EGLE grant will help bring 125 new jobs to Detroit
The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) is awarding a $1 million grant to a brownfield redevelopment project that will create 125 new jobs in Detroit. The Shops at Vernor project will transform a contaminated site at 6370 West Vernor Highway into a plaza with 71,500 square feet of retail space.
The 5.5-acre property had several uses from 1916-2016 including as a streetcar yard, auto repair shop, lighting company, gas station, and a city of Detroit Department of Public Works garage and repair shop. Multiple environmental assessments done over the years, including investigations funded by EGLE’s Brownfield Site Assessment program, found petroleum compounds and solvents in soil and groundwater. The city paid for demolition of buildings, pavement, and above-ground infrastructure, as well as removal of some contaminated soil between 2019 and 2025. The EGLE Brownfield Redevelopment Grant will pay for:
- Additional environmental assessments and sampling.
- Transportation and disposal of contaminated soil.
- Design, installation, and commissioning of a vapor venting system.
- Installation of a direct contact barrier over remaining contaminated soil.
Grant funds could also be used to pay for the removal of contaminated groundwater and for demolition of underground foundations and utilities, if necessary.
The $31 million redevelopment will happen in a part of Southwest Detroit where the incomes are 4.2% lower than the city average and new jobs are needed. In addition to bringing jobs to the community, the project is expected to raise property values and serve as a catalyst for more economic investment. It also includes new crosswalks, traffic lights, and signs in the Vernor/Livernois area, making the community safer for pedestrians and drivers. Construction is scheduled to be finished by the fall of 2028.
More than half of EGLE’s annual budget supports local projects, protects public health and the environment, and helps create economic growth and jobs for Michigan workers. Redevelopment increases the value of brownfield sites and other nearby properties. In 2025, the EGLE Brownfield program provided more than $23 million in brownfield incentives to 76 projects in 52 Michigan communities. These projects are projected to create more than 440 housing units, 600 jobs, and result in more than $675 million in capital investment.
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