tDetroit-based DTE Energy is selling its shuttered Marysville Power Plant to a land revitalization firm in hopes of preparing the site for future development, the utility announced Thursday.
tKnown as “Mighty Marysville,” the Marysville plant is situated on 20 acres along the St. Clair River in St. Clair County. The plant operated from 1922 until 2001, employing 250 people at its peak, and was officially decommissioned in 2011.
t“DTE Energy has worked very closely with the city leadership of Marysville regarding the sale of our Marysville Power Plant property,” says Dave Meador, executive vice president and CFO of DTE. “Through our partnership with city leaders, we have a greater understanding of the community’s needs and the region’s vision for our property. We are very pleased and excited for the Marysville community and the entire state about the potential development opportunities our plant property will bring.”
tThe St. Louis (Mo.) based Commercial Land — which has also remediated and redeveloped former Chrysler and General Motors plants — will prepare the site for future development, and per its contract with DTE, will complete its work within two years.
t“We are confident that we can lay the foundation for a future development that will suit the community’s needs,” says Randall Joste, CEO of Environmental Liability Transfer, an affiliated company of Commercial Development. “We will work closely with Marysville leaders to ensure we meet their expectations.”
tThe company plans to hire 30 local contractors to help with the project, which will include the removal of asbestos and other soil pollutants at the site before proceeding with the demolition, Joste says.
tThe company will work alongside the city government to decide the best use for the land once the remediation is complete, Joste says. While they have not yet identified whom they will sell the property to, the site’s deep-water port could be a strong selling factor. “It’s a great inducement to companies looking to ship products via the river,” he says.
t“This is a happy day for the city of Marysville,” say Randall Fernandez, assistant city manager. “We envision this site becoming a destination stop in southeast Michigan, and anticipate it will provide good jobs and a strong tax base in the region.”
tCommercial Development has remediated soil for redevelopment across the country, and successfully redeveloped the site of an old brewery in Frankenmuth, now home to a restaurant and hotel.
