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Suggested Grand Rapids-Muskegon economic development partnership focus on ...

MUSKEGON — Grand Rapids and Muskegon economic developers are proposing the two communities join forces on a focused development program that could have historic significance for the future of Muskegon's waterfront.

The Right Place Inc. in Grand Rapids and Muskegon Area First — both economic development agencies — are putting forth a plan for a new West Michigan Economic Partnership.

In Muskegon, the partnership could focus on redevelopment of the Muskegon Lake downtown waterfront for a mix of uses from a deep-water port supporting wind turbine manufacturing activities to commercial businesses supporting water recreation and tourism.

“We are the port for the region and we are critical in these plans,” said Cathy Brubaker-Clarke, the city of Muskegon's planning and economic development director. “This is a great partnership between Grand Rapids and Muskegon.”

The Kent-Muskegon partnership is in contrast to historic regional alignments that have traditionally been between Kent and Ottawa county communities, local economic developers point out.

Right Place Vice President for Business Development Rick Chapla said the vision for Muskegon is a broad redevelopment of the Muskegon Lake waterfront. In Grand Rapids, a potential site is the former General Motors 36th Street site now being redeveloped by the city of Wyoming, he said.

“This program can bring historically-significant development to the lakefront,” said Chapla, who was Muskegon's planning director two decades ago when the policy decision was made to eliminate old, heavy industrial uses on the Muskegon Lake shoreline.

The plan is to join Kent and Muskegon county communities in a Next Michigan Development Corp. The development targets are alternative energy and food processing businesses.

The new state-authorized government structure is designed to focus a region on developing properties that provide businesses with multiple transportation links.

The Muskegon waterfront provides port, highway and railroad transportation links, economic developers said. For example, the Muskegon waterfront provides ample room for the assembly and shipping of wind turbines and their components, according to West Michigan Economic Partnership materials.

The partnership's vision is similar to that of Scandia Wind Offshore's proposal for a wind turbine logistic center on Muskegon Lake from the former Sappi Fine Paper mill to the Consumers Energy property adjacent to the B.C. Cobb power plant.

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