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Fiscal Year 2024 Community Projects Funding Requests Member Disclosure

Overview

The following Community Projects are those being submitted by Representative Hillary Scholten on behalf of Michigan’s 3rd District. Our office received many strong applications, and Congresswoman Scholten was only able to submit 15 project requests out of applications received. Those requests must be for state or local governments, government-adjacent organizations, and nonprofits only. Final decisions on which projects ultimately receive funding will be made by the House Committee on Appropriations later this year and must be passed through the Fiscal Year 2024 Congressional budget process.

Rep Scholten will continue to advocate to ensure these projects are funded and deliver results for West Michigan.

 

Transparency

Members must certify that they, their spouse, and other immediate family members do not have a financial interest in the projects in which funding requests were made. Details and disclosures for each project submitted by Rep. Scholten are posted below.

 

Project: 904 Renovation

Sponsor: United Methodist Community House

Location: 904 Sherman Ave SE Grand Rapids, MI 49507

Requested Amount: $1,000,000

Disclosure Letter

Background: This funding would help United Methodist Community House to fund the renovation of classrooms and a gymnasium to accommodate second shift and alternative care for children. The project is located in the most economically distressed zip code in Kent County (49507). Many nearby families are not able to accept afternoon work shifts or attend evening classes to better their employment because they do not currently have access to quality & affordable childcare. Completing this project will support improving  the economic health of the community. When completed, this renovation will help get people back to work, help employers become more productive, create a stronger tax base, prepare children for successful academic careers, and more.

 

Project: Terminal Enhancement Project – Landside Improvements. GRR, Grand Rapids, MI

Sponsor: Gerald R. Ford International Airport Authority

Location: 5500 44th St SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49512

Requested Amount: $789,000

Disclosure Letter 

Description: Gerald R. Ford International Airport was one of the fastest airports in the country to return to pre-pandemic levels. This funding would make roadway and utility improvements to support TSA’s growth and airline service demands. Specifically, the funding is a key part of terminal expansion, checked baggage inspection system (CBIS), and associated public and secured facilities at Gerald R. Ford International Airport. It is a critical piece of the larger Terminal Enhancement Project, which would support TSA’s growth and airline service demands in West Michigan, one of the fastest airports in the country to return to pre-pandemic travel levels.

Since checked baggage screening equipment was installed post-9/11, loading and unloading of baggage to TSA provided equipment has been manual and limited in capacity. The terminal will be expanded to the west with a full CBIS on the 2nd floor above the new ticket counter and bag makeup spaces. Terminal expansion will include relocation of ticket counters (from the east to the west end of the terminal), new bag makeup space for airline operations, and baggage claim expansion.  

 

Project: Butterworth Street Stormwater Project

Sponsor: City of Grand Rapids

Location: 300 Monroe Ave NW, Grand Rapids, MI 49503

Requested Amount: $1,600,000

Disclosure Letter

Description:

This funding would be used to evaluate stormwater needs, develop alternatives to manage the water and eliminate the sediment in the road and on neighboring properties near Butterworth Street. Butterworth Street is critical to both commercial/industrial users as well as residents of Grand Rapids and Walker. It provides connectivity between the two cities and is used predominantly by drivers passing through this area and accessing City and County facilities and recreational areas. The area is challenging from a stormwater perspective and proper design is important for protecting the Grand River given its proximity. 

Stormwater accumulation and the hilly nature of the road means vehicles can easily come upon a flooded area with little notice which presents a perceived safety concern and deters some drivers from the area. The large volume of stormwater requires design of a comprehensive stormwater management system before the road can be improved. 

 

Project:  Seymour Condominiums

Sponsor: ICCF Community Home

Location: 415 Martin Luther King Jr. St SE, Suite 100, Grand Rapids, MI 49507

Requested Amount: $3,500,000

Disclosure Letter

Description: Seymour Condominiums is a proposed comprehensive redevelopment of a vacant school building located at 2550 Eastern Avenue on the edge of the Alger Heights Business Corridor. ICCF developed the plan for Seymour Condominiums to address the city's need for mixed-income homeownership opportunities and honor the structure's history & the surrounding neighborhood. These new homes will be included in the Community Land Trust, ensuring that they are priced affordably and sold to low-income households in perpetuity. Seymour Condominiums promotes housing choice by providing homeownership opportunities for low-to-moderate income households.

This site is located near important services and transportation that allow homeowners to remain connected to important resources in their communities, and this kind of development is rare. With the appropriate support, this historic, blighted building will be repurposed to provide new housing opportunities and promote neighborhood reinvestment.

 

Project: Early Learning Neighborhood Collaborative Center

Sponsor: IFF

Location: 333 S Wabash Ave Unit 2800, Chicago, IL 60604

Requested Amount: $400,000

Disclosure Letter

Description: This funding would be used for equipment and capital improvements for the Early Learning Neighborhood Collaborative Center in Grand Rapids. In 2018, IFF completed a regional early childhood needs assessment showing that only 30 percent of the need for subsidized and Head Start early childhood education (ECE) programs is being met in Grand Rapids, putting undue burden on low-income children and families. There is also a dramatic lack of access to early childhood education slots for infants and toddlers, with just 16 percent of children aged 0 to 2 having access to licensed and registered providers. That number drops to just 8 percent for children aged 0 to 2 in the highest-need neighborhoods. 

A supportive ECE environment is critically important in healthy early childhood development. Quality ECE is also a critical enabling component to parents engaging more fully in the workforce and advancing family economic security. The ELNC Center will demonstrate high quality and leading ECE practices and drive intentional investment in a high-quality provider to progress toward asset building and growth. 

 

Project: Grand River Greenway Trail Connection

Sponsor: Kent County

Location: 300 Monroe Avenue NW Grand Rapids MI 49503

Requested Amount: $7,000,000

Disclosure Letter 

Description: With the support of the jurisdictions within the Grand River watershed, Kent County is leading the charge to complete a 23-mile trail connection that runs through Plainfield Township and Cannon Township. There are multiple gaps within the 76-mile stretch of trails along the Grand River, particularly through Kent County. This project would fund completion of this new trail connector and align with local trail plans to close key gaps in the greenway trail network.

The Grand River watershed provides multiple recreation opportunities such as fishing, kayaking, hiking, and biking, and is a site for community events and gatherings. This watershed is a primary driver of the region’s outdoor recreation economy. On an annual basis, Kent and Ottawa Counties alone attract $1.8 billion in spending because of travel tourism, supporting retail, food and beverage, transportation, recreation, and lodging businesses. Over 50% of visitors to the region come to enjoy water-related activities or parks. Additionally, the Grand River watershed is a magnet for residents who chose to stay in the area and those who relocate to local communities. At a time when Michigan is losing population, communities within the Grand River watershed have grown in population as more and more people seek the quality of life the river affords. 


Project: Police Modular Vehicle Barrier Systems

Sponsor: City of Muskegon 

Location: 933 Terrace St, Muskegon, MI 49440

Requested Amount: $380,000

Disclosure Letter

Description: Police Modular Vehicle Barrier Systems are designed to prevent vehicle-born mass casualty incidents during annual community festivals, events and parades. The equipment would harden access points on city streets to provide maximum protection against moving vehicles from entering downtown areas where pedestrians attend the more than one-hundred community events which take place each year and are hosted by the City of Muskegon. This equipment will improve the effectiveness of  law enforcement personnel by adding a much-needed additional layer of security and safety for all event organizers and all attendees
 

Project: Broadway Streetscape Improvements

Sponsor: City of Muskegon Heights

Location: 2724 Peck St, Muskegon Heights, MI 49444

Requested Amount: $5,100,000

Disclosure Letter 

Description: The reconstruction and streetscape improvements of Broadway Avenue, part of the Reaching New Muskegon Heights visioning project, will be a catalyst in downtown Muskegon Heights that will invite businesses to invest downtown, people to live downtown and visitors to frequent downtown, stimulating neighborhood revitalization, growth and economic development. These are all goals of the City of Muskegon Heights and actions that will not only increase the tax base in Muskegon Heights, but improve the image of Muskegon County and the State of Michigan. This investment will provide a pathway to advancing more widespread wealth creation and wealth building in the city. Specifically, the project will include narrowing traffic lanes, allowing for traffic calming, adding bike lanes for safe travel, and placing additional crosswalks to encourage pedestrian movement across Broadway between businesses, residences, cultural venues, and Rowan Park.
 

Project: The Rapid Silver Line Station Enhancement Project

Sponsor: Interurban Transit Partnership

Location: 300 Ellsworth Ave SW, Grand Rapids, MI 49503

Requested Amount: $3,225,000

Disclosure Letter

Background: This funding would be used to design, and upgrade a Bus Rapid Transit station near Trinity Health in Grand Rapids. This includes increasing the size of the station, improving pedestrian access to the station, and designing a plaza public space leading to the station. Design elements also include enhanced pedestrian facilities from the station to the Trinity Health Campus, improved real time information systems, a larger station canopy, and an enhanced plaza area adjacent to the station. Improving accessible transportation access within the community is vital in promoting widespread  opportunity for residents. The Silver Line Bus Rapid Transit provides vital connectivity from the Hearthside Neighborhood to the rest of the surrounding community. This project will tie in the station to Trinity Health development opportunities, enhancing access to healthcare, employment, housing, and groceries.


Project: Building to Belong

Sponsor: Treetops Collective

Location: 906 Division Ave S, Grand Rapids, MI 49507

Requested Amount: $670,000

Disclosure Letter

Background: This request is for $670,000 for Treetops Collective to renovate and rehabilitate their building to provide affordable housing and turn a warehouse into a community center. This project would be used for renovations and rehabilitations to establish a community lounge and cafe and affordable housing for recently resettled refugees. Nothing like this project exists in West Michigan, and there is a dire need for a support services space that aids refugees in navigating their transition to life in the United States. Michigan has a substantial refugee population - it has been among the top five states nationally over the past decade in terms of refugee arrivals - and Grand Rapids is one of the top locations in the state for placement. It is critical societally, economically, and culturally that organizations like Treetops can provide a place where refugees can come to gather and learn about opportunities for employment, how to drive, budgeting and financial basics, and other foundational aspects of life in the United States.


Project: Building for our Future - Capital Improvement Project

Sponsor: Young Men’s Christian Association Tri Cities

Location: 1 Y Drive, Grand Haven, MI 49417

Requested Amount: $2,000,000

Disclosure Letter

Background: This funding would modernize and expand the early childhood learning wing, enabling the YMCA to better meet the critical need for quality, affordable, childcare in Northwest Ottawa County. Licensed childcare is currently provided in a repurposed racquetball court. Modernization throughout the facility will allow implementation of Universal Design principles making the entire YMCA accessible to those with limited mobility due to cognitive and physical impairments. Renovating the locker rooms will provide privacy for families with young children and those with special needs and improve access for adults with limited mobility. The Building for our Future project will create greater opportunities for community members to engage in healthy activity, spend time with family, connect with others, volunteer to promote wellness and engage in fitness and sports that improve overall well-being. This facility is also used by many service members who reside at the nearby Coast Guard station, along with their families.

 

Project: Youth Development Center

Sponsor: Grand Rapids Urban League Inc.

Location: 745 Eastern Avenue SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49503

Requested Amount: $750,000

Disclosure Letter

Background: These funds will be utilized to support the acquisition, development, and expansion of the current Urban League facility so that youth and families can benefit from expanded programs, services, activities, and events specifically related to Youth Development; Education, Health Promotion and Healthy Living; Violence Prevention; and Parent Engagement/Empowerment. The Center will provide in-school and after-school programs to support academic achievement/retention, completion and graduation, college enrollment and matriculation, career development, vocational training and job placement. The Urban League has programs to engage students and young adults ages 9-29, in out-of-school learning opportunities that help them perform better in the classroom; enable them to graduate high school and make them more likely to go to college or pursue skilled/career training. This project would create a separate youth-focused wing to allow the organization to expand this programming.



Project: West Michigan Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Headquarters 

Sponsor: West Michigan Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Foundation

Location: 2007 Division Ave S., Grand Rapids, MI 49507

Requested Amount: $2,000,000

Disclosure Letter

Background: The West Michigan Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (WMHCC) is planning to establish a new headquarters at 1111 Godfrey Ave SW within the Southwest side of the City of Grand Rapids. This new building will create space for Latino entrepreneurs to start and grow businesses, benefitting low- and moderate-income persons or communities across the city and county. In 2018, the economic study from New Americans in Kent County showed over 16,000 Latinos living in the County. The economic impact to the area GDP of this population was $1.1 billion just in Kent County. Constructing this new facility will revitalize the underinvested Godfrey Ave corridor and accelerate local economic growth and is estimated to double the area GDP over the next 20 years as the Latino population grows an expected 130% by 2025. 

This will benefit not only the substantial Latino community but the region as a whole. A study found that in 2014 the region’s economy could have grown an additional $4 billion with more widespread access to opportunity, including by creating spaces for incubation of new ideas and businesses. The WMHCC is assisting West Michigan in realizing its full potential to create a more prosperous region. 


Project: West Michigan Youth Sports Complex

Sponsor: West Michigan Sports Commission

Location: 300 Ottawa Ave. NW, Suite 240, Grand Rapids, MI 49503

Requested Amount: $750,000

Disclosure Letter

Background: This request would support the expansion and renovation of the West Michigan Youth Sports Complex. This project will have a significant impact on the economy in West Michigan. Small businesses in the area have come to depend on the seasonal influx of families who patronize local hotels, restaurants, retail stores, and other amenities. The proposed work will elevate West Michigan even further, including generating an additional $2 million in visitor spending annually.

This funding would also help address some limitations with the existing site. It is critical to provide parity regarding championship facilities for male and female sports. Within the region, female softball is dramatically underserved, which limits growth of the sport regionally and the types of events the WMSC can attract to the region. Additionally, the West Michigan Sports Complex is limited in the size of tournaments it can host due to full capacity within existing fields. Additional fields would allow the WMSC to attract larger youth travel baseball and softball tournaments.

 

Project:City Center Phase I Public Infrastructure

Sponsor: City of Wyoming

Location: 1155 28th St, Wyoming, MI 49509

Requested Amount:  $2,000,000

Disclosure Letter

Description:

The City Center Phase I Public Infrastructure project is a multi-phased development that includes public investment in non-motorized infrastructure and private investment in a mixed-use development. The project will provide two new pedestrian bridges, 4.6 miles of new trails, and civic space. This funding is for the first phase of this project, which includes a pedestrian bridge that provides passage over 28th Street and 3.1 miles of new non-motorized trails that create a linkage to regional destinations, including north to Grand Rapids and south to Byron Township.

This project facilitates the safe crossing of  28th Street and addresses long-standing community needs by creating new non-motorized trail connections between underserved neighborhoods and city greenspaces, employment destinations, schools, and daily amenities. It also revitalizes an aged and largely vacant commercial corridor and delivers on a priority of the community by helping create a downtown center.