LANSING, Mich. (Nov. 22, 2024) — Sen. Mary Cavanagh (D-Redford Twp.) has issued the following statement in response to the Michigan Dept. of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy’s (EGLE) recent announcement to award two $1 million Brownfield Redevelopment Grants for new housing in Oakland County:
“As Chair of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee for the Dept. of Labor and Economic Opportunity (LEO), I am thrilled that EGLE is supporting the redevelopment of two contaminated properties here in Oakland County, transforming blighted, vacant lots into safe, vibrant housing stock,” said Sen. Cavanagh. “Last year, my Democratic colleagues and I enacted our legislation to expand the Brownfield Redevelopment Financing Act, paving the way for projects like these that not only safeguard public health, protect our environment, and help address the housing crisis, but also create local jobs and foster economic growth. It’s gratifying to see our legislative efforts come to life right here in our local community.”
The first property, Riverfront Place in Rochester, has been vacant since 1990. The soil and groundwater are contaminated with metals, petroleum compounds, and chlorinated solvents, but the $1 million grant from EGLE will be used to address the pollutants and transform the site into a five-story building with 129 apartments, along with five separate buildings with three townhouses each. The redevelopment will also include a rain garden, amphitheater, and picnic area.
Three other vacant properties in Farmington, all contaminated with either petroleum compounds or chlorinated solvents, will be revitalized into new housing, bringing an additional 53 townhomes to the downtown corridor.