Planned mixed-use development in North Corktown receives $750K grant to clean up contaminated soil

What’s happening: A three-acre site in Detroit’s North Corktown neighborhood will one day be host to the Preserve on Ash, a multi-building mixed-use development. But first developers have to clear the site of contamination from the area’s past. A recently approved $750,000 Brownfield Redevelopment Grant from the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) will help them do just that.

What it was: The three acres in and around 3300 15th St. in North Corktown are vacant today, but were once site to a dry cleaner, auto service center, gas station, and light manufacturing facility. Those businesses are no longer around, but what is still around, it was discovered, is soil contaminated with metals, petroleum compounds, and chlorinated solvents. The $750,000 EGLE grant will cover the costs of transporting and disposing the contaminated soil, as well as the vapor mitigation system now planned for the new buildings.

What it will be: The Preserve on Ash is a six-building mixed-use development that will feature 100 mixed-income residential rental units and 5,600 sq. ft. of commercial space. It’s expected that construction will begin in spring 2024 and be completed come summer 2025. The development is part of the City of Detroit’s Greater Corktown Neighborhood Framework Plan, developed to ensure affordable housing and inclusive growth in the increasingly developed neighborhoods of Corktown and North Corktown. Corktown is home to Michigan Central, the heart of Ford Motor Company’s $1 billion mobility campus.

Why it’s important: “The city of Detroit greatly appreciates the partnership with EGLE in providing $750,000 in cleanup funding for the Preserve on Ash redevelopment project,” says David Bell, director of Detroit’s Buildings, Safety Engineering, and Environmental Department. “This funding will be used to prevent exposure to hazardous substances and address environmental conditions for a much-needed affordable housing and commercial space.”

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