MUSKEGON, Mich. — The buildings at the former West Shoreline Correctional facility hold little value to the City of Muskegon. It's the 62 acres of land at the closed prison city officials believe will move the city's economy forward.
The city closed on the property last week; it will be annexed into the nearly full Port City Industrial Park.
Later this summer a demolition company will begin clearing the property of more than ten buildings and miles of tall fence.
Recently the State of Michigan installed a new fence that separates the closed prison from two adjacent and active prisons.
"Even the existing asphalt aggregate is going to be milled up and potentially reused as base for a road that we're going to have to put in here," said Muskegon Economic Development Director Jake Eckholm.
With the buildings removed, the city will begin dividing the property into large multi-acre lots ready for manufacturing buildings ranging in size from 50,000 to 100,000 square feet or larger.
"What we're really looking for is to provide additional opportunities for our residents to be successful," Eckholm said.
City leaders have already been contacted by some local manufacturers interested in opportunities at the site. Eckholm expects the new land at the industrial park will also be attractive to manufactures from outside the region.
"We'll take them all," he said. "But the rule of thumb for economic development is expanding and retaining your existing base."
The property was sold by the Michigan Land Bank Fast Track Authority. The prison closed in March 2018 due to a decline in the statewide prison population.
The $2.16 million purchase price was covered by a $4 million state grant.
"We've had a great partnership with the City of Muskegon and I'm excited for the city to begin next steps on redevelopment," Michigan Land Bank Interim Director Jeff Huntington said.
"The City of Muskegon appreciates the opportunity to collaborate with the Michigan Land Bank to acquire the former West Shoreline Correctional Facility," Muskegon City Manager Frank Peterson said. "The addition of this property positions our city to best leverage this redevelopment opportunity and make our region more competitive in attracting new investment and job creation."
Since 2010, the Michigan Land Bank has returned almost 2,000 properties back to productive use. To learn more about the Land Bank's efforts to improve communities across the state, visit Michigan.gov/LandBank.
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