The Paper Mill has been part of the Muskegon landscape. The old Central Paper Company has been turning out tons of paper annually since 1900.
Over a century later, the site has closed. For the last 40 years, Muskegon has worked toward reshaping its image. Gray, pollution-filled skies and the smell of pulping once defined the city in the minds of many. Those days are behind us.
While I'm the first to note the need for jobs in the area, they do not need to litter the skyline or shoreline with the smokestacks and drain pipes of industry as we have known it.
Redeveloping the site to serve education would be a wonderful addition to Muskegon. How about an extension of the Grand Valley, Western, Ferris, Central, Michigan State or Michigan university campus? (Have you ever visited waterfront facilities at Northwestern University in Evanston, IL or University of Wisconsin in Madison, WI?) Medical facilities or labs serving Pfizer or other pharmaceutical firms? Both build attractive facilities and provide well-paying jobs for the educated. Public access to the waterfront could easily be incorporated into the design for each. Certainly, an extension of the bike path could be part of the design.
Once every 100 years or so, an opportunity like this presents itself. Muskegon has come so far in cleaning up the environmental assets that were bestowed upon the area. A chance to work toward completing the task has arrived. Do not make a short-sighted decision in favor of immediate gratification in reusing the facilities on site.
As the pending fortu PowerCell development has shown, "industry" does not have to reside on the waterfront.
A 3rd generation Muskegon resident - 14 years ago
Mr.Ted Bowman & Cindy Kendall are right on. They and more people need to speak up for the present population and the generations that are coming.
Denny & Beth Hilliard - 14 years ago
Mr. Ted Bowman is right on! BUILD IT, and THEY WILL COME! Than so will the tax dollars which the city prayfully and with good judgement can draw many tourists, family and friendly people to our town such as other friendly towns throughout Michigan, Wiscousin etc,etc that are blessed to be on the water!!! May GOD continue to bless the USA!
Cindy Kendall - 14 years ago
Isn't it time that we take some lessons from Traverse City, Grand Haven, Saugatuck and develop our shoreline for tourism. We have many hidden gems here already.....but we need to expand and capitalize on them it is time for Muskegon to be known for more than "Beer Tent" capital. If we want upscale dollars to be spent here then we need to offer what a "Beach Town" can in the summer as well as the winter. If we want to draw more winter users to the Winter Sports Complex than we need to offer a variety of options for those visitors once they get here.....so they will return and tell their friends it is a great weekend destination. We need to retool our overall image....we are no longer a blue collar town, we will never be a blue collar town again. The Community Foundation and Gary Post have done a good job with getting our downtown on track....and we need to capitalize on that ....when people get off the Lake Express we want them to be impressed .....the Lakeside District has done a good job in reinventing themselves now it is the time to continue that development!!
Faye Redmond - 14 years ago
Comments of Mr. bowman are all good ideas but we are talking about 119 acres here. This is a substantial amount of property and can accomodate a lot of uses. How much of the industrial plant is usable and how much can be "recycycled."
Is there a functional wood fired generating plant? That could be used perhaps to power restaurants, street light in that area. Could the generating plant further evolve into a digester to produce methane and compost? If we're going to dream...
There are many wood lots in this part of the state that would benefit from timber stand improvement, providing many years of fuel for the right technology.
ted bowman - 14 years ago
Why have we established industrial parks all over the county if we want to continue industrializing our god given waterfront with more contamination? This area should be developed with a completed bike path, boardwalk with nature trails into the wetlands, Motor home and travel trailer park (two week stay limited) Motel/Boatel tourist shops and food courts, band shell and dance area. Park like setting with trees, flowers and grass a fishing pier for children and a Craigs Cruisers type of recreation area with plenty of paved parking and open areas for picnics. No structures more than one story so we can see the lake from Lakeshore Drive...not like Shoreline Drive where you cannot see the shore. Let's do it right for a change.
The Paper Mill has been part of the Muskegon landscape. The old Central Paper Company has been turning out tons of paper annually since 1900.
Over a century later, the site has closed. For the last 40 years, Muskegon has worked toward reshaping its image. Gray, pollution-filled skies and the smell of pulping once defined the city in the minds of many. Those days are behind us.
While I'm the first to note the need for jobs in the area, they do not need to litter the skyline or shoreline with the smokestacks and drain pipes of industry as we have known it.
Redeveloping the site to serve education would be a wonderful addition to Muskegon. How about an extension of the Grand Valley, Western, Ferris, Central, Michigan State or Michigan university campus? (Have you ever visited waterfront facilities at Northwestern University in Evanston, IL or University of Wisconsin in Madison, WI?) Medical facilities or labs serving Pfizer or other pharmaceutical firms? Both build attractive facilities and provide well-paying jobs for the educated. Public access to the waterfront could easily be incorporated into the design for each. Certainly, an extension of the bike path could be part of the design.
Once every 100 years or so, an opportunity like this presents itself. Muskegon has come so far in cleaning up the environmental assets that were bestowed upon the area. A chance to work toward completing the task has arrived. Do not make a short-sighted decision in favor of immediate gratification in reusing the facilities on site.
As the pending fortu PowerCell development has shown, "industry" does not have to reside on the waterfront.
Mr.Ted Bowman & Cindy Kendall are right on. They and more people need to speak up for the present population and the generations that are coming.
Mr. Ted Bowman is right on! BUILD IT, and THEY WILL COME! Than so will the tax dollars which the city prayfully and with good judgement can draw many tourists, family and friendly people to our town such as other friendly towns throughout Michigan, Wiscousin etc,etc that are blessed to be on the water!!! May GOD continue to bless the USA!
Isn't it time that we take some lessons from Traverse City, Grand Haven, Saugatuck and develop our shoreline for tourism. We have many hidden gems here already.....but we need to expand and capitalize on them it is time for Muskegon to be known for more than "Beer Tent" capital. If we want upscale dollars to be spent here then we need to offer what a "Beach Town" can in the summer as well as the winter. If we want to draw more winter users to the Winter Sports Complex than we need to offer a variety of options for those visitors once they get here.....so they will return and tell their friends it is a great weekend destination. We need to retool our overall image....we are no longer a blue collar town, we will never be a blue collar town again. The Community Foundation and Gary Post have done a good job with getting our downtown on track....and we need to capitalize on that ....when people get off the Lake Express we want them to be impressed .....the Lakeside District has done a good job in reinventing themselves now it is the time to continue that development!!
Comments of Mr. bowman are all good ideas but we are talking about 119 acres here. This is a substantial amount of property and can accomodate a lot of uses. How much of the industrial plant is usable and how much can be "recycycled."
Is there a functional wood fired generating plant? That could be used perhaps to power restaurants, street light in that area. Could the generating plant further evolve into a digester to produce methane and compost? If we're going to dream...
There are many wood lots in this part of the state that would benefit from timber stand improvement, providing many years of fuel for the right technology.
Why have we established industrial parks all over the county if we want to continue industrializing our god given waterfront with more contamination? This area should be developed with a completed bike path, boardwalk with nature trails into the wetlands, Motor home and travel trailer park (two week stay limited) Motel/Boatel tourist shops and food courts, band shell and dance area. Park like setting with trees, flowers and grass a fishing pier for children and a Craigs Cruisers type of recreation area with plenty of paved parking and open areas for picnics. No structures more than one story so we can see the lake from Lakeshore Drive...not like Shoreline Drive where you cannot see the shore. Let's do it right for a change.