The St. Joseph Township Board of Trustees has indicated its support for an eventual tax increment financing plan for a new 144-unit apartment complex proposed at 3150 Niles Road.
The board on Monday voted to begin the brownfield process with the project’s developers and the Berrien County Brownfield Authority, although this does not mean the TIF for the development near the Blue Roof Church is yet approved. The developers will come back to the board with a brownfield tax capture plan for it to officially consider later.
The apartment complex proposed by Heyboer Bro Co. out of Grandville has already received its zoning approvals and is intended to provide workforce housing. The 144 units would be in six buildings on 11 acres of property currently owned by the Blue Roof Church.
The developers say TIF financing is important for making the project financially feasible and pledge to work with the township to ensure the financing structure protects township finances.
With board approval secured Monday, St. Joseph Charter Township Supervisor Roger Seeley will now send a letter to Berrien County Community Development Director Dan Fette asking that the county brownfield authority begin working on the matter.
