Holland has received a significant grant to help facilitate a land swap agreement approved by voters three years ago.
According to a release from officials May 26, the municipality has been awarded a $11.25 million grant through the Port Infrastructure Development Program under the U.S. Department of Transportation.
The funds will help cover major components of the land swap agreement authorizing the sale of the former James DeYoung Power Plant — allowing the relocation of Verplank Dock Company and clearing the way for Geenen DeKock Properties to redevelop the business’ former site, finally connecting Eighth Street to Lake Macatawa.
The components include reconstruction of the former plant’s seawall, public road and infrastructure improvements, and on-site construction to accommodate industrial operations.
GDK’s original plan for Eighth Street was a mixed-use development with 108 units of housing across four buildings, plus a 50-room hotel, a marina with private and transient slips, a “boat-watching plaza,” a restaurant and ice cream shop and a much-needed docking area for cruise ships.
A revised plan shared with Holland City Council in January 2023 included most of the same items, plus potential docking for the Holland Princess — but focused more heavily on access and traffic flow, adding a public park.
Officials will work to evaluate and meet grant-related requirements in the coming months. Improvements at the former power plant are expected to take place in 2027 and 2028. After that, future phases of Waterfront Holland — including redevelopment at the end of Eighth Street — will be considered.
Other initiatives under the umbrella of “Waterfront Holland” include improvements to Windmill Island Gardens, construction of the Holland Ice Park and plans for the new Holland Bike Park — a bicycle pump track along River Avenue, just north of the Unity Bridge. For that project, a groundbreaking ceremony is scheduled for June 5.
Learn more at waterfrontholland.org.
— Contact reporter Austin Metz at ametz@hollandsentinel.com.
This article originally appeared on The Holland Sentinel: $11.25 million grant offers significant boost to Waterfront Holland
Reporting by Austin Metz, Holland Sentinel / The Holland Sentinel
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