Work Begins on Hub Project
Following more than 18 months of environmental testing and planning, The Huron County Community Foundation is excited to share that public facing activity is coming to the future Community Hub site at 101 N Port Crescent and 101 W Huron Ave. in Bad Axe. Beginning the week of February 27th, contractors will be in and around the buildings removing contaminated materials in an effort to ready the properties for future development.
The Community Foundation secured a $600,000 grant through a partnership with the Huron County Brownfield Redevelopment Authority (HCBRA) and Michigan Environmental Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE) to cover the cost of removing environmental contaminants from the site. The grant prioritizes removal of petroleum contamination from the soil, due to the site’s former use as a gas station, but will also aid in the removal of other materials. HCCF has worked with HCBRA and EGLE over the last 18 months to identify and plan for the remediation of this site so that construction can proceed. “This has been a time-consuming and costly process that realistically would not be undertaken by a private developer,” said HCCF Executive Director Mackenzie Price. “HCCF, as a nonprofit organization, was able to secure grant funding to advance a vision to create a more vibrant community.”
Asbestos is the first contaminate that will be removed from the site. “Hiring a qualified company is imperative to the safe removal of asbestos for both those removing the material, the public, and the future occupants of the Hub space.” said Carl Osentoski, Director of HCBRA. The contract for removal was awarded to a professional abatement firm. Once the asbestos is removed, the process will continue with soil removal and remediation when the weather turns warmer.
The abatement work is the first step of a project to create what is known as the Community Hub. HCCF has purchased two properties and plans to renovate them into vibrant downtown resources for our county. This will include a community board room, co working space, second floor residential units, and office space for the Foundation.
The over $2 million project leveraged a competitive grant process to bring federal dollars to Huron County. With support from Senator Stabenow, the Huron County Community Foundation received a grant of $783,000 for rural development. Local supporters played a key role in securing these funds by providing letters of support as a part of the application process in early 2022. “These dollars will allow the completion of the Hub Project despite inflation and increases in building materials” added HCCF Executive Director, Mackenzie Price. “We are grateful to our federal legislators for supporting meaningful investments in our county.”
