CHELSEA – The City of Chelsea and Main Street Park Alliance (MSPA) entered into a Development Agreement to address the blighted property at 500 S. Main St. MSPA will oversee the park’s development to transfer property ownership to the City of Chelsea for the sum of $1.00 upon completion of the public park.
This milestone creates a path forward that will enable further park development including:
- The creation of a public-private partnership commitment between MSPA and the City of Chelsea, who will together resolve a longstanding problematic property within the City limits.
- The signed Development Agreement was integral to MSPA’s recent award of a $1 million grant from the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) to address the environmental remediation on the site. To learn more, here is the link to the EGLE Press Release.
- MSPA issued an RFP (Request for Proposal) to six regional and national design firms, all six design teams walked through the property on July 18 with the MSPA Design Committee. It is anticipated that the contract award will occur on September 1.
MSPA is finalizing the property purchase from Magellan Development Corporation. The environmental remediation work plan is nearly complete and efforts to improve the property will begin before the end of 2023. Joe Ziolkowski, MSPA board member and lead developer shared the following environment update, “We have thoroughly tested the site and have shared all test results with the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes & Energy, the City of Chelsea and the Washtenaw County Brownfield Redevelopment Authority. We have completed our Phase 1 & 2 Environmental reports and will be submitting our environmental Response Activity Plan to EGLE for their approval and anticipate hearing back within 180 days.”
Coy Vaughn, Director of Washtenaw County Parks and Recreation Commission, also commented on the project – “As identified in the Washtenaw County Park and Recreation Commission 2020 Master Plan, it is our objective to expand the scope of recreation opportunities available to Washtenaw County residents. The proposed Main Street Park in Chelsea addresses an unmet need in the County to provide various recreation opportunities for patrons of all ages and abilities to participate. We think this park will have a significant intergenerational impact and offer a wonderful space for families to play, interact, and engage.
We believe the Main Street Park Alliance has the ability and experience to deliver an exceptional park for Chelsea and Washtenaw County residents to enjoy for generations. Therefore, we unequivocally support the Main Street Park Alliance and the Main Street Park project.”
Main Street Park Alliance’s mission is to create an intergenerational community park for Chelsea. Through the power of grassroots volunteerism, we will revitalize this downtown property for a better human experience. Comments, questions, concerns, or if you want to support the project with time, expertise, or a financial contribution, please email info@mainstreetpark.org., or join the Small Gifts Campaign at this link.
