To keep the business in the city, a Downtown staple since it began in 1866, the city agreed to provide $40 million in funds for property acquisitions, side development and other actions.
"We've been here that long, it makes sense from a number of perspectives. It 's a tradition for our company to stay in Jackson," says Dan Bishop, public information director for the company.
Consumers provides the natural gas and electricity to more than 6 million of the state's 10 million residents in all 68 Lower Peninsula counties. Funding for the new headquarters project was also aided by the Michigan Economic Growth Authority's decision to grant an $8.6 million Single Business Tax (SBT) credit to Consumers Energy.
As outlined in the project's Development Agreement, Consumers Energy will use a significant share of the SBT credit to offset costs incurred to redevelop its brownfield site.
"We firmly believe this project will play a major role in Jackson's continuing economic revitalization," says company Chairman William T. McCormick, Jr.
Bishop says work is being done by the Michigan Department of Transportation to the Cooper Street exit off of I-94, to make the intersection an entrance to the Downtown. More retail and commercial growth is expected in the area, he says.
The new headquarters will be completed in 2003 and will house 1,500 employees.Currently, the workers are spread out in several different leased facilities in Jackson and Jackson County's Blackman Township, Bishop tells GlobeSt.com. "We needed a building that is more state of the art, in terms of Internet use," he adds.
Granger Construction Company of Lansing has been hired to build the new headquarters and make modifications to the utility's Parnall Complex in Blackman Township. The Detroit-based SmithGroup is the headquarters project architect.
The new headquarters will be located at the site of the idled US Postal Service building in downtown Jackson's east end. The facility will incorporate many of the unique architectural features of the postal building, Bishop says.
Consumers Energy, the principal subsidiary of CMS Energy Corporation, is Michigan's largest utility.
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