Environmental due diligence, asbestos remediation, and brownfield redevelopment services supporting the adaptive reuse of an obsolete office building into multifamily housing in Michigan.
The project site consists of approximately 12 acres and is developed with a 14-story, functionally obsolete commercial office building in the City of Southgate, Michigan. The redevelopment involves renovation of the vacant office structure into multifamily residential apartments, transforming an underutilized commercial property into much-needed housing while revitalizing the surrounding commercial district.
Driven by high demand for apartment and multifamily housing and increasing office vacancy rates, the project reflects a growing trend toward adaptive reuse of obsolete commercial properties. The redevelopment is intended to catalyze additional investment in the area and support long-term economic revitalization in Southgate. Redevelopment activities commenced in June 2023, with project completion anticipated in early 2026.
AKT Peerless provided comprehensive environmental consulting and brownfield redevelopment services in support of the project. Services included environmental due diligence, Phase I and Phase II Environmental Site Assessments (ESAs), Baseline Environmental Assessment (BEA), and asbestos and regulated materials surveys to support planned renovations.
AKT Peerless also delivered brownfield development services, including preparation of a Brownfield Plan, Act 381 Work Plan, and Analysis of Brownfield Cleanup Alternatives (ABCA), as well as asbestos remediation planning and implementation, project management, and ongoing grant and loan compliance oversight. AKT Peerless worked closely with the City of Southgate Brownfield Redevelopment Authority (BRA), the Detroit Community Consulting (DCC), and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) to secure and administer brownfield funding.
AKT Peerless successfully supported the project’s financing and regulatory compliance by leveraging more than $4.5 million in brownfield tax increment financing and securing a $1.2 million USEPA Revolving Loan Fund (RLF) loan. Environmental and regulated materials planning enabled the safe conversion of the obsolete office building into residential use.
Through coordinated environmental, brownfield, and funding services, AKT Peerless helped advance a catalytic adaptive reuse project that addresses regional housing demand, reduces commercial vacancy, and supports long-term economic revitalization in the City of Southgate.
