HOLLAND, Mich. — Developers finalized plans for a waterfront property in Holland and are ready to move forward. They just have to wait for Holland residents to say yes.
On Wednesday, the Holland City Council took the next step in a potential development project, which would allow for the construction of hotels, mixed-use buildings, and a marina for cruise ships.
READ: Cruise ships could be on the way to Holland
Geenen DeKock Properties submitted to the Council a revision to a plan proposed last February, which hinged on a landswap giving VerPlank Dock Company ownership of a former power plant site, currently owned by the City of Holland. In exchange, VerPlank's waterfront property would be transferred to the city.
If the landswap goes through, VerPlank Dock Company would switch its operations to the site of the James De Young power plant site. And the city would have a new anchor for development at Verplank's old location, at the end of 8th Street.
In its revised plan, GDK Designs kept major items, like a cruise ship dock and mixed-use buildings. But this time around, the plan includes more waterfront access.
"It'll put us more on par with places like Grand Haven and Saugatuck, where people can walk the waterfront with the boats," said Geenen DeKock. "And really, I just make that connection to downtown."
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Project leaders say the waterfront development could generate around 20 million dollars annually for the West Michigan area.
"We have that opportunity to be able to bring that economic activity into the community," said Holland Mayor Nathan Bocks.
Mayor Bocks also stressed that the city of Holland would own the waterfront property on 8th Street, while GDK Designs would only be the developer.
"They'll hire the the contractors," he explained. "They've come up with the vision."
However, the vision will have to float a while longer. The city still needs to work out a price for the land.
And, Holland voters get a chance to weigh in before anything goes up. The city plans to discuss the project again at next week's council meeting, approving it for May's ballot.
The city will require a three-fifths approval in an upcoming election to determine if the project gets the greenlight.
Mayor Bocks explained that the vote would permit the city to sell the property, but it won't dictate the terms of that sale.
"We'll go back to the developers and the property owners and negotiate those terms, and come up with great terms for the city of Holland, so that we're able to make this development happen," said Mayor Bocks.
The city is also looking at certain mechanisms to make this project a reality including a tax increment financing and a waterfront resource improvement authority.
If given the final approval by voters, we could see these development done in five years.
