In the spring of 2001, Muskegon joined an elite group of 11 Michigan communities receiving a SmartZone designation from the State of Michigan. The Muskegon Lakeshore SmartZone Edison Landing is a joint venture between the private and public sector to redevelop a critical piece of Downtown Muskegon’s shoreline as a mixed-use development that includes residential, retail, office/commercial and recreational components.

Click here for a podcast from Inside Muskegon. This episode features an interview with Chris Kelly with the Edison Landing SmartZone, a commentary on the interview, listener feedback and information on contacting Inside Muskegon.

LEGEND
Existing Shoreline Drive
Extension of Shoreline Drive
Muskegon Lakefront

Featuring 34 acres of land, with Muskegon Lake on one side and new Business 31 on the other, Edison Landing presents a unique development opportunity. The developer, Edison Landing, LLC, has divided this parcel into 16 site condominium units ranging in size from 0.8 to over 6 acres. One of the parcels will house the new home of Parmenter O’Toole, the largest law firm along the lakeshore. On another parcel, Grand Valley State University will operate an energy-related research and development facility and a business incubator closely linked to its business and engineering schools. The remaining sites are available for construction of buildings with uses consistent with the Planned Unit Development already approved by the City of Muskegon. The Master Deed and bylaws of the site condominium will provide for many open areas, including the waterfront which will allow for access from both land and water. The condominium association will maintain strict control over both the uses and architectural design of each of the buildings to be constructed, ensuring a harmonious look to Muskegon’s “new downtown.”

It is easy to look at the site and see just the beautiful waterfront, but the impact and importance of Shoreline Drive is significant. The Michigan Department of Transportation has approved the redirection of existing traffic from Webster and Muskegon Avenues to the new Shoreline Drive, which will be designated as Business U.S. 31. Once completed, Shoreline Drive traffic is expected to exceed 20,000 vehicles per day. This will make Shoreline Drive Muskegon’s main roadway, a gateway to downtown Muskegon and Muskegon Lake.

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A short trip down Shoreline Drive from Edison Landing already includes Heritage Landing, the new Grand Valley State University Water Research Institute, the LC Walker Sports Arena and Conference Center, the Muskegon Harbor Holiday Inn, Terrace Plaza, two new office buildings for a construction company and a credit union, plus Rafferty’s – one of Muskegon’s finest restaurants. The new 10-story Shoreline Inn & Suites is directly adjacent to Edison Landing and additional construction is in the works.

Participation in Edison Landing is supported by the aggressive use of business development incentives. Each site within the SmartZone is qualified to be classified as a “Brownfield,” which translates into a time-limited opportunity to receive a Single Business Tax credit equal to 10% of the purchaser’s eligible investment at the site. Commercial businesses locating within this Enterprise Community Zone before the end of 2004 are eligible to receive a substantial five-year tax abatement. In addition, Michigan law provides for 12-year, 50% property tax abatements for certain high-tech research and development, offices and engineering buildings located with-in the SmartZone. Finally, because of the City’s status as an Enterprise Community, commercial construction projects of up to $3 million may be financed with tax-exempt revenue bonds. As part of a Local Development Finance Authority, nearly all of the property tax revenue generated from the SmartZone must be utilized on the site.

Locating in Edison Landing offers additional benefits: This is the only waterfront SmartZone and the only SmartZone with direct access to Lake Michigan. In addition, Edison Landing is on a major traffic route in a Metropolitan Statistical Area with one of the highest growth rates in the United States and a population of our MSA exceeding one million people.

It has been decades since the Muskegon lakeshore could be developed. Now, Edison Landing offers developers the first opportunity in generations to build along the beautiful Muskegon Lake shoreline, they can do so with the added benefits of new Business 31 and the SmartZone.