VBT DDA approves regional detention pond, $2.5 million bonds

By Diane Madigan
Independent Special Writer
Several measures to attract business to the Van Buren Township Downtown Development Authority district were approved at the April 22 DDA meeting.
Regional Detention Pond
Dave Nummer from the engineering firm Wade Trim gave a progress report on the development of a regional detention pond.
The 25.77-acre property adjoining the proposed site is named the Heritage Oaks Nature Preserve, is owned by the tax-exempt Southeast Michigan Land Conservancy and located between National RV and residences on the east side of Dewitt Road. West Lake Apartments is on the north and the I-94 North Service Drive on the south.
Nummer said he has spoken with Wayne County and the county has a lot of support for the proposed project on the back part of the National RV property next to the wetlands and has scheduled another meeting with them for May 14.
According to Nummer, there have been a lot of businesses that have come to the area wanting to build, but have been turned off by the cost of Wayne County’s storm water management requirements.
Through questioning by the DDA Board, Nummer said the detention pond would not be pumping water. Storm water would be held in the pond at different levels and released into the drainage system when conditions improve.
Wayne County would establish and maintain a drainage district. Property owners/businesses that use the detention pond would be taxed for drain maintenance.
Nummer could not give a cost for the project but estimated $2-3 million in construction. Engineering costs will be 10% or $200,000 to $300,000.
Nummer asked the DDA and was given $30,000 for partial authorization to get started with county permits which he hopes to have by the end of 2014 so work could start and be completed in 2015.
The land which is needed to give access to the detention pond site was deeded to the Land Conservancy in December 2009 by Ralph Krochmal, et. al., without cost as a land protection project.
The property is largely forested wetlands and provides a needed stopover site in a good quality native forest for the many songbirds that migrate through the area.
A small tributary of the Huron River flows through the site and the Huron River Watershed Council identified the property as a key site to protect through the Bioreserve Project which identifies and ranks remaining natural areas within the watershed.
$2.5 Million in bond sales approved
Bond Counsel Robert Schwartz gave an overview on the issuance of $2.5 million in Tax Increment Revenue Bonds. The bonds would assist with the traffic re-signalization project and other improvements to the Belleville Road Corridor.
Schwartz said any additional revenue could be used for other projects (such as the detention pond).
Standard and Poor’s recently affirmed an A+ rating on the DDA which will stand on its own and does not need to rely on the township for backing on the bonds.
Schwartz said now is a good time to borrow as interest rates are around 4% or less. Payments on the bonds would go for 18 years until 2032. Should interest rates increase, Schwartz advised the DDA to wait for four to six weeks.
Marketing
The marketing firm Communication Associates has put together a listing of available properties in the district. The list will be posted on both the DDA and VantagePort’s websites. (VantagePort is the new name for the former Aerotropolis.)
Joseph Nardone has been named the CEO for VantagePort. Nardone replaces Tim Keyes who returned to the City of Romulus to work with the new mayor and his administration. Nardone has been the Director of Development for the Wayne County Airport Authority and has more than 20 years of experience working in the VantagePort region.
Advertising
The DDA Board approved $950 be spent for shared advertisement costs with the City of Belleville’s DDA for a 1-1/2 page ad in the Metro Detroit ASource magazine.
Part-time DDA Coordinator Position
According to DDA Director Susan Ireland, the township does not wish to proceed with efforts to hire a full-time employee to share services with the Planning and Economic Development Director Arthur Mullen.
Ireland said she does not believe it is necessary to hire a full-time DDA coordinator and asked the board to approve the job description for a part-time coordinator and advertise for the position. The board approved her request. No pay rate was asked to be considered at this time.
Sale of Jacobs property
Ireland announced that the 7.4 acres at 11105 Quirk Road has been sold by Bob Jacobs and his family, but she didn’t know who bought it.
The Independent learned it was sold to Belleville Development, Inc. Akram Namou, president and CPA, also owns the Holiday Inn Express and the Hampton Inn next door.
Namou, a member of the Chaldean American Chamber of Commerce, has not announced his plans for the property.