Business 'incubator' prominent on Muskegon Heights' 'wish list'
MUSKEGON HEIGHTS -- An alternative energy-operated business "incubator" site is one of several ambitious projects Muskegon Heights city officials are seeking to fund with federal money.
City officials recently submitted a proposed project "wish list" to the West Michigan Shoreline Regional Development Commission, which will review and then forward the request to the U.S. Department of Commerce, Economic Development Administration.
Topping the city's list is a proposal to establish an incubator program to help small industrial businesses develop, said Muskegon Heights City Manager Natasha Henderson.
Many municipalities in Michigan submit funding requests, but Muskegon Heights will receive special consideration because it has been designated one of the Cities of Promise -- part of a statewide initiative to help revitalize urban areas.
The city's top three proposed projects are:
• An alternative energy-operated incubator to help small industrial companies get started. The city is requesting $2.5 million for the project, which would be located at the former Bennett Pump site.
• A request for $2.5 million for continued improvements at Mona Lake Park.
• A request for $9 million for further renovations of the downtown Strand building.
Not all projects are expected to be approved anytime soon, and some are never approved, said Henderson. Federal officials look at a number of factors when determining funding requests, including the feasibility of the proposed project, its likely impact on the community's economy and a community's need.
