Water Street Redevelopment Area
[7][6][8][9][10] Businesses and residents displaced by the proposed development attribute the blight and low taxable value of the area to the city's failure to provide and maintain municipal services and infrastructure.
[19] Harwood's flouring mill was constructed in 1829 and positioned along the river just south of Congress Street, now known as Michigan Avenue.
[20] In the second half of the 19th century, Alva Worden and his brothers John and Chauncey lived in mansions on this land and manufactured their invention, a new whip socket, in the same area.
[25][29][30] Various businesses occupied the buildings on U.S. Route 12 in Michigan such as Ypsilanti Savings Bank, Markham's Restaurant, Moorman's Lumber Yard, Serbay Motors, Silkworth's Gas Station and Auto Repair, Sesi Lincoln Mercury.
[31] Prior to the redevelopment project, the area has been home to businesses, residences and parks:[11][32] 1980: Ypsilanti contractor, Walter E. Duke, purchases an old building on Water Street south of Michigan Ave for $5,000 as part of the city's anti-blight program.
The city and the contractor agree that the site will be renovated to be an "oil recycling facility" and include "riverside recreational areas.
[39] 2000: The City Council includes the Water Street Redevelopment Area as part of the Downtown Development Authority District.
[39] 2010: The city holds a small ceremony on the site of Water Street to celebrate the beginning phase of the final building demolitions.
On May 1st, a May Day event takes place which includes seed-bombing the land in hopes of growing native flowers.
[55] The city starts work with Herman and Kittle Properties on an affordable housing project to be built on a portion of the Water Street Redevelopment area.
[58][59][60][61][62] 2016: After talks about a Washtenaw County, Michigan Recreation Center at the site, the project fails due to the high cost of remediation and development.
[65][66] 2017: International Village Advisory LLC submits a letter of intent to the city proposing a mixed use development, specializing in housing and amenities for Chinese residents and tourists.
[32][74][75] Businesses associated with the Water Street redevelopment area no longer exist, and as a result cannot be held liable for cleaning up any contamination.
[78][58] The city then fenced-in area is the former site of Commerce Motor Truck Co. and a Dura Corp. manufacturing facility as well as a junk yard.
[39][77] In 2023, environmental consultants - AKT Peerless reported to the city that contamination was more extensive than previously known, halting Water Street Redevelopment plans.
[72][73] According to the environmental consultants, the contamination in these parcels is considered hazardous waste due to the high parts-per-million (ppm) of PCBs in the top few feet of soil.
[39][83] On November 1, 2005, Ypsilanti resident and developer Bob Doyle delivered a letter to the Mayor and City Council describing in great detail the history of the Water Street project and why he opposed the current plan.
[46][39][83] In 2016, the city filed a lawsuit against a local artist who helped organize and build a sculpture park which was part of the Water Street Commons.
[84] The case never went before a judge and city and artist chose to resolve the dispute through a stipulation order with the same requests of the lawsuit.
[87] Mayor Pro Tem Brown and Police Chief DeGuisti were not found guilty of misconduct at that time.
