May 9, 2024

Village of Okemos May 2024 Concepts A & B

DDA FAQ - Village of Okemos

Meridian Township Planning and Economic Development staff received a new concept plan for the Village of Okemos site. The new concept provides two pathways toward vertical construction in 2024. Planning Commission members received the concept plan at their April 22 meeting and gave the developer general comment related to the new proposed plan. 

Meridian Township DDA members will have a chance to give comment at their public meeting Monday, May 6, as well as the regular Township Board meeting Thursday, May 9. At the May 9 meeting, the Township Board will have the opportunity to hear from the developer and give comment. This concept plan is not a formal submittal from the development team and does not remove the current approved MUPUD. The development team is looking for comments from the public on whether this concept plan would be supported.

Village of Okemos May 2024 Concepts A & B

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November 2023

Meridian Township Planning, Economic Development, and Executive staff met with the Village of Okemos developers to determine next steps after the loss of the EGLE grant and lack of funding through MEDC. An announcement regarding the project should come within the first quarter of 2024. 

October 2023

The Village of Okemos development project submitted  applications to the Revitalization and Placemaking 2.0 Grant in May 2023 to the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, in an effort to gain support for gap financing. The project was not selected in 2023 to receive RAP 2.0 funding. The existing gap in financing continues to delay the start of construction. A deadline of November 1, 2023 was instituted by EGLE in order to hold on to the approved $1.3M grant and $1M loan authorized by EGLE(Michigan Department of Environment Great Lakes & Energy). Township staff will work with the Village of Okemos development team to pursue financial means to develop at the 4.5 acres site. 

May 2023

A Community Conversation with the Village of Okemos developers was held on Tuesday, May 9, where they provided an update on the project and answered questions from the public. 

A copy of that meeting can be found on HOMTV's YouTube. Due to technical difficulties, the presentation was not shown during the recording, however, the presentation and infographic can be found below.

May 9 Community Conversation - Village of Okemos Developer Presentation

May 9 Community Conversation Infographic

November 2022

The Village of Okemos, LLC team presented their proposal for 19 year capture and reimbursement of the eligible expenses related to clean up of the two blocks. This is approved by the agreed upon Brownfield Redevelopment Plan. The Township Board at their November 1, 2022 meeting approved locally the 19 year plan. 73% of this plan is reimbursed by State tax dollars, their approval is necessary to ensure the necessary funding to support the development. The developer will work with MEDC to have their plan reviewed within the first quarter of 2023. 

September 2022

The MEDC did not choose to fund this project under the Revitalization and Placemaking grant program. Staff and the developer will continue to work towards Brownfield Plan approval and a Community Revitalization and Placemaking Grant (CRP) grant/loan request to the MEDC, as part of the overall project funding. A total investment of $100 million is projected to complete the redevelopment project.

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August 2022

Major redevelopment of this site has stalled with previous developers due to the aging infrastructure, site contamination and proximity to Okemos Road. Our Community Development Director allowed for the parking decks to return to support adequate parking of the development. The project is approved to support 200 dwelling units and 14,000 sq. ft. of commercial space along Hamilton road.

Access to the rear of each building will be made possible with a pass through off of Hamilton road. The development team alongside the Economic Development Director submitted an application to MEDC for the use of $5 million towards workforce housing on the project. The $5 million would address gap financing in the project as proposed.

MEDC should make formal offers to approved projects in August 2022. The Brownfield Plan, approved Meridian Redevelopment Agreement, Community Revitalization and Placemaking Grant (CRP), EGLE Grant and Loan, Revitalization and Placemaking grant (RAP) will all contribute to the overall project funding. A total investment of $100 million is projected to complete the redevelopment project.

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April 2022

The developer has requested the Brownfield Plan recently recommended by the Brownfield Authority on March 17, 2022, be adjusted slightly for new project updates related to support of parking on the project site. A new proposal for the use of Brownfield Redevelopment reimbursement will occur when the developer resubmits an application. The Brownfield Authority will review the application and with support of our third-party consultant make a recommendation for the use of the funds to the Township Board.  The proposed plan will support site cleanup and contamination of the project site. 

The developer is actively working to identify all the necessary elements of the required site plan. This includes parking, landscaping, building height and the approved public amenities. 

A public hearing is set for April 26, 2022, at 6:00 pm for the Township Board to receive public comment on the developer's request to use the Meridian Redevelopment Fund for $1.25M as recommended by the Meridian EDC. The funds of the MRF will be used to support improvements to the public infrastructure around the project site. This contribution of the Township will be considered the public "match" for the application to the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) for the Revitalization and Placemaking Grant (RAP). On site public notices will be posted.

The Village of Okemos LLC submitted a request for $3.2M to the Meridian Economic Development Corporation through the Meridian Redevelopment Fund application process. The Meridian EDC members recommended the creation of a subcommittee to review the application request for intent of the MRF and approve, partially approve or deny the request to utilize the funds for public infrastructure improvements for the project.

The Village of Okemos LLC Meridian Redevelopment Request No. 2 subcommittee held their first meeting Tuesday, March 1, 2022 to review the application and discuss approval, partial approval or denial of the request. The developers are requesting $3.2M in funding assistance to address underground water, sewer, utility work and repaving of Ardmore, Clinton, Hamilton and Methodist at the project site. The request would also assist with payment to the drain office for the creation of a retention pond in the vicinity of the project. The drain office is currently reviewing the proposal from the developer for this improvement. The Village of Okemos, LLC Subcommittee formally recommended to the Meridian EDC board at their regular meeting Thursday, March 3, 2022 to support the Village of Okemos, LLC MRF request for an amount not to exceed $1,250,000. The Meridian EDC also moved to support an additional review of the use of the Redevelopment fund later in the budget cycle for the Township.

The application for the use of the Brownfield Redevelopment fund for $4.3M is under review internally with Meridian Township staff. The application will be reviewed by the Township’s third party Brownfield expert for the intent and parameters of the Brownfield plan. A large majority of the requested Brownfield Tax Increment Financing will be supported by the State of Michigan tax dollars as the project site falls within the Downtown district and the DDA has an active TIF that captures the majority of the local dollars available. The Brownfield plan is under review and will be publicly reviewed by the Meridian Township Brownfield Authority at their next meeting March 17, 2022 at 8:00 am at Meridian Township Town Hall Room.

The Township’s next steps will be a recommendation from the Meridian EDC to the Township Board for their review of the request from the Developer for the use of $1.25M for public infrastructure. Should the Township Board find they are in support of the request, a public hearing no later than 20 days and no sooner than 10 will be established. After the public hearing the Township Board may move to approve, partially approve or deny the request of the developer.

Meridian Township Brownfield Redevelopment Authority and the Meridian Economic Development Corporation have received applications for funding assistance for the approved MUPUD for the “Village of Okemos” project. These requests for funding will contribute to the overall public benefit of the project. These are funding mechanisms  were created by the Township to support the overarching challenges of development when faced with contamination, aging infrastructure and vacated properties.

The project as approved will feature a mix of 200 residential units and approximately 32,000 square feet of commercial suite space. Township staff will review the applications to the Brownfield Redevelopment Authority to assist the developer with site contamination and clean up in preparation for construction. The cost to contain, remove and absolve contaminated soils is an expense the Brownfield Redevelopment Authority could approve. Should the BRA find the application complete and in good order, recommendation from the BRA to the Township board for public hearing and approval would be the final step.

The Meridian Redevelopment Fund (MRF), a fund created by the sale of the MARC building was developed to assist redevelopment of our Potential Intensity Change Areas, known as PICAs. The application received to the Meridian Economic Development Corporation was supported by the EDC members for a subcommittee to be made to review the request in full detail. Should the MRF subcommittee find the application meets the vision and integrity of the MRF, they will make a recommendation along with the Meridian EDC to the Township board for approval of the use of public funding. The Township board after the public hearing can approve the financial assistance and enter into a development agreement with the developer.

The Village of Okemos LLC Development Team requested an amendment to the approved MUPUD as an avenue to move the development forward through current economic conditions in June 2021. Due to the changes requested, the amendment was considered a minor amendment and the Community Development Director gave partial approval for the MUPUD.  

Those approvals allow for:

• Removal of a parking garage and allowance of surface parking
• Removal of a Fifth story on all buildings
• Allowance for phased development of residential buildings on Ardmore St.

The approval requires:

• Buildings along Okemos roads for blocks 1 & 2
• Commercial space on Hamilton road blocks 1 & 2

The Developer was notified of the partial approval and has accepted those approvals as they move forward to engineer the building.

Next Steps:  

• The next step is to determine the public/private partnership commitment that will support the project. The project site is eligible for EGLE Grant and loan, Downtown Development Authority Tax Increment Financing (TIF), Brownfield Development Authority TIF and the Township’s Meridian Redevelopment Fund. All of these funds have specific requirements for eligibility.
• The Developer is currently providing the financial breakdown for the buildings and will provide these numbers to the Township. The contribution of the Township will be the final approval of the Meridian Township Board through recommendations of the Downtown Development Authority, Economic Development Corporation and Brownfield Development Authority.

July 2019

the Village of Okemos proposed development was approved for a five story MUPUD with commercial retail and office on the ground floor, and residential rental units on the remaining floors. COVID‐19 threw in many delays due to shutdown restrictions and financing options. Progress continued internally and the Village of Okemos LLC, worked to secure approval for reimbursement through the Meridian Redevelopment Fund for up to $85,000.  The year 2020 ended with demolition permits being issued to begin removing the six dilapidated properties to make way for the new residential gem in downtown Okemos.   

 UPDATE AUGUST 2022

The Village of Okemos, LLC team was advised they are not grant recipients of the Revitalization and Placemaking (RAP) grant provided by MEDC. The funding for the RAP grant was in response to COVID-19 and it's impact to local units of government and transformational development projects. The development project has a gap in the proforma and funding support from MEDC will be necessary to ensure the development of the two blocks. 

UPDATE 4/18/22

A public hearing is set for April 26, 2022, at 6:00 pm for the Township Board to receive public comment on the developer's request to use the Meridian Redevelopment Fund for $1.25M as recommended by the Meridian EDC. The funds of the MRF will be used to support improvements to the public infrastructure around the project site. This contribution of the Township will be considered the public "match" for the application to the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) for the Revitalization and Placemaking Grant (RAP). On site public notices will be posted.

At the March 15 Township Board meeting, the introduction of the Village of Okemos Meridian Redevelopment Fund was heard. The recommendation of the Meridian Economic Development Corporation (EDC) is to approve $1,250,000 of the Meridian Redevelopment Fund (MRF) to support infrastructure improvements at Ardmore, Clinton, Hamilton and Methodist near the two block development. The Township Board made the motion to set a public hearing in April to hear public comment on the request of the Village of Okemos to use $1.25M of the MRF toward the public infrastructure improvements.

The Village of Okemos LLC submitted a request for $3.2M to the Meridian Economic Development Corporation through the Meridian Redevelopment Fund application process. The Meridian EDC members recommended the creation of a subcommittee to review the application request for intent of the MRF and approve, partially approve or deny the request to utilize the funds for public infrastructure improvements for the project.

The Village of Okemos LLC Meridian Redevelopment Request No. 2 subcommittee held their first meeting Tuesday, March 1, 2022 to review the application and discuss approval, partial approval or denial of the request. The developers are requesting $3.2M in funding assistance to address underground water, sewer, utility work and repaving of Ardmore, Clinton, Hamilton, and Methodist at the project site. The request would also assist with payment to the drain office for the creation of a retention pond in the vicinity of the project. The drain office is currently reviewing the proposal from the developer for this improvement. The Village of Okemos, LLC Subcommittee formally recommended to the Meridian EDC board at their regular meeting Thursday, March 3, 2022 to support the Village of Okemos, LLC MRF request for an amount not to exceed $1,250,000. The Meridian EDC also moved to support an additional review of the use of the Redevelopment fund later in the budget cycle for the Township.

The Township’s next steps will be a recommendation from the Meridian EDC to the Township Board for their review of the request from the Developer for the use of $1.25M for public infrastructure. Should the Township Board find they are in support of the request, a public hearing no later than 20 days and no sooner than 10 will be established. After the public hearing the Township Board may move to approve, partially approve or deny the request of the developer.

The Meridian Redevelopment Fund, is a fund created to support development of the 2 of the 3 Potential Intensity Change Areas (PICAs) of Meridian. Any developer can submit an application to the Meridian Redevelopment Fund to assist with public improvements for the project as long as the property is in the Haslett or Okemos PICA. These areas are commonly known as the intersections of Okemos/Hamilton Roads and Haslett and Marsh Roads.

An application for the Meridian Redevelopment fund is reviewed internally by the Economic Development Director for completeness and intent to support redevelopment of our PICAs. The application if complete is submitted to the Meridian Economic Development Corporation (Meridian EDC) for their public acceptance of the application. The Meridian EDC, should they find the application complete, will request of the Township Supervisor to select two members of the Township Board to create a subcommittee for review of the MRF application request. The Subcommittee is comprised of the executive members of the Meridian EDC and the two designated Township Trustees of the Township Board.

The Subcommittee of the project will hold a public meeting to review the application and approve, partially approve or deny the request as a recommendation back to the entire Meridian EDC. Following the subcommittees recommendation, the Meridian EDC during their regular meeting will vote to approve or deny a recommendation from the subcommittee regarding the application request to the Township Board. The Township Board will after hearing the request and recommendation may move to support the request through a public hearing at the next Township Board meeting. After the public hearing the Township Board will give final authorization to accept the application to the MRF request or to deny.

UPDATE 11/4/22

The Meridian Township Board at the November 1, 2022 approved the recommended Brownfield Reimbursement plan with the Village of Okemos, LLC. This is a 19 year plan with up to $6.9 Million as eligible reimbursement costs to the developer. A total of $8.1 Million will be created as a result of the development.  The plan includes capture of State tax dollars and an additional Brownfield Reimbursement plan will have to be approved by MEDC and the Michigan Strategic Fund board. Expected timeline to request their approval is within the first quarter of the 2023 year. Click here to review the Brownfield Plan. 

UPDATE 4/18/22

The developer has requested the Brownfield plan recently recommended by the Brownfield Authority on March 17, 2022, to be adjusted slightly for new project updates related to support of parking on the project site. A new proposal for the use of Brownfield Redevelopment reimbursement will occur when the developer resubmits an application. The Brownfield Authority will review the application and with support of our third-party consultant make a recommendation for the use of the funds to the Township Board.  The proposed plan will support site cleanup and contamination of the project site. 

UPDATE 3/17/22

The Brownfield Redevelopment Authority at their regularly scheduled meeting March 17, 2022, held a second discussion on the proposed Brownfield Redevelopment Plan to approve the eligible cost reimbursement of the Village of Okemos developer for site contamination clean up. A proposed $4.8M has been formally accepted by the BRA March 17, 2022.

A public hearing will be set by the Township Board prior to a formal approval and agreement is made. A date for the public hearing will be set in April.

Any site in the Township that has contaminated soils or functionally obsolete buildings can apply for Brownfield Tax Increment Financing (TIF). This detailed plan is reviewed by Township staff, the Brownfield Redevelopment Authority and a Third Party Engineer hired by the Brownfield Redevelopment Authority. The funds under a Brownfield TIF can only be used for expenses that are included in the State law enabling this type of financing. The developer spends the money upfront and is paid back in the future through their own taxes. If they do not pay their taxes, they do not get repaid.

The plan for the Village of Okemos was submitted on January 31, 2022 and is currently under review. The Brownfield Redevelopment Authority held an introductory meeting on the request at their February 17, 2022 meeting and will review the matter at their March 17, 2022 meeting as well.

Following the approval of the Mixed Use Planned Unit Development for any site, all projects then have to go through the technical site plan review process. This process is largely administrative and involves the Townships planners, engineers, Economic Development Department, Fire Department and Building Department reviewing the construction plans for compliance with ordinance requirements. As part of this review, Staff coordinates review with the Ingham County Road Department, Ingham County Drain Commissioner and any other outside agencies that need to be involved, based on the location and details of the project.

 DDA FAQ VILLAGE OF OKEMOS 

The proposed mixed-use redevelopment project is on two underutilized, abandoned, vacant and contaminated blocks. The project blocks are located at the intersection of Okemos Road and Hamilton Road have been designated as “Block 1” (northwest of the intersection) and “Block 2” (southwest of the intersection), respectively. The parcels are zoned commercial and will allow for residential mixed use of the site if a development is proposed that will incorporate both residential and commercial uses on one site. 

The mixed-use recreation of the Village of Okemos with major infrastructure improvements is transformative in nature and will bring retail, restaurant, commercial, office and residential uses. The goal is to provide adequate attainable housing, adding at least 6 new opportunities for business enterprise, update public infrastructure to improve and access the red cedar river, and increase the districts tax base to support new development for future generations.