The Water Street Redevelopment area is a 38-acre, City-owned site adjacent to Historic Downtown Ypsilanti, between Ann Arbor and Detroit Metro Airport (DTW). The site is bounded on the north by 1500 feet of Michigan Avenue frontage (US-12 Business Route), and on the south and west by 1/2 mile of Huron River frontage. The City of Ypsilanti is currently seeking a developer for the site or several developers for portions of the site.
General Site Information
To date, the City of Ypsilanti has performed property acquisition and assessment and completed demolition. Remediation continues using various Michigan and Federal grants and loan programs, Neighborhood Stabilization Funds (NSP), and municipal bonds.
The Washtenaw County Brownfield Redevelopment authority has approved a brownfield plan for the site with an estimated total of $20.6 million in reimbursable costs. A small amount of contamination remains on the site, but removal or capping (as appropriate) can be reimbursed through Brownfield Tax Increment Financing (see below).
Redevelopment GoalsThe community would like to see the site redeveloped in a mixed-use, urban form that is in keeping with the adjacent historic downtown area and neighborhoods. A biking and walking trail is envisioned for the Huron River frontage, connecting Riverside Park to the north with Waterworks Park to the south and serving as part of a 37-mile-long trail running through Ann Arbor, Ypsilanti, and adjacent communities.