With a number of downtown-area redevelopment projects in the works, Ypsilanti officials are creating a policy to deal with granting Neighborhood Enterprise Zones and other tax abatements to developers. The idea is to streamline the process so the city doesn't have to reinvent the wheel for each project.
"I think we need a more coherent approach when we hand these out," says Karen Hart, planning and development director for Ypsilanti. "You need to look at it like would the project happen without the tax abatement?"
Hart and other city officials are drawing up a rough draft of the proposed policy and expect to put it before the City Council toward the end of this year.
A number of redevelopment projects are moving forward in Ypsilanti's downtown and Depot Town districts. The West Michigan Lofts in downtown has proven to be a big success while the Thompson Block building renovation in Depot Town has similar potential. The city is also shopping its Water Street mega project to developers in hopes of getting that started soon.
Source: Karen Hart, planning and development director for Ypsilanti
Writer: Jon Zemke
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