to sustain. We have to diversify. Our largest industry is tourism and people are realizing that the tourism is dependent upon our environment. If we continue with sprawl, we’re going to lose. Change is tough, but necessary.”

Definition of Sustainability: “We’re going to have an economy that will be productive but not degrade our environment or resources. You can see the rest of the country following in-step. Sustainability is going on in most major cities, so it can’t be a fad. Everything is economy driven.”

George Jackson
President, Detroit Economic Growth Corporation (DEGC)

Background: The Navy veteran began his career with DTE Energy in 1984, serving as director of economic development until 2002, when he took a leave of absence to run DEGC. Eventually, he retired from DTE and never looked back. Jackson, a native Detroiter and father of three, is president of the city’s community development office. He’s an alumnus of Oakland University and Central Michigan University.

Motivation: “I was always very civic-minded as a young man growing up, and I just get really excited about transforming the city. I graduated with two degrees before discovering economic development. I always wondered how to make the city better.

“The riverfront was a big thing when I was a kid. One of the bigger issues then was figuring out a way to get the silos off the riverfront. Forty years later, I was the chief negotiator of that deal, and it was great to be a part of that. I would like to leave behind a legacy of good work.”

Most Memorable Project: “There are so many: the Book Cadillac Hotel, the East Riverfront condo development, the Springwells industrial park, which has new infrastructure and a new rail system. We’re so good at redevelopment they may have to change the rules.”

Future of Brownfield Redevelopment: “The creative industry is the future. We’ve had a few marketing associates move here and they love it. The younger professionals love to experience the city. Here, they can walk everywhere, from the Fox Theatre to the football stadium. They went from kicking and screaming to becoming our best recruiters. In certain parts of the city there’s a demand for housing, so most conversions are residential projects. Detroit has been leading the state in housing starts. Entrepreneurs are coming in and building homes. We’re also seeing lots of mixed-use projects. We did 91 projects and only used $12 million. So urban living is alive and well.”

Definition of Sustainability: “Something environmentally neutral. We’re big on that in regard to the riverfront; the construction will contain sustainable elements. The idea is going to become more feasible from a financial standpoint, though. You’ll begin to see more as it becomes less expensive.”

John Kerr
Director of Economic Development and Grants Management Detroit/Wayne County Port Authority (DWCPA)

Background: A high school project sparked Kerr’s interest in economic development and, after meeting several city leaders, he became hooked. A lifelong Detroiter, Kerr studied urban and regional planning at Michigan State University and recently graduated from MSU’s School of Public Policy and Social Research in the Michigan Political Leadership Program.

With the port authority since 1998, he has helped secure grants for numerous projects, including a $3 million waterfront redevelopment grant through the state’s Clean Michigan Initiative.

Motivation: “I’d love my kids to see the things I’ve worked on, the things I’ve done, and I guess I’m a pretty loyal guy when it comes to this city. A lot of the people who left are returning now, a lot of the baby boomers are turning towards urban areas and returning to the urban lifestyle. I want to be prepared to contribute toward that.”

Most Memorable Project: “We’re currently developing a 20,000-square-foot dock and terminal in the city’s main civic area, and it’s going to create a whole new visibility for the DWCPA. We’re building facilities that can accommodate water traffic. It’s tough to drive the waterfront from end to end, but by water, it puts the City of Detroit in a whole different light. There have been so many people who have contributed to this. No one could’ve done this alone. It’s a very challenging project, but I think it will be the most rewarding one I’ve done.”

Future of Brownfield Redevelopment: “It’s going to be a much more integrated process. And if we want to lure alternative energies, etc., we’ll have to encompass all aspects of redevelopment. Our brownfield program wouldn’t be doing much of anything if we didn’t have the partnership and support of the City of Detroit, Wayne County and the State of Michigan.”

Definition of Sustainability: “It’s maintaining our resources without compromising them for future generations. My time is going to be small compared to my kids. They’re going to be a part of this city. I hope we are more careful with how we deal with vacated buildings or sites so that we don’t make them impossible to remediate down the road. Of course, we’re doing a much better job now than in the past.”