Brownfield Assessment Grants

Free Money Available for Select Redevelopment Projects in the City of Grand Rapids

If you've lived in Grand Rapids for more than 10 years, then surely each time you travel west down Wealthy Street you can't help but marvel at its transformation. Even in the last few years, the Wealthy Street business district has been reborn. Much of this extraordinary change was made possible by Brownfield Grants.

What is a Brownfield Site?

Here in Grand Rapids, we're proud of our long history of industry and manufacturing. That history is evident in our vibrant downtown. It's also apparent in a number of contaminated, blightedd or functionally obsolete proprerties (i.e. Brownfield).

Left abandoned, these so-called "brownfield" sites can blight neighborhoods, breed crime, and stop economic development in neighborhoods.

Developers will play a critical role. It takes their vision and ingenuity to imagine how these sites can become productive again.

Unfortunately, vision is rarely enough on its own. Hidden costs—investigations, cleanups, liability, and regulatory red tape—can kill projects before they even enter planning. If there isn't a viable approach to pay these costs and still make a profit, no one will break ground. Even the most promising plan for the future will remain just that: a plan.

What Costs will a Brownfield Grant Pay For?

That's where brownfield grants can be critical. Brownfield grants are available to you to offset the assessment, inspection and cleanup costs associated with your project.

A Brownfield grant will cover:

  • Site assessments
  • Soil and groundwater testing
  • Preparation of environmental reports, including Phase I and Phase II Environmental Site Assessments (ESA) Baseline Environmental Assessments and Due Care Plans
  • Select cleanup services if contamination is discovered

Who do I Call with My Questions or To Get Started?

BLDI Environmental Engineering is proud to be the only local firm approved to perform the inspections, assessments, testing, and cleanup services paid for by the Brownfield grants in the City of Grand Rapids.

When you contact us, we'll request:

  • The property location
  • Your proposed use and anticipated investment
  • The estimated number of jobs which will be created at the completion of your project
  • The site's prior and current use
  • An appointment with you for a free initial consultation.

Being local, we can meet you anywhere in the city within 20 minutes and tour the site with you, giving you enough insight into the process and the property to help you better decide how much time, effort, and money you're willing to spend to redevelop that site.

BLDI will work with city leaders on your behalf to qualify your project under the brownfield program.

Once your project is qualified, we will work with you to ready your site for redevelopment. The services we provide include site assessments, soil and groundwater testing, and preparation of environemental reports such as Phase I and II ESAs, BEAs and Due Care Plans.

We will also work with you to explore other redevelopment incentives. In combination with brownfield funding, savvy developers can utilize other programs to offset expenses, including:

  • Tax-increment financing
  • Renaissance zone tax rebates
  • Historic tax credits
  • Michigan business tax credits

At BLDI, we combine expertise in the environmental and regulatory issues you confront with a deep understanding of the business and financial issues involved.

BLDI has been investing in Grand Rapids for over 20 years because we believe in the unlimited potential for redevelopment and sustainability in our community. Let us help you realize *your* visions for a even greater Grand Rapids.

For questions and to discuss a Brownfield grant, please call Joseph Berlin at 616-459-3737.