Ad Hoc Citizens Committee for Water Street Redevelopment Area September 30, 2026

The City of Ypsilanti’s Ad Hoc Citizens Committee for the Water Street Redevelopment Area met on September 30, 2026, to review the draft developer RFQ and next steps for redeveloping the brownfield site. The committee discussed developer qualifications and proposed evaluation criteria, including brownfield redevelopment experience, financial capacity and capital structure, infrastructure delivery, conceptual plans, and alignment with city goals. Members also emphasized streetscape quality, coordination among developers, community engagement, and the need for a clear process after selection. Staff described a proposed letter of intent period of roughly 60 days to support site planning and negotiations toward a development agreement; no developer was selected and no procurement award was made. The committee considered holding public and developer outreach sessions before the RFQ is released, and discussed refining the development timeline and community-benefits information at future meetings.

Staff reported that HUD community project funds are available for eligible planning and environmental work, and that additional assessment funding from EGLE may be available. Potential ALTA and tree surveys were estimated at approximately $20,000–$25,000 each; staff was obtaining pricing and planned to report back. The committee asked whether both surveys were grant-eligible, and staff confirmed they were. No spending authorization or contract approval was recorded.