By By JOHN EBY / Dowagiac Daily News
It's not exactly putting the cart before the horse, but construction of the $2.9 million medical arts facility is now expected to start before Central's demolition.
The former should occur in July, followed by the latter in August.
City Manager Bill Nelson explained to Dowagiac City Council members Monday night the reversal of the anticipated sequence.
The Dowagiac Brownfield Authority met last week and approved the draft brownfield plan for the former middle school property, 520 Main St, to be redeveloped for 47 units of senior housing on three floors along Spruce Street as well as the medical arts building in front of Central.
The two-floor medical arts building on the southeast corner of the site near where Main and Parsonage streets intersect will be a masonry-clad steel structure containing 18,900 square feet, with provision for a 6,400-square-foot expansion to the west.
The developer will provide 158 total parking spaces for both phases, including 113 interior spaces, 32 underground spaces and 13 spaces on Spruce.
The brownfield plan was forwarded to City Council, which must hold a public hearing prior to its adoption.
That hearing is set for the council's July 10 meeting.
The brownfield plan ultimately requires state approval as well as council approval, however.
State approval “will take some time due to the limited number of meetings the state has. We expect that to be before the state in early August,” Nelson advised the council.
Mayor Don Lyons said, “Unfortunately, the footprint of the building is right in the middle of about four trees.”
Central's demolition “is the most pressing question that I receive from the public,” noted Third Ward Councilman Dr. Charles Burling.
IFT granted for
Mich. Precision Tool
After receiving no comments at a public hearing, City Council adopted two resolutions for Michigan Precision Tool and Engineering's industrial facilities tax (IFT) exemption.
In exchange for the six-year tax abatement, the company invests $85,750 for new machinery at its 613 Rudy Road facility in National Copper Products.
Michigan Precision Tool expects to retain two jobs with this investment.
Ordinance amendment
would allow fire pits
City Council gave first reading June 12 to a staff-recommended change to Dowagiac's burning ordinance to allow burning on a limited basis for fire pits and UL-listed containers.
The ordinance still would not allow burning of garbage, yard waste and other similar materials.
It is essentially directed at allowing use of some of the UL-listed personal fire pits currently sold at many hardware stores, Nelson said.
Presently, these can only be used if someone cooks in them.
A complete ban on all burning within Dowagiac city limits became effective Aug. 16, 1994.
Fundraising lags
for fireworks show
Disbanded Art Guild
Steinman wedding at Elks
to include fireworks display