An aerial look at part of the land where 46 single family homes and
six duplex units will be built on Blake Street in the City of Galesburg.
six duplex units will be built on Blake Street in the City of Galesburg.
By Bruce Rolfe
A site development plan for 46 single family homes and six duplex units located on 13.78 acres on Blake Street that was approved by the Galesburg City Council 5-1 May 11, will address a housing crisis as well as provide improvements in the City of Galesburg, however some residents aren’t embracing the proposed development.
Construction is scheduled to begin later this summer and be completed in the summer of 2028.
Allen Edwin Home Builders will be developing the property under the Kalamazoo County Brownfield TIF.
While the development is occurring under the Kalamazoo County Brownfield TIF, Macy Rose Walters, Kalamazoo County Brownfield Redevelopment Administrator, said the property is not contaminated.
She said in 2023, the Michigan legislature added housing development into the State’s Brownfield law as a way to finance housing and the infrastructure needed to support housing developments.
Michael West, Land Planning Manager Allen Edwin Homes, said the 46 single family homes will be constructed in an area zoned R-3, Two Family Residential, which has a minimum lot size requirement of 8,000 square feet and 66 feet wide. West adds all lots within the Midway Center single family subdivision meet or exceed this standard. He adds the three duplex structures will be constructed on a 1.5 acre property at 231 Blake Boulevard, where the old high school was located. The duplex units are zoned R-4, Multiple Family Residential.
Allen Edwin Homes will invest an estimated $17.1 million into the project, which includes infrastructure like roads, sidewalks, water, and sewer that will support the housing development.
The new housing development will also address a housing shortage in Kalamazoo County.
The Kalamazoo County Housing Plan prepared by the Upjohn Institute was updated in 2025 and identified that the county required 8,000 new housing units in order to appropriately house the growth anticipated in the county. Of the 8,000-unit demand, an estimated 3,600 single-family detached homes are needed in the county and 1,375 single-family attached homes are needed, including a total of 4,400 units in suburban or rural/small town areas. Additionally, 42.7% of the existing housing stock in Kalamazoo County was built before 1970, creating risks in the existing housing stock according to the Housing Plan. The delivery of 52 housing units to the area, including 22 income restricted units, will help alleviate the housing demand in the county and will help alleviate the number of households in homes that do not meet their budget.
Brian Farkas, vice president of Workforce Housing for Allen Edwin Home Builders, said the housing project in the City of Galesburg will also help address a housing shortage that fits the middle income segment of the population. He said 30 units will be for sale. Another 22 units will be reserved as income-qualified rentals at 100 percent area median income for 10 years for a household of three people or less that meet an income qualifying level of under $113,000 a year.
Walters said the estimated rental range is approximately $2,200-$2,300 per month, based on MSHDA’s rent calculations, not set informally by the developer or authority.
Farkas said the homes are expected to be priced at $325,000 to $400,000.
City of Galesburg Mayor Linda Marble said Rich Rosenberger owns the property and has a sales agreement with Allen Edwin Homes.
Because Allen Edwin Home Builders are developing the property under the Kalamazoo County Brownfield TIF, tax revenue captured from the housing development will be paid to the City of Galesburg but the city will transfer that money back to the Brownfield Authority for the next 30 years to pay for the infrastructure.
Walters said the developers are seeking reimbursement of approximately $9.1 million.
Walters explained the Brownfield Authority would be reimbursed approximately $1.6 million, which she said will cover the cost of resurfacing Blake Boulevard and administrative fees just under $1 million for administrating the plan over 30 years.
Walters adds the State of Michigan captures half of the State Education taxes collected for reimbursing the local school district, which she said is $715,757.
When reviewing tax increment revenue captured to reimburse eligible costs, Walters said the expected 2025 base taxable value of the property is $79,236 but the estimated new expected taxable value in 2056 and taxable value increment available will be $13,451,344.00.
The money to reimburse the eligible costs does not come from city wide or county wide property taxes; it comes only from annual property taxes that are paid for those housing units within the plan area.
Walters adds debt millages and special assessment millages are not captured.
Marble said the property has been vacant over 20 years and sees the housing development project as an opportunity to get needed street projects the city planned to address in the future completed without additional expense. She feels it will also provide an opportunity for the city to grow.
Blake Boulevard will be resurfaced after the development process has been completed. The Brownfield Authority and Allen Edwin will fund the repaving project but will be reimbursed throughout the plan.
Walters said if a request is made by the City of Galesburg to make improvements to Battle Creek Street during the first 25 years of the plan, approximately $2.3 million and up to $5 million in taxes collected from property owners at the new development, is built into the plan that would be available to reimburse the City of Galesburg for infrastructure and repaving Battle Creek Street up to Mill Street.
Marble adds the city will be provided $10,000 to upgrade crosswalks near the old Primary School where traffic is expected to be heavy at times.
Marble said the infrastructure cost alone on Battle Creek Street is estimated to cost $2.3 million and that doesn’t include the cost to repave the street. With the redevelopment plan, the city will get both infrastructure and repaving without any expense. There will also be public right of way upgrades as part of the project.
“We’ve gone for over 20 years getting taxes on vacant land. So we’re not out anything. We’re not bringing taxes starting from day one, but we are not out a penny, and yet we are getting a lot of things done that would cost us millions of dollars,” explained Marble.
The City of Galesburg mayor adds the city’s water budget will enjoy a bump in revenue with more families moving into the city.
The site plan includes two new streets coming out of the development. There will be two new easements coming directly onto Blake Boulevard and two new easements coming onto Battle Creek Street to help with the flow of traffic.
Marble said because Thomas and Sherman Streets will be extended to the platted area, the city will receive more Act 51 funding.
“I’m watching the City of Galesburg grow, which it needs to. We’re in a perfect situation placed here where we have Kalamazoo and Battle Creek. People work there and they want a small community to live in. Then you’ve got the Marshall battery plant where people are looking. And we’re not that far away. This is the perfect community for people to move to, I think,” adds the mayor.
Glen Hawes, who was the lone no vote on the Brownfield plan, said his concern is the TIF will pay for the first set of roads but the city will have to replace the roads a second time before receiving any revenue.
“Where are we going to come up with that? I just don’t think people want it. I’m really on the fence. I don’t see any benefit. There’s a benefit maybe 30 years from now,” said Hawes.
Galesburg resident Linda Carlton said she was against the plan and said some people indicated to her they may even leave the community because of the new housing development.
“I don’t agree with it. It’s a hard ‘no’ for me. I’ve talked to a lot of people. People are going to put their houses up for sale. They’re going to leave this community. I think that land can be developed by a different builder that’s going to go by the city’s needs. And one of the needs is the city is not financially up here. We’re level or below and we need that tax money. So I am a hard, hard ‘no,’” said Carlton.
Walters presented the approved Site Development plan to the Kalamazoo County Board of Commissioners at the May 19 meeting. The Kalamazoo County Board of Commissioners will hold a public hearing on the plan June 2 when any member of the public can comment on the plan. The plan will still have to be approved by the State of Michigan.
In other items covered at the May 11 meeting:
• Galesburg-Charleston Township Fire Chief Kevin Roomsberg said there were 40 calls for service in the month of April including 15 in the City of Galesburg, 21 in Charleston Township and four mutual aid calls. He said typically there are 45-50 calls for service in a month. However the local fire department stood at 204 calls as of the May 11 meeting compared to 166 last year at this time.
• A request was made by the Greater Galesburg Days committee to use tables and chairs in the fire station for an ice cream social on Greater Galesburg Day. The committee also asked to have the permit waived for the city-wide garage sales June 18, 19, 20, and 21. Both were unanimously approved.
• Lease with Wobbly Wagon Discussed
An annual lease between the City of Galesburg and Wobbly Wagon Sweets And More located at 55 East Battle Creek Street was unanimously approved with additional language calling for a future increase and inquiry if the user plans to purchase the property.
The city owned property is currently leased to Wobbly Wagon Sweets for $100 a year for use of the property.
The city approved the one year contract for $100 but will notify the owners of the Wobbly Wagon there will be an increase and will inquire if the owner has intentions of purchasing the property.
It was noted by one council member there is no incentive for the user to purchase the property at $100 a year. The council member felt the annual figure of $500-$600 a year should be considered to provide incentive to purchase the property and
get the property out of the city’s hands.
Kalamazoo County Sheriff Contract Approved
• The council unanimously approved a police protection agreement between the Kalamazoo County Sheriff Office and the City of Galesburg for the period of July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027.
City Clerk Lisa McNees said the City of Galesburg currently pays the Sheriff Office approximately $185,000 a year and next year the contract will be approximately $195,000 for 40 hours a week coverage plus any overtime that has been worked.
Ordinance 307 Amended to Reflect New Housing Development
After a public hearing to discuss and listen to public input on amending Ordinance No. 307, the council unanimously approved amending the ordinance to include City of Galesburg Subdivision/Site Condominium/Condominium Ordinance to address the new housing development.
• The council unanimously approved moving assistant Kaleigh Morgan from probation status to hiring her as a part time assistant clerk.
A site development plan for 46 single family homes and six duplex units located on 13.78 acres on Blake Street that was approved by the Galesburg City Council 5-1 May 11, will address a housing crisis as well as provide improvements in the City of Galesburg, however some residents aren’t embracing the proposed development.
Construction is scheduled to begin later this summer and be completed in the summer of 2028.
Allen Edwin Home Builders will be developing the property under the Kalamazoo County Brownfield TIF.
While the development is occurring under the Kalamazoo County Brownfield TIF, Macy Rose Walters, Kalamazoo County Brownfield Redevelopment Administrator, said the property is not contaminated.
She said in 2023, the Michigan legislature added housing development into the State’s Brownfield law as a way to finance housing and the infrastructure needed to support housing developments.
Michael West, Land Planning Manager Allen Edwin Homes, said the 46 single family homes will be constructed in an area zoned R-3, Two Family Residential, which has a minimum lot size requirement of 8,000 square feet and 66 feet wide. West adds all lots within the Midway Center single family subdivision meet or exceed this standard. He adds the three duplex structures will be constructed on a 1.5 acre property at 231 Blake Boulevard, where the old high school was located. The duplex units are zoned R-4, Multiple Family Residential.
Allen Edwin Homes will invest an estimated $17.1 million into the project, which includes infrastructure like roads, sidewalks, water, and sewer that will support the housing development.
The new housing development will also address a housing shortage in Kalamazoo County.
The Kalamazoo County Housing Plan prepared by the Upjohn Institute was updated in 2025 and identified that the county required 8,000 new housing units in order to appropriately house the growth anticipated in the county. Of the 8,000-unit demand, an estimated 3,600 single-family detached homes are needed in the county and 1,375 single-family attached homes are needed, including a total of 4,400 units in suburban or rural/small town areas. Additionally, 42.7% of the existing housing stock in Kalamazoo County was built before 1970, creating risks in the existing housing stock according to the Housing Plan. The delivery of 52 housing units to the area, including 22 income restricted units, will help alleviate the housing demand in the county and will help alleviate the number of households in homes that do not meet their budget.
Brian Farkas, vice president of Workforce Housing for Allen Edwin Home Builders, said the housing project in the City of Galesburg will also help address a housing shortage that fits the middle income segment of the population. He said 30 units will be for sale. Another 22 units will be reserved as income-qualified rentals at 100 percent area median income for 10 years for a household of three people or less that meet an income qualifying level of under $113,000 a year.
Walters said the estimated rental range is approximately $2,200-$2,300 per month, based on MSHDA’s rent calculations, not set informally by the developer or authority.
Farkas said the homes are expected to be priced at $325,000 to $400,000.
City of Galesburg Mayor Linda Marble said Rich Rosenberger owns the property and has a sales agreement with Allen Edwin Homes.
Because Allen Edwin Home Builders are developing the property under the Kalamazoo County Brownfield TIF, tax revenue captured from the housing development will be paid to the City of Galesburg but the city will transfer that money back to the Brownfield Authority for the next 30 years to pay for the infrastructure.
Walters said the developers are seeking reimbursement of approximately $9.1 million.
Walters explained the Brownfield Authority would be reimbursed approximately $1.6 million, which she said will cover the cost of resurfacing Blake Boulevard and administrative fees just under $1 million for administrating the plan over 30 years.
Walters adds the State of Michigan captures half of the State Education taxes collected for reimbursing the local school district, which she said is $715,757.
When reviewing tax increment revenue captured to reimburse eligible costs, Walters said the expected 2025 base taxable value of the property is $79,236 but the estimated new expected taxable value in 2056 and taxable value increment available will be $13,451,344.00.
The money to reimburse the eligible costs does not come from city wide or county wide property taxes; it comes only from annual property taxes that are paid for those housing units within the plan area.
Walters adds debt millages and special assessment millages are not captured.
Marble said the property has been vacant over 20 years and sees the housing development project as an opportunity to get needed street projects the city planned to address in the future completed without additional expense. She feels it will also provide an opportunity for the city to grow.
Blake Boulevard will be resurfaced after the development process has been completed. The Brownfield Authority and Allen Edwin will fund the repaving project but will be reimbursed throughout the plan.
Walters said if a request is made by the City of Galesburg to make improvements to Battle Creek Street during the first 25 years of the plan, approximately $2.3 million and up to $5 million in taxes collected from property owners at the new development, is built into the plan that would be available to reimburse the City of Galesburg for infrastructure and repaving Battle Creek Street up to Mill Street.
Marble adds the city will be provided $10,000 to upgrade crosswalks near the old Primary School where traffic is expected to be heavy at times.
Marble said the infrastructure cost alone on Battle Creek Street is estimated to cost $2.3 million and that doesn’t include the cost to repave the street. With the redevelopment plan, the city will get both infrastructure and repaving without any expense. There will also be public right of way upgrades as part of the project.
“We’ve gone for over 20 years getting taxes on vacant land. So we’re not out anything. We’re not bringing taxes starting from day one, but we are not out a penny, and yet we are getting a lot of things done that would cost us millions of dollars,” explained Marble.
The City of Galesburg mayor adds the city’s water budget will enjoy a bump in revenue with more families moving into the city.
The site plan includes two new streets coming out of the development. There will be two new easements coming directly onto Blake Boulevard and two new easements coming onto Battle Creek Street to help with the flow of traffic.
Marble said because Thomas and Sherman Streets will be extended to the platted area, the city will receive more Act 51 funding.
“I’m watching the City of Galesburg grow, which it needs to. We’re in a perfect situation placed here where we have Kalamazoo and Battle Creek. People work there and they want a small community to live in. Then you’ve got the Marshall battery plant where people are looking. And we’re not that far away. This is the perfect community for people to move to, I think,” adds the mayor.
Glen Hawes, who was the lone no vote on the Brownfield plan, said his concern is the TIF will pay for the first set of roads but the city will have to replace the roads a second time before receiving any revenue.
“Where are we going to come up with that? I just don’t think people want it. I’m really on the fence. I don’t see any benefit. There’s a benefit maybe 30 years from now,” said Hawes.
Galesburg resident Linda Carlton said she was against the plan and said some people indicated to her they may even leave the community because of the new housing development.
“I don’t agree with it. It’s a hard ‘no’ for me. I’ve talked to a lot of people. People are going to put their houses up for sale. They’re going to leave this community. I think that land can be developed by a different builder that’s going to go by the city’s needs. And one of the needs is the city is not financially up here. We’re level or below and we need that tax money. So I am a hard, hard ‘no,’” said Carlton.
Walters presented the approved Site Development plan to the Kalamazoo County Board of Commissioners at the May 19 meeting. The Kalamazoo County Board of Commissioners will hold a public hearing on the plan June 2 when any member of the public can comment on the plan. The plan will still have to be approved by the State of Michigan.
In other items covered at the May 11 meeting:
• Galesburg-Charleston Township Fire Chief Kevin Roomsberg said there were 40 calls for service in the month of April including 15 in the City of Galesburg, 21 in Charleston Township and four mutual aid calls. He said typically there are 45-50 calls for service in a month. However the local fire department stood at 204 calls as of the May 11 meeting compared to 166 last year at this time.
• A request was made by the Greater Galesburg Days committee to use tables and chairs in the fire station for an ice cream social on Greater Galesburg Day. The committee also asked to have the permit waived for the city-wide garage sales June 18, 19, 20, and 21. Both were unanimously approved.
• Lease with Wobbly Wagon Discussed
An annual lease between the City of Galesburg and Wobbly Wagon Sweets And More located at 55 East Battle Creek Street was unanimously approved with additional language calling for a future increase and inquiry if the user plans to purchase the property.
The city owned property is currently leased to Wobbly Wagon Sweets for $100 a year for use of the property.
The city approved the one year contract for $100 but will notify the owners of the Wobbly Wagon there will be an increase and will inquire if the owner has intentions of purchasing the property.
It was noted by one council member there is no incentive for the user to purchase the property at $100 a year. The council member felt the annual figure of $500-$600 a year should be considered to provide incentive to purchase the property and
get the property out of the city’s hands.
Kalamazoo County Sheriff Contract Approved
• The council unanimously approved a police protection agreement between the Kalamazoo County Sheriff Office and the City of Galesburg for the period of July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027.
City Clerk Lisa McNees said the City of Galesburg currently pays the Sheriff Office approximately $185,000 a year and next year the contract will be approximately $195,000 for 40 hours a week coverage plus any overtime that has been worked.
Ordinance 307 Amended to Reflect New Housing Development
After a public hearing to discuss and listen to public input on amending Ordinance No. 307, the council unanimously approved amending the ordinance to include City of Galesburg Subdivision/Site Condominium/Condominium Ordinance to address the new housing development.
• The council unanimously approved moving assistant Kaleigh Morgan from probation status to hiring her as a part time assistant clerk.
A sample of one of the Allen Edwin homes that will be built in a new housing development on Blake Street in the City of Galesburg.
(Image courtesy of Allen Edwin Homes)
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