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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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From the president: About Kettering University's new activist role in community revitalization
Sarah Schuch | sschuch@mlive.com By Sarah Schuch | sschuch@mlive.com
on September 16, 2013 at 7:00 AM, updated September 16, 2013 at 7:17 AM
FLINT, MI – When Kettering University President Robert McMahan took over two years ago he instantly began thinking about how the private university could impact the Flint community.
Before coming to Kettering to lead its 1,500-student campus, McMahan had started a technology company that grew global, served as senior science and technology advisor to North Carolina's governor and was a top strategist for a private venture capital organization funded by the CIA.
In North Carolina McMahan had to understand how universities can impact a community, especially when it came to technology and engineering. His past careers gave him a great experience to use those skills within the Flint community, he said.
"So this is perfect," McMahan said about coming to Kettering.
Now Kettering owns more than 100 parcels of land in the city of Flint and has become not only an educational institution, but a key partner in community revitalization.
Here's a look at what McMahan had to say about the university's new role in revitalizing the community
Why did you decide to come to Kettering University?
In his work background, McMahan had to understand how universities can impact local economy. So coming to Kettering gave him a chance to put that understanding to work in an areas that needed it. Major research universities have great innovation, but that usually doesn't directly impact the local communities, he said.
Kettering had the opportunity to make direct impact, he said.
"What has impact to local economies? There is only one discipline that universities have in their portfolios that correlates. Engineering is the one program that has the biggest direct impact on the local economy," McMahan said. "(Kettering is) an engineering school in an area that needs engineering to be engaged."
What is Kettering's role in the community?
One question McMahan asked was "How do you mobilize universities and technology to help revitalize communities?"
Kettering has a special and unique role in the community, McMahan said, especially since it's a private university with resources and it has a national footprint.
"We are not an island. Our success is tied to Flint's success. We have an obligation of service. One of the things we want to teach our students is community service," he said. "We want to be a college town. ... Kettering has a special obligation to the community because of the programs (at the university)."
Starting with one corridor at a time, Kettering has plans to remove blight, making the area walkable and biker friendly while reducing crime.
"It builds out a block at a time," he said.
Do you see economic growth in Flint's future?
Yes. But things cannot happen overnight, McMahan said.
"Cities and communities go through stages of grief just like people do," he said, adding that the first stages are denial, anger and searching for someone to come in to fix the program. "At that point the community realizes the solution is up to them. When people come back and invest, that's when you know it will be successful."
Economic development doesn't work by saying you're going to fix everything at once, but there has be a start somewhere, McMahan said.
Why did Kettering decided to purchase blighted properties just to tear structures down? In September the university purchased 25 parcels from the Genesee County Land Bank and then another 25 parcels in April.
Kettering has an agreement with the Land Bank that they will buy all the properties in a certain area around the university, knocking down the blighted structures, seeding the land and maintaining it.
"We're working with the community. ... We're doing our part to remove the blight," McMahan said. "It really does snow ball once you get started."
What are the future plans for those properties?
"We didn't acquire them with a plan in mind," McMahan said. "We are acquiring them to do our part."
Kettering has demolished seven houses so far this year with six more planned in the next couple of weeks. Several large parking lots will also be returned to green space.
Most recently, four homes – three purchased from the Land Bank and one from the owner – located on Fox Street between Second Street and Court Street were demolished and the grown was flattened. Just like other properties that will soon be seeded and maintained.
That land falls along the Kettering Gateway Project, which provided $3 million into road construction, rerouting and paving to give those headed to Kettering a more direct route from the expressway.
"Five years from now it will be park space," McMahan said with enthusiasm. "It will be an amazing vista that opens up to an automotive research area (which will be created on Kettering's portion of Chevy in the hole)."
After the recent announcement of Kettering obtaining Atwood Stadium, will anything change with the stadium?
When Atwood Stadium officially becomes Kettering's property, it will still be used as it is now with the addition of Kettering functions. McMahan said he would like to see the programs at the stadium grow with possibly Powers Catholic High School and Kettering students using it, as well.
"(We acquired it to) keep it a viable, active part of the community," he said. |
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Mon Sep 16, 2013 7:33 am |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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The park along the river from Kettering to downtown is part of the Reimagining Chevy in the Hole master plan created for Kettering by the Mott Foundation.
So when the Kettering President says he has no plan in buying and demoing these projects, he is being deceptive. When he envisions the park, then he is being truthful. This plan goes back to about 2004.
In the past Kettering, influenced by VP David Dougherty, was less open about their plans. Kettering was a partner in Flint West Village who helped them obtain and demolish properties. Flint West Village even demolished some commercial properties for Kettering.
When the law for nonprofits were changed and the Land bank was created, Flint est Village could not pay the taxes on the huge number of parcels they had acquired. Personally I was questioning the amount of IRS tax breaks they gave to individuals for donating what I felt was almost worthless properties.
Kettering furnished the office and when Flint West Village went bankrupt, they acquired the three surrounding properties for a $1000 each. The Bankruptcy Court was not amused that a Board of Director for Flint West Village was allowed to buy these parcels before entering bankruptcy. After a series of threats and other actions, Kettering was required to pay more money for the parcels. A new fraternity sits on the site.
Now they have a deal with the Land Bank (what's new here) to buy up all foreclosed parcels in their future park area. Residents expressed a fear years ago that they would be relocated.
At least Kettering is now picking up the tab for demolition instead of having taxpayer dollars foot the bill. Has anyone seen if these new federally funded demolition plans include properties near the proposed park? After all it is cheaper to buy already demolished properties than pay for them to be demolished |
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Mon Sep 16, 2013 7:50 am |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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REIMAGINING Chevy in the Hole
chevyinthehole.blogspot.com
The purpose of this blog is to spark further conversations about and momentum for shaping the future of the Chevy in the Hole site in Flint, …
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Reimagining Chevy in the Hole
www.frcalliance.org/documents/Reimagining_Chevy_in... · PDF file
Table of Contents 1 Introduction 4 Site Context and History 8 Industrial Land Use Legacy 10 Imagining New Futures for Chevy in the Hole Flint’s Urban |
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Mon Sep 16, 2013 7:54 am |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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| Can you believe the Chevy in the Hole has it's own blog site! The second link is the 36 page master plans for redeveloping the site. |
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Mon Sep 16, 2013 7:56 am |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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Page 13 starts the discussion of the Urban Riverfront or State park plans.
Flint’s Urban Riverfront
Flint’s economy sees steady growth, driving new mixed-use development as well as
an increased institutional and light industrial presence, particularly through partnerships
between Kettering University and private businesses. Population growth
creates a need for increases in housing and space for recreation. Contamination is
assumed to be concentrated or localized in certain hot spots around the site.
Remediation uses a combination of excavating and consolidating contaminated
soils onsite along with impermeable caps, focusing on expedience in order to
accommodate more rapid redevelopment. Ecological enhancements are assumed
to have a more urban form, providing open space for recreation and community
connectivity as well as improved habitat for urban and aquatic wildlife.
Flint River State Park Phase 1 : 2 0 1 0 – 2 0 3 5
Phytoremediation, Biofuels, and Recreation
• Large-scale phytoremediation of residual contaminants
• Production of ethanol crops
• Controlled public access and recreation
Flint River State Park Phase 2 : 2 0 3 5 –2 0 4 0
Ecological Restoration, Residential Growth and Amenity
• Floodplain restoration with braided channel
• Naturalize the river and creek corridor
• Increased natural amenity access
• Expanded recreation amenities
Flint’s Urban Riverfront Phase 1 : 2 0 1 0 – 2 0 2 0
Rapid Remediation, river rehabilitation, & city park
• Holistic remediation strategy
• Riverfront park amenities
• Public and private development investment
Flint’s Urban Riverfront Phase 2 : 2 0 2 0 –2 0 4 0
Developing an Urban Corridor
• Kettering University expands
• Kearsley Business Park created
• New, diverse types of housing developed |
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Mon Sep 16, 2013 8:00 am |
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twotap
F L I N T O I D
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Kettering,what a great university my granddaughter just received a $120,000 scholarship to attend to study Bio Chemistry and Co-Op at Henry Ford hospital. Lots of brilliant young folks are studying there and are indeed the future of the country.  |
_________________
"If you like your current healthcare you can keep it, Period"!!
Barack Hussein Obama--- multiple times. |
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Mon Sep 16, 2013 8:15 am |
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J HUNTINGWORTH TUNE
F L I N T O I D
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| Congrats TT, great school.Glad someone has a plan. |
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Mon Sep 16, 2013 11:58 am |
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twotap
F L I N T O I D
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| Thank you she earned it. |
_________________
"If you like your current healthcare you can keep it, Period"!!
Barack Hussein Obama--- multiple times. |
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Mon Sep 16, 2013 12:02 pm |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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| Rowe engineering has been surveying in the Mott Park area along the golf coursr and up to Chevrolet for 2 days. The Master Plan isn't even approve so what plan is being implemented? |
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Wed Oct 02, 2013 7:57 pm |
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