The City of Hastings has won a Brownfield grant of $63,000 from the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality’s Remediation and Redevelopment Division for assessment of the property of the former HMC Royal Coach at 325 North Hanover Street.
Community Development Director Dan King said several developers have shown interest in the property. “This is huge for marketing of that property.”
Andrea Ryswick, grant coordinator for the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality, Grand Rapids District Office was at the meeting.
“I was very excited to finally get the news that it was approved, and we’re ready to go.”
The site was used to manufacture furniture and automotive parts but has been unoccupied since at least 2013. Two vacant warehouse buildings, a former fuel dispensing building, a former paint shop building, and a former fire suppression equipment building remain, an explanation in the council packet said.
Also, two closed industrial landfills are present on the site and were reportedly used by the former manufacturers for disposal of foundry sand, metal debris, and concrete.
Based on limited assessments conducted on the site, known environmental contamination includes volatile organic compounds (VOCs), semi-volatile organic compounds (SVOCs), and metals.
Additionally, there is a potential that perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) contamination may be present. The additional assessment is needed to understand the extent of environmental impact, it said.
Assuring safe reuse of the property includes, but is not limited to, assessment of Phase II Environmental Site Assessment/due care investigation.
The city will submit a work plan to the DEQ for approval, make quarterly reports on the work and complete the work within two years.
The cost of maintenance of the downtown parking lots is assessed against those businesses that benefit from the used of the lots every year. The direct costs of routine maintenance this year is set at $43,650. The DDA has agreed to pay for a portion of the maintenance costs assessed to the property owners, as they have for years, City Manager Jeff Mansfield said.
This year the DDA will pay $15,962 of the cost in the assessment.
The total assessment to property owners in the downtown parking Special Assessment District for 2019/2020 will be $27,688. After required public hearings, the first set for Monday, April 22, the council will consider approving the roll on May 13..
The council also approved a special budget workshop on Monday, April 22 at 5:30 p.m.; a special workshop on Monday, April 29 at 6 p.m. to discuss Wastewater Treatment Plant Improvements and a public hearing
on May 13 at 7 p.m. to take comments on the project plan for the Wastewater Treatment Plant.
The council accepted with regret the resignation of Ken Schroeder from the Zoning Board of Appeals. Schroeder served on the board for almost 14 years, but is moving to East Lansing. A letter of appreciation will be sent to Schroeder.
