So what does the approved waterfront development mean?

Significant changes could be coming to Holland’s lakeshore after a May 2 citywide referendum, but there are numerous steps between a vote and shovels hitting dirt.

Holland-based developer Geenan DeKock Properties has proposed purchasing the city’s James de Young powerplant at 64 Pine Ave. and a small property at 255 Kollen Park Drive now available for sale. GDK would buy both properties and swap the de Young parcel with Verplank  Dock Co., which currently sits on Kollen Park Drive. GDK would build a 50-room hotel, four apartment buildings with 108 units, a restaurant with outdoor seating, an ice-cream parlor, a docking area for cruise ships, and a marina.

What does this mean?

The “land swap” would consolidate industrial uses at both sites and is an idea in the city of Holland’s “Warterfront Holland Vision,” a strategic plan for the waterfront near downtown Holland. The city of Holland, in partnership with Holland Board of Public Works, can sell the land needed to make this concept work. Part of this plan began earlier this month with the demolition of Holland BPW’s retired James De Young power plant. The demolition is the continuation of a multiyear decommissioning process that began in 2017. 

However, GDK will need to submit detailed site plans for what they propose to do with both the James de Young site and the site at the end of Eighth Street. Site plans will include building plans, traffic plans, state permits, etc. These site plans will be proposed at public meetings. Along with the public meetings, the city also requires meetings with the neighbors during the process. 

“We suspect this process will take many months, and likely up to or more than a year,” says Keith Van Beek, city manager for the city of Holland.

The city’s final request for proposal evaluation, which came out earlier this year, commends developers for “thoughtful, positive refinements … which are in closer alignment with the community’s waterfront vision.”

Notable among those are consolidating the working waterfront users, re-routing truck traffic north of downtown Holland, creating a downtown marina and waterfront experience for the community, fostering community accessibility to the water, supporting opportunities for mixed use, and enhancing the waterfront through unifying elements in public spaces such as a waterfront promenade and green spaces.

Holland voters are encouraged to attend the public meetings and speak on how they want their community to continue to transform. 

“The neighbors are invited and can be involved as the developer submits plans through the public approval process,” concludes Van Beek. 

Total economic impact of the Waterfront Development is projected at $19.7 million generated annually. 

For more information on GDK’s plans for the waterfront development, click the link below:
https://waterfrontholland.org/

For information on public meetings for the City of Holland, click the link below: https://cityofholland.civicweb.net/Portal/

To stay informed on what’s going on in your city, sign up for the City E-News Letter at the link below: https://www.cityofholland.com/872/Sign-Up-for-the-City-E-News-Letter