REDICO Draws Meijer Store to Former Detroit Prison Site in Plymouth Township
Posted By: DBUSINESS on July 19, 2024. For more information, please click here to read the source article.
The Michigan State Land Bank Authority has announced a partnership with REDICO, a full-service real estate development and investment firm in Southfield, to revitalize and rejuvenate a historic site — the former Detroit House of Corrections (DeHoCo) in Plymouth Township.
The historically significant site, which spans 87 acres, is located just west of Beck Road on Five Mile Road. The plot was home to the former DeHoCo prison, which operated from the 1930s until its demolition in 2017.
Transferred to the Michigan State Land Bank Authority through legislative efforts led by Plymouth Township Supervisor Kurt Heise, the property has since awaited a transformative vision to benefit the community.
The State Land Bank and REDICO forged an agreement in 2018 to develop and clean up the environmentally challenged property and create a mixed-use project.
In June 2023, the state of Michigan approved $10 million for the Michigan International Technology Center (MITC) Five Mile Road Improvement Project. The project will result in the reconstruction and widening of Five Mile Road and the installation of new traffic signals.
A Meijer store is planned on the eastern 21 acres of the property. REDICO and Meijer will also conduct and fund more than $20 million in environmental remediation and site cleanup to the property.
“We are excited for Meijer to be an anchor for our new 87-acre V-Tech project, a mixed-use development which will include amenities and commercial uses in the areas of high-tech industrial, R&D, and life sciences,” says Dale Watchowski, president and CEO of REDICO.
Additionally, Meijer plans to beautify the area with landscaping, greenspaces, and bike and walking paths. Clean energy initiatives are planned and Meijer’s donation to the Plymouth Township’s Tree Fund will support the purchase of more than 700 trees.
A significant figure in the success of the project is Plymouth Township Supervisor, Kurt Heise. As a state representative for Plymouth and Northville townships from 2010 to 2016, Heise authored the needed Public Acts to transfer ownership of the prison properties from the Department of Corrections to the Michigan Land Bank, and the appropriation of $2 million to tear down the former Detroit House of Corrections Prison.
“As one who has been working on this project for 14 years, I’m gratified to see the REDICO and Meijer will clean up a long-contaminated and neglected site, create jobs, and improve our tax base. I look forward to having Meijer as a community partner and resource for years to come,” says Heise.
The land is zoned for office, technology, R&D, and light industrial. The location is near M-14, and there are build-to-suit opportunities available up to 300,000 square feet.
Tax abatements are available through the Michigan International Technology Corridor.
“This exciting collaboration showcases the transformative potential of land banking, and how strategic partnerships can breathe new life into neglected spaces to catalyze positive change for communities across our state,” says Susan Corbin, chair of the State Land Bank Authority Board and director of the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity.
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