Letter to Macomb County Representatives — Transformational Brownfield Program (TBP) Amendments

Summary

A letter addressed to Macomb County Representatives, with a signature block naming Mark Hackel, Macomb County Executive, and Michael C. Taylor, Mayor, Sterling Heights, asks for assistance in securing amendments to the Transformational Brownfield Program (TBP). The letter says that when initially enacted in 2017, the TBP set a cap of $40 million per year in total authorized support for all projects, and that the cap is essentially exhausted. It says the TBP represents a critical element of the financing strategy for the Lakeside Mall redevelopment. It asks the representatives to support amendments to increase the cap.

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Full text

Dear Macomb County Representatives:

We are writing to ask for your assistance in securing critically needed amendments to
the Transformational Brownfield Program (TBP) in order to unlock one of the most
significant and transformative redevelopment initiatives in Macomb County’s history.

As you may know, the TBP program was created to make Michigan’s largest and most
challenging—but also most impactful—brownfield redevelopment projects possible.
Given the extensive costs to bring these brownfield sites back to life, these
transformational projects are simply not possible without smart public policy.

The TBP program is an enhanced form of brownfield tax increment financing, arguably
the most proven and popular redevelopment tool in Michigan. Unlike other programs,
the TBP program does not provide any “cash up front,” but rather dedicates a portion
of the new tax revenues generated from a project over time to help make the project
financially possible. It is a true win-win, as sites that are generating little to no tax
revenue and community benefit are not only redeveloped into vibrant community
assets, but also generate new tax revenue beyond the portion reinvested through the
TBP program.

When initially enacted in 2017, the TBP set a cap of $40 million per year in total
authorized support for all projects. That cap is essentially exhausted, meaning that
critical projects in Macomb and throughout the state cannot receive support through
the TBP program unless the cap is extended.

Specifically, the TBP program represents a critical element of the financing strategy for
the transformational Lakeside Mall redevelopment. Like so many outdoor malls built
during the 1970s, Lakeside Mall has fallen on difficult times over the past decades. Once
a centerpiece of our community, Lakeside Mall is today a large, decaying asset sitting in
the heart of Sterling Heights and Macomb County.

The transformational redevelopment of Lakeside Mall will replace this challenged and
underutilized asset with thousands of units of new housing, vibrant restaurants, public
spaces, and new in-demand shopping and entertainment concepts. It will be a national
model for transforming last-generation malls into today’s mixed-use town centers, and
it will make Sterling Heights and Macomb the destination of choice for families looking
for a vibrant place to live and play.
We hope that you can not only support these critical amendments to increase the cap
and make other necessary improvements to the TBP program, but be champions for
this legislation as a truly transformational opportunity for our community.

Please do not hesitate to reach out to us if we may be of further assistance.

Sincerely yours,




Mark Hackel                                   Michael C. Taylor
Macomb County Executive                       Mayor, Sterling Heights


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