www.mybaycity.com November 20, 2018
Columns Article 11404


Uptown Bay City, stirring new growth, has announced a connection to Downtown with link through the old Sears store.

UPTOWN SOARS: New Building, Plans For Old Sears Site, Accelerate Growth

November 20, 2018
By: Dave Rogers


For more than 100 years the world's largest cranes rolled off the assembly line there.

For the past 40 years, it was a blighted industrial derelict.

Now it is the showcase for urban redevelopment.

"It" is Uptown Bay City, that recently announced a $15 million project that will replace the former Sears store (lately F.P. Horak Printing), is featured in the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) third in a series of videos showcasing its brownfield redevelopment projects.

Trevor Keyes, President and CEO of Bay Future states, "When the Uptown Bay City Project was announced in 2012 this was the vision laid out by Shaheen Development: A place that was accessible to all, was a part of the community, full of energy, attractions, comfort, and commerce.

"Piece by piece, this monumental vision, and undertaking, has taken shape, catalyzing efforts in and around Uptown that translates into real economic growth, quality of life, sense of place, and jobs for our community. We are very fortunate to have that leadership and vision in Bay City and look forward to continuing to work together to build a robust future here."

Construction is now underway on the $8.6 million, three-story, mixed-use building located at 101 East Main Street, on the corner of East Main Street and Saginaw Street, across from the Dow Bay Area Family YMCA. The building will feature office and retail uses on the first floor, and thirty residential apartments on floors two and three. The first floor consists of 19,000 square feet of commercial space. Professional office, commercial and retail spaces are currently available for lease.

The new building will further develop the 43-acre waterfront & modern urbanist inspired neighborhood that has proven to be a very successful addition to Bay City. Currently, all the residential condominiums built in phase one have sold. Uptown Bay City is home to Dow Chemical, Chemical Bank, McLaren Bay Region, Michigan Sugar Company, Raymond James, CMU RC, Uptown Grill, the Real Seafood Company, a Marriott Courtyard Hotel, Don Angelo's Aveda Salon, and many other independent retailers and small businesses.

The new building will feature one and two bedroom apartments appointed with stainless appliances, hardwood floors, and quartz countertops. One bedroom units will be approximately 900 square feet, and two bedroom units approximately 1,100 square feet. Rental rates will start at $975 per month for one bedroom units and $1,150 per month for two bedroom units. Residential units will be available to move in by the end of 2019.

The 101 E. Main Street development promotes walkability, supports residential living in downtown, increases the local tax base, and aligns with the City of Bay City's identified housing priorities.

"We are excited to have more people move into Uptown. More residents who will enjoy the outstanding quality of life that Bay City has to offer," says Pete Shaheen, Vice President of Shaheen Development, Uptown Bay City's developer.

Residents will enjoy easy access to the Dow Bay Area Family YMCA, the Riverwalk, shops, restaurants, parks, and festivals.

The building will feature office and retail uses on the first floor, and thirty residential apartments on floors two and three. The first floor consists of 19,000 square feet of commercial space. Professional office, commercial and retail spaces are currently available for lease.

The new building will feature one and two bedroom apartments appointed with stainless appliances, hardwood floors, and quartz counter-tops. One bedroom units will be approximately 900 square feet, and two bedroom units approximately 1,100 square feet. Rental rates will start at $975 per month for one bedroom units and $1,150 per month for two bedroom units. Residential units will be available to move in by the end of 2019.

The 101 E. Main Street development promotes walkability, supports residential living in downtown, increases the local tax base, and aligns with the City of Bay City?s identified housing priorities.

"We are excited to have more people move into Uptown. More residents who will enjoy the outstanding quality of life that Bay City has to offer," says Pete Shaheen, Vice President of Shaheen Development, Uptown Bay City's developer. Residents will enjoy easy access to the Dow Bay Area Family YMCA, the Riverwalk, shops, restaurants, parks, and festivals.

One major change, according to City Manager Dana Muscott, is the planned extension of M-25 from the Veterans Bridge to link with 9th Street. Muscott said the ramp that currently comes off Vets Bridge into the Horak site is not used anymore. But after the development, they will reconfigure it to go right into the middle of the project and connect to Ninth Street.

"There is no road there now. The ramp will come off the bridge and will swing right down into the development instead of going past F.P. Horak," she told the Bay City Times.

The total cost of the project is estimated to be $15,385,897, which includes the demolition of the Horak building and the M-25 reconfiguration, along with other costs such as over $9 million for public infrastructure improvements, almost $2 million for site preparation, and roughly $1.7 million for potential unexpected costs.

The videos highlight successful redevelopment projects at which DEQ financial incentives and technical assistance that helped communities clean up and safely reuse brownfields.

The newest video features Uptown Bay City. For years, the blighted hulk of the old Industrial Brownhoist factory, once a major local employer, sat empty. The transformation of the 43-acre contaminated site that was a major local employer for more than a century now is accelerating into a new city commercial and residential hub.

State and local officials noted Bay City's perseverance, and financial incentives and technical assistance from the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality, that has helped clean up and safely reuse this brownfield site. Uptown Bay City is now a beautiful riverfront development with a marina, hotel, restaurants, offices, and condominiums, according to Uptown Bay City marketing director Stuart Kelly.

He added "The main goal is to make the Great Lakes Bay Region a destination. "Uptown Bay City takes advantage of beautiful views and Saginaw River access with waterfront dining, residences, and a marina.

Bay City's economic development project manager, Sara Dimitroff, continues, "It's an amazing transformation, a catalyst for development in our community, but I don't think we knew the degree -- and we're really seeing it now." The project was a success, in part, thanks to the MDEQ's investment of brownfield grants, loans, and tax increment financing. "The DEQ and EPA were critical early partners, patient partners, that helped us do some of the proactive work in order to get the site ready," said former assistant city manager Steve Black.

The DEQ helps communities clean up and safely reuse brownfields -- properties that are known or believed to be contaminated -- with financial incentives and technical assistance. With DEQ help, cities and towns across Michigan have turned their eyesores into thriving businesses and neighborhoods. The videos include interviews and insights from local officials and developers about partnerships, tactics, and tools for brownfield redevelopment.

The latest addition to Uptown is the Costela Brazilian Steak House, that held a grand opening earlier this month for the benefit of the Bay Community Foundation. "We are thrilled to celebrate the grand opening of Costela Brazilian Steak House in such a special way," said Diane Fong, president & CEO of the Bay Area Community Foundation. "The Bay Commitment Scholarship has been helping first-generation Bay County students achieve their educational dreams for ten years. We are thankful for the support of the Costilla family and Shaheen Development."

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