Environmental and economic development services for affordable and missing-middle single- family homes development on a brownfield in Michigan.
Renovare Development constructed a missing-middle residential community located blocks from historic Depot Town in the City of Ypsilanti, Michigan. The development consists of 46 for-sale single-family units, including detached row homes, duplexes, and townhomes, designed to integrate seamlessly with the surrounding historic district and promote walkability, housing diversity, and neighborhood connectivity. Fifty percent of the units are reserved for qualified individuals and families earning between 40% and 120% of the Area Median Income (AMI), supporting housing affordability and opportunities for residents to build generational wealth.
The project site is located within a designated historic district and was designed to complement nearby historic assets while meeting modern housing needs. Redevelopment of the site required careful environmental due diligence, remediation, and compliance with state and local regulatory requirements to support safe residential use and long-term redevelopment goals.
AKT Peerless provided comprehensive environmental consulting and brownfield redevelopment services for both the City of Ypsilanti and Renovare Development. Services included asbestos and regulated waste surveys, abatement and demolition oversight, air monitoring, Phase I and Phase II Environmental Site Assessments (ESAs), Baseline Environmental Assessment (BEA), and supplemental environmental investigations to support redevelopment and due care obligations.
AKT Peerless also secured a $1 million EGLE grant and managed all grant compliance, administration, and reporting activities. Using grant funding, AKT Peerless prepared a Response Activity Plan and oversaw the removal and disposal of contaminated soil, verification sampling, and importation of clean backfill material. Additional services included remedial oversight, due care documentation, vapor intrusion considerations, and preparation of a No Further Action (NFA) Report for Michigan State Housing Development Authority (MSHDA) Missing Middle–funded units, as well as Act 381 brownfield planning and cost recovery support.
AKT Peerless successfully supported the safe redevelopment of the site through regulatory-compliant investigation, remediation, and brownfield coordination. Over 15,400 tons of contaminated soil were removed and properly disposed of, followed by verification sampling and replacement with clean, tested fill material. Completion of due care activities and documentation resulted in regulatory closure and an NFA determination for funded residential units.
The project advanced the City of Ypsilanti’s housing and redevelopment goals by transforming a constrained site into a vibrant, affordable residential community while securing critical grant funding, mitigating environmental risk, and ensuring long-term protection of residents and stakeholders.
