Step toward Renaissance, Proposal for the Hart & Cooley site includes stadium. Editorial, The Holland Sentinel, Holland, Michigan, May 18, 2007

With their approval, Third Coast Development passed the first hurdle of its quest to give the 45-acre site a $35 million to $60 million makeover.

Just minutes from downtown, the building will be transformed into Federal Square, a complex of offices, retail stores, restaurants, a movie theater and a minor league baseball stadium.

The Grand Rapids-based developers and township will work with the state this year to create a Renaissance Zone for the 83-year-old facility at 500 E. Eighth St.

For 12 years, the zone will make residents exempt from state and local income taxes, in addition to real estate taxes. Taxes then would be added slowly until the 16th year, in which everything would return to normal.

The industrial site, which developers say has plenty of environmental issues, needed incentives to make redevelopment a reality.

"We know we got challenges," said David Levitt, a partner in Third Coast. "We do really need help to turn this entire brownfield site into something that will benefit the area."

Jon Mersman, township planner, said the state designed Renaissance Zones specifically for old industrial buildings.

Last week, Third Coast representatives met with residential neighbors and talked through many of their concerns.

Business neighbors such as Bob DeNooyer said fixing up the Hart & Cooley building prevents it from becoming an empty eyesore in the community.

"I do think that economic development with these old buildings is something we have to encourage," said DeNooyer, owner of DeNooyer Chevrolet, 600 E. Eighth St.

Levitt said SunCoast Baseball's plan for a minor league baseball stadium within the complex in 2008 or 2009 is moving along well.

"They have great demographics to support what they are trying to do," he said.

The rest of complex will follow, piece-by-piece, Levitt said.

© 2007 Holland Sentinel. Used with permission