By Jessica Mathews / news@whmi.com


Talks continue between interested parties for a privately owned site that could be developed in the City of Howell and an option agreement is on the table.

The City is a Redevelopment Ready Certified community and has been engaging with the Michigan Economic Development Corporation on marketing and development potential for what has been dubbed the City’s main priority site. Referred to as the Holkins Lot, it’s a downtown block bounded by Walnut, Wetmore, Center and Clinton Streets totaling around 1.6 acres. Half of the property is currently owned by the Howell Carnegie District Library and half by local businessman Joe Parker. One of things being looked at is having both owners work together and perhaps sell both properties so that a development could come in for the entire block, instead of doing half at a time. However, any project involving redevelopment of the property for a use other than parking will need to address the library’s parking needs in some way. Some type of mixed-use development with a housing component is envisioned.

Okemos-based True North Development has expressed interest in purchasing the site and the three parties have been going back and forth on an option agreement. Parker and the library were presented with an option agreement from True North at the end of last year. Parker says it was sent back and they asked for some changes and clarifications but haven’t heard back since before Christmas. He noted that an option agreement sort-of ties up the property and the buyer would have a certain amount of time to conduct due-diligence and maybe work with the MEDC and City to finalize plans – adding it basically stops them from selling or leasing the property out from under them while they’re working through that processing that.

Parker said he doesn’t want to tie up the property up for a prolonged period of time, noting there has been interest in the building with some renovations, but he has a desire to see the entire block become a diamond for the City. Parker said he thinks it could be an amazing development for the downtown area but added that if it doesn’t happen, it doesn’t happen and there could always be an interim type development and investments to still help the City grow. He noted that the parking aspect is really more of a requirement for the library and is one of the reasons it owns half the city block for potential future parking.

Geof Greeneisen with Rescue LLC is representing True North Development. He told WHMI the City has expressed a desire for residential, parking, and community space for recreational elements to be incorporated in new projects and he thinks a large portion of any proposed project would be residential. Greeneisen says residential is lacking downtown and thinks that would be a good component for the project. He said the amount of retail and commercial are still open questions became you don’t want to cannibalize what is already present in a strong downtown but augment that – adding how that looks is an open question.

Greeneisen commented that option agreements are designed to allow a buyer to put money into a project to determine what can be done such as market research. He says it allows both parties flexibility but gives buyers a certain amount of specified time to engage in the due diligence process with periods of time blocked off to accomplish certain things - so long as they’re actively pursuing those efforts and moving into different phases. Greeneisen said usually the first time frame involves site investigation to determine any environmental issues or surveys to lay out ideas and start discussions with the City to determine if the project they’re envisioning would align with City goals.

Due to the City’s Redevelopment Ready designation, potential projects could be eligible for grants and loans. It has also been stated that a tax abatement could be involved.

Pictured are some of the concept designs for the property.