Contact: Renee’ Ihlenfeldt
Manistee County Economic Development Office
231-723-4325; rihlenfeldt@manistee.com
or
Warren Rauhe
M.S.U. Small Town Design Initiative
517-353-7880; rauhe@msu.edu

For Immediate Release

ENVISION MANISTEE LAKE!
MSU SMALL TOWN DESIGN INITIATIVE TO BEGIN
COMMUNITY-DRIVEN PROCESS FOR MANISTEE LAKE

Manistee, Michigan -- Since 1852, when 200 settlers toiled in lumbering operations at the mouth of the Manistee River, Manistee Lake has been a hub for industry and commerce. In 1854, a channel was dug to alter the natural outlet of the river and, from that point on, Manistee became recognized as an economic force in the lumber and salt industries, becoming the third busiest shipping port on Lake Michigan after Chicago and Milwaukee.

Over 150 years later, beginning in September 2007 the Michigan State University Small Town Design Initiative (STDI) will start work with community interests to carve new conceptual designs for Manistee Lake aimed at realizing the full potential of this land and water resource. The first community-wide meeting on New Designs for Manistee Lake is scheduled for Thursday, September 6, 2007 at the First Baptist Church in Manistee from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.

The project has been initiated in part as a result of a proposal to remove rail lines from the north end of Manistee Lake and relocate rail at the south end of the lake to improve service to Manistee manufacturing communities. The rail around the north end of Manistee Lake includes five grade crossings, two of which are high traffic crossings on US 31. The route also includes crossings of two late-1880’s bridges and cuts through the Big Manistee river delta and wetland. Manistee Lake and its deep water port were identified in Envision Manistee County as one of the most important assets in the county for future use and development.

The purpose of the STDI program is to engage the community in developing concept designs and images for lands adjacent to Manistee Lake to determine community priorities and identify opportunities for new commercial, industrial and recreational uses. It will also help identify concepts to accommodate a mix of land uses, including ideas on how best to integrate rail at the southern end of Manistee Lake. Manistee Lake adjoins property in the City of Manistee, Filer Township, Stronach Township, East Lake Township and Manistee Township and encompasses the Villages of Parkdale, East Lake, Stronach and Filer City.

“In completing our year-long Small Town Design Initiative for the entire county last June, it was clear that Manistee Lake and its adjoining lands are of critical significance to the economic well-being and quality of life of the county and region,” said Warren Rauhe, director of the University’s STDI program. “It is a hub of manufacturing activity that holds much promise for growth and development, it is a pathway for commercial trade to the rest of the world and it is the confluence of two of the most storied waterways in the United States, the Big and Little Manistee River. This is an exciting, truly unique project and consistent with many of the other efforts underway in Manistee County to use community-driven processes to shape the county’s future.”

“It’s a great opportunity to avail ourselves of the talent of the University and its students in looking at design options for the future,” said Renee Ihlenfeldt, executive director of the Manistee County Economic Development Office.

The rail relocation project has been endorsed by the Manistee Manufacturer’s Council and the Manistee County Board of Commissioners and is identified as a priority in the recently completed strategic plan for the City of Manistee.

Funding for the project has been provided in part through the Michigan Department of Natural Resources’ Coastal Management Program as part of a grant obtained by the Manistee County Community Foundation. Funding has also been secured by the Manistee County Economic Development Office for more detailed analysis of economic development options for the properties surrounding Manistee Lake from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the State of Michigan under a Community Development Block Grant.