The city offers to donate about 1.5 acres of land between 9th and 10th streets at the north end of the Uptown at RiversEdge site and the former Sears Automotive Building on 9th

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City Offers Free Land to Bay Area Family Y to Relocate on Uptown Site

Project at 9th and Water streets Calls for Two Story Building

April 2, 2006
By: Dave Rogers

The first development in Uptown at Rivers Edge could be a new building for the Bay Area Family Y under an offer of free land and plans proposed by the City of Bay City.

City Manager Robert V. Belleman sent the detailed proposal in a letter to Y officials, Mayor Robert Katt, commissioners and development personnel in mid-January.

The city offers to donate about 1.5 acres of land between 9th and 10th streets at the north end of the Uptown at RiversEdge site and the former Sears Automotive Building on 9th.

Whether or not the project will proceed would depend on the Y's agreement to build a multi-story, 40,000 to 60,000 square building, install an estimated $1.58 million in infrastructure and follow development guidelines.

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"The city desires this development to have an urban and downtown 'feel' and not resemble a strip mall," the manager wrote.

Architectural style of the building "should be in context with the historic character of the existing industrial buildings and downtown Bay City," the city manager wrote.

The city plan calls for a parking lot for 80 vehicles and suggests that the adjacent city parking lot in back of City Hall could be made available for public use on evenings and weekends to accommodate large functions at the Y facility.###