VBT DDA hears report from Aerotropolis

Chrisopher Girdwood, who has been head of the Aerotropolis program for a year and a half, gave a report to the Van Buren Township Downtown Development Authority at its March 23 zoom meeting.
Girdwood said he was born and raised in Sterling Heights and then moved out of state and came back for his children to be near their grandparents.
He said the state named seven “Next Michigan Development Corporations” in the state and Aerotropolis was one and it is an arm of the state. It allows for banding together regionally for development.
He said Detroit Metro Airport is the 18th busiest airport in North America. Willow Run is being looked at by NASA for VTOLs, vertical takeoffs, in the future.
He said four communities are involved in Aerotropolis: VBT, Taylor, Romulus, and Huron Township. He said of the seven sites of 100 or more acres being sold for development in the Aerotropolis area, four are in VBT.
Girdwood said Wayne County Airport Authority gives Aerotropolis $150,000 for marketing.
He said Haggerty Road needs upgrading and it is estimated that will take $7 million, taking Haggerty to three lanes, updating the water and sewer lines, and adding a light.
Girdwood said they are looking at the first highway in the sky around Taylor for delivery drones.
He said they are looking at an automonous vehicle/air mobility corridor in the center lane of Michigan Avenue or I-94, with a road to Van Buren Township.
They also have looked into data centers and what sites could be pad-ready for them.
“We don’t technically have an economic development director,” said VBT Supervisor Kevin McNamara. “We thought Aerotropolis could sift the leads and we could jump on it. We are thankful to the DDA for paying for Aerotropolis for us.”
The DDA has paid the annual $25,000 dues for the township since the beginning of Aerotropolis.
DDA member Joyce Rochowiak asked why the upgrade to Haggerty wouldn’t go all the way to the freeway and Girdwood said it had to do with funding. He said now they are bringing in money from Ashley Capital which is developing in the Haggerty/Van Born area.
In other business at the March 23 meeting, the DDA:
• Heard Executive Director Susan Ireland say the new generator is working at DDA headquarters and the executed contract for rebuilding the sidewalks in the district is on its way to the DDA;
• Heard Ireland report she attended a meeting on the American Rescue Plan Act and they don’t know yet what the township can use the funding on. Supervisor McNamara asked if it could be used for water and sewer on Haggerty Road. He said VBT is getting $2.8 million, which is “a drop in the bucket,” since the county is getting more than $300 million. “How quick can you get easements to finish Belleville Road?” he asked Ireland. Ireland said “a house would have to go away” since the sidewalk would go right through the middle of it and the owners are an adamant, “NO.” “We can look at it again, she said;
• Informally agreed holiday lights on all the streetscape light poles on Belleville Road would be very expensive and they would have to get DTE to check the electrical outlets on the tops of the poles, since they have been there more than 20 years. No action was taken;
• Heard Assistant DDA Director Lisa Lothringer say the outdoor art has been chosen and they will go up the last week of May. She also said they are looking at one or two outdoor events for July, August or September, and perhaps a movie at Harris Park; and
• Heard DDA chairman Craig Atchinson thank everyone for reaching out to his family over the last couple of months when he lost both his mother and father. “My dad was very fond of Van Buren Township and he always asked about Susan,” he said, referring to Susan Ireland.