By Jason Wesseldyk
Sports Editor
Two parcels of land along the Kalamazoo River that total nearly 15 acres have been made available by the City of Plainwell for housing development.
The city, in conjunction with the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, launched the request for qualifications for the property on Thursday, Nov. 2.
“The property provides an opportunity to bring desirable residential development to the community, including housing in formats that are currently underrepresented in the local market,” the City of Plainwell said in a press release.
The asking price for the property is negotiable.
“The City is eager to work with interested respondents deemed qualified on negotiating a mutually beneficial arrangement,” city officials said in the release.
Located at the western gateway to Plainwell’s historic downtown area, the site offers a total of 14.94 acres of developable land fronting the Kalamazoo River. That includes a portion of the former Plainwell Paper Mill.
The historically significant portions of the Paper Mill complex—which closed permanently in 2000—have been retained, and are located on a parcel adjacent to those on offer.
These buildings have been repurposed as Plainwell’s City Hall, Public Safety Headquarters and private office space.
The portions on offer include more than 500 feet of linear frontage on Allegan Street (M-43/89) and extends nearly 2,000 feet along the Kalamazoo River.
“A successful partnership between the Paper Mill’s former owner and city, state and federal agencies spanning two decades has resulted in the remediation of the Paper Mill site to the US Environmental Protection Agency standard for residential development,” the press release said.
The timeline for property sale is as follows:
- RFQ Proposals Due: Jan. 12, 2024
- Finalist Notified: Feb. 23, 2024
- Finalist Presentations to Evaluation Committee: March 2024
- Finalize Purchase / Development Agreement: April 2024
Contact Daniel Leonard, Redevelopment Services Director with the MEDC, with any questions or for more information. Leonard can be reached at leonardd6@michigan.org or (989) 387-4467.