The MEDC received 19 proposals for funding requesting $47.8 million. Many of the awards are in the form of loans to leverage the fund's resources for future projects. Eighty-eight core communities and those municipalities awarded a SmartZone designation are eligible to apply for core communities funds.

Following an extensive evaluation by the MEDC, these seven projects were chosen for the first quarter of funding: · City of Detroit ($2.5 million): The award will assist the city in developing a new I-94 Industrial Park. The project will result in the location of new industrial facilities in an area of the city that has seen disinvestment due to a lack of suitable development sites. The funding will be used to demolishh structures standing in the project area and for infrastructure needs. The funding will help to significantly increasethe number of marketable industrial properties. The industrial park will be home to approximately 2.2 million square feet of new, modern industrial facilities and will generate an estimated 1,000 to 1,500 jobs within the designated I-94 Renaissance Zone.· City of Grand Rapids ($2.5 million): North of downtown, along the east side of the Grand River, is a 114-acre area of primarily older industrial buildings. For a number of years, much of the area was vacant or underutilized as a result of obsolete multi-story industrial buildings and environmentally contaminated properties. The city will use the funds for further development of the Monroe North District. The corecommunities funds will help spur riverfront redevelopment north of the new convention center. The funds will assist in building a 500-space public parking facility to replace existing parking on the waterfront sites and expand parking capacity. A portion of the funds will be used for improvements to adjacent sidewalks and streets.· City of Battle Creek ($1,044,000): The award will support expansion of the Fort Custer Industrial Park. Fort Custer Industrial Park encompasses 3,000 acres on the west side of Battle Creek. The park's inventory of available fully serviced industrial sites will be reduced substantially by the end of 2001. The community will use the funds to make road, storm sewer and water main improvements to a 62-acre area within the park. · City of Detroit ($1 million): The city retains title to approximately 43,000 parcels within its municipal boundaries. Unfortunately, many of the parcels have a defective title, which has proven to be a substantial impediment to redevelopment efforts within the city. The funding will support a new initiative to implement a comprehensive,systematic approach to clearing title disputes. An estimated 1,800 parcels will be cleared over a one-year period.· City of Kalamazoo ($1 million): The award will support construction ofa new 29,000-sf grocery store and retail complex on the formerKalamazoo Label site and a freestanding daycare facility on the former Lockshore Dairy site. The $5-million project, which is expected to create 30 jobs, will include land acquisition, building demolition and infrastructure improvements.· City of Lansing ($770,000): The award will assist the city in acquiring the Boys Training School Property from the state to initiate private development. The plan is to develop market-rate housing on the site with an emphasis on home ownership. The 24.6-acre site has been vacant and unused for more than 30 years. It is estimated more than $30 million in private investment would be made to complete the project.· City of Saginaw ($325,000): The city will fund part of a $6.5-million riverfront development project. The project includes acquiring an abandoned industrial packaging facility along the Saginaw River and building a two-story, 60,000-sf office building. The core communities funds will be used to acquire property and demolish structures.

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