By Jessica Mathews / news@whmi.com


The demolition of an old eyesore school in the City of Brighton could take place next year.

A Brownfield Redevelopment Authority was convened in September to evaluate the feasibility of a Brownfield Plan to facilitate the abatement and demolition of the vacant Lindbom Elementary School. A joint meeting of the Downtown Development Authority or DDA and the Brownfield Redevelopment Authority or BRA was held last week. The board members of each are the same. The BRA adopted by-laws and also reviewed a draft Brownfield Plan and recommended it be set for a public hearing.

City Manager Nate Geinzer tells WHMI that plan provides for the abatement and demolition of the former Lindbom Elementary School and the creation of a Local Brownfield Revolving Fund (LBRF). He says the abatement and demolition would be funded through a public-private collaboration with funds contributed by the property owner and potentially advanced by the City. The advancement, plus interest, would be returned to the City through the collection of Tax Increment Revenues (TIR). Those revenues would then be used to fund a LBRF that would help facilitate economic development in the future.

Geinzer noted the revolving fund can be used to fund eligible costs such as environmental assessments, abatement, demolition, and other eligible activities as provided for in the Act.

He noted the purpose of the collaboration is not only to facilitate economic development, which has be partially delayed due to the pandemic, but to remove blight and a public safety hazard. Geinzer said when they’re gearing up for the Northwest Neighborhoods Streets/Utilities Project will be an opportune time to move forward.

If the plan is approved at the BRA level, then it would go to City Council for further review and a public hearing. Geinzer says it’s their goal to see abatement and demolition commence in the first quarter of 2021.