Adobe Acrobat File:Waterfront_Plan.pdf
This document is a text-only version of the original Adobe Acrobat file. Graphics and formatting may be lost in the conversion from pdf to html.
View the Adobe Acrobat version of this file.
City of Muskegon
Waterfront Redevelopment Plan - 1999
Prepared by:
City of Muskegon Department of Planning and Economic Development in
Collaboration with MEGA's Lakefront Development Task Force,
. . . and with the gracious assistance of "citizen planner", Colette Klukos.
Table of Contents
Introduction ..............................1
Goals
&
Objectives.....................6
Part I Part II
Current
Conditions......................8 Lakefront
Nodes........32
A.
General
Land Use...................9 A. Civic/ Cultural.......32
B. Commercial & Industrial...........13 B. Resort/ Residential..36
C. Recreation & Natural Habitat....14 C.
Port
Facilities........40
D.
Residential.........................18 D.
Recreation/
Habitat.44
E. Historic Resources.................20 Conclusion................46
F. Urban Design.......................22
G.
Transportation.....................24 Appendix: Port Authority
H.
Zoning..............................26 Study
(MEGA)
I. Environmental......................27
Introduction
The Muskegon Waterfront Redevelopment
Sub-Plan has been drafted as an addendum
to the City of Muskegon Downtown Lake-
shore Redevelopment Plan adopted in 1997.
It is a procedural step in a planning sequence
designed to refine - and give physical shape
to - many of the conceptual recommenda-
tions of that plan with regard to both gener-
alized land use, and specific projects. The
plan also expounds upon many of the prin-
ciples put forth in the Muskegon Lakeshore
Trail Master Plan, and attempts to enhance
and augment that project's impact along the
lake.
In addition to "fleshing out" some of the
concepts included in the Master Plan's
"menu" of projects, the intent of the Sub-
Plan is to incorporate and synthesize ideas
which have recently entered the public de-
bate. Perhaps more importantly, the Sub-
Plan helps fill in some of the gaps in the
City's current lakefront planning efforts
which heretofore have been concentrated GEMS concept. *City of Mus-
primarily on the downtown waterfront. Ac- kegon Downtown/ Lakeshore
Redevelopment Plan
cordingly, the plan boundary areas include a
fairly narrow swath of land between Lake-
shore/ Shoreline Drive and the water's edge,
from Bluffton on the west, to the Causeway
on the east. This stretch of land is over 8
miles in length, and contains nearly every
Waterfront Redevelopment Sub-Plan 1
primary lakefront nodes: Civic/ Cul- front and City as a whole. Chief among
conceivable type of land use imagin- tural, Resort/ Residential, Habitat/ Rec- the former are the previously mentioned
able. Although geographically limited reation, and Commercial Port. Lakeshore Trail bicycle/ pedestrian path,
in scope, the analysis is not circum- the second phase of Shoreline Drive
scribed by physical boundaries. This is Although the nodes appear to be geo- (Shoreline Drive- East), the much antici-
due to the knowledge that the ensuing graphically isolated, in actuality, they pated Grand Valley State University
discussion centers on what is arguably are conceived as overlapping, integrated (GVSU) Water Resources Institute, the
the City's most valued asset, and that and non-mutually exclusive. That is, possible reincarnation of cross-lake pas-
all developments within its vicinity are each is expected to contain a mixture of senger ferry service, and the Clean
likely to have wide-ranging repercus- (often similar) land uses which support, Michigan Initiative (CMI) which has
sions throughout the City and region. and are most compatible with, the pri- earmarked $50 million for waterfront en-
Therefore, the recommendations mary proposed use such as "residential", vironmental site remediation and redevel-
herein, seek to better integrate or link "port facilities" etc. In no instance opment.
the proposed activities along the shore should these "nodes" be construed as a
to existing inland land uses, in spite of traditional, segregated zoning scheme. In addition to the projects cited, a number
the fact that the mechanics of such of alternative development proposals
linkages are not always spelled out in Finally discussion of each node con- have recently entered the public dialogue
precise detail. cludes with a brief discussion of plan- (in the aftermath of the failed waterfront
ning and design considerations and gambling referendum). These include po-
Organization standards appropriate to each. The intent tentially controversial projects such as
is to form the basis for future Planned bulk handling operations and manufac-
The plan is composed of two principle Unit Development (PUD) design and tured housing. Several of these projects
sections. Part I briefly discusses current development guidelines applicable to all are likely to involve significant changes
land use, historical development and waterfront properties. in property ownership, land use and ac-
recommended land use policies, and cess.
helps provide the rationale for the site- The Current Context
specific recommendations of the plan If viewed in piecemeal isolation, oppor-
which are covered in section II. The need for a comprehensive and spe- tunities for infrastructural economies of
cific lakeshore plan has arisen due to a scale and/or positive spin-off develop-
Section II contains specific recommen- number of projects either in-progress, ment created by the projects cited above
dations for major changes and reloca- planned or still in the discussion phases may be lost.
tions of land uses. These recommenda- which, if realized, will have a lasting
tions are discussed in terms of four influence on both the profile of the lake-
Waterfront Redevelopment Sub-Plan 2
Top: A flurry of recently proposed projects
underscores the need for a balanced, me-
thodical planning effort along Muskegon
Lake.
Above and left: Conceptual site plan and
perspective of the proposed GVSU Water
Resources Institute. * Hooker/ DeJong Ar-
chitects.
Waterfront Redevelopment Sub-Plan 3
Shortsighted decision-making on the that most people want to see the "real"
part of City leaders may cause misgiv- working city (or facsimile thereof) and residential and commercial develop-
ings among potential investors, over the not a sanitized landscape stripped of all ment, as well as additional Foreign
viability of Muskegon as a "destina- historic references. Trade Zone (FTZ) designations. Such
tion" city, and underscores the need for developments often require substantial
proactive planning of the lakefront (and While dirty "heavy" industry should public expenditures for infrastructure
not planning in a vacuum). The intent certainly be kept away from the lake but can help spur ancillary economic
of this plan therefore is to set the stage and its most sensitive resources, it is activity resulting in an active, year-
for a comprehensive, coordinated and important to remember that the lake - round, lakefront.
proactive planning program for Muske- more specifically the bulk shipping it
gon's most cherished asset - its water- permitted - holds the City's "raison d' A major premise of this plan therefore
front - and the multitude of opportuni- etre". Were it not for the ample natural is that all manner of land uses proposed
ties its presents. harbor, it is doubtful that the City for the lakefront need not be mutually
would have ever attained its present exclusive, and are in fact desirable. In-
The "Post Industrial" Waterfront stature as an important Midwestern in- dustrial, recreational, commercial and
dustrial center or acquired the proud residential land uses can, and do suc-
A number of general, and site-specific moniker, "Port City". cessfully coexist, often with great ef-
principles have guided the development fect. In fact their coexistence has
of the overall plan, and its component Although bulk shipping on the Great proven to be the crucial ingredient in
projects. Foremost among them is the Lakes has been greatly diminished, it is the projects cited above and dozens of
recognition that the industrial heritage obvious that the lake figures no less others both in the U.S. and abroad.
of the City and lakefront is something importantly in the economic future of
which should be celebrated rather than Muskegon, as it did in the past. Al- With its sizable lake frontage, and
eradicated. Cities as diverse as Balti- though tourism should no doubt play an proud industrial past, there is no reason
more (the Inner Harbor) Cleveland important role in such a future, tourism to believe that Muskegon's prospects
(The Flats), San Francisco (The Em- alone tends to be seasonal, and acutely for a revitalized lakefront, incorporat-
barcadero/Ghiradelli Square) have all sensitive to the vagaries of the econ- ing such varied uses as residential de-
capitalized on their industrial pasts to omy, and the whims of the traveling velopment to port facilities, cannot also
create interesting, inviting and "ani- public. Moreover, it tends not to create attain the same level of acclaim.
mated" waterfronts. jobs which pay family-supporting
wages.
The key to their success, and those of Greater economic balance would be
other cities, has been the realization afforded by investments in lakeside
Waterfront Redevelopment Sub-Plan 4
Assets & Areas of Concern
It is a widely held belief that cities with
water amenities enjoy a significant ad-
vantage in attracting tourism and devel-
opment. If this is indeed true, Muskegon,
with its miles of shoreline has the poten-
tial to become a premier Lake Michigan
destination city and Great Lakes port-of-
call.
The City has been variously described as
a sportsman's paradise and a developer's
dream. With it miles of shoreline front-
ing on two lakes, these alternative vi-
sions need not be dichotomous.
In western Michigan only Traverse City
with its meandering peninsulas and inlets
has more water frontage. Because it sat-
isfies the natural human instinct to be
near water, the lake, and its rare natural
beauty, is a constant source of community In earlier decades, the lakefront was the nucleus of most commercial, industrial and
pride and visitor interest. transportation activity in the City.
In addition to its aesthetic appeal, the lake
also offers abundant recreational activities
such as boating and fishing, as well as ar-
eas of natural habitat. Its mid-coast loca-
tion and excellent trans-portation links
also makes it attractive as both a general
cargo and passenger service port.
Waterfront Redevelopment Sub-Plan 5
and objectives have been identified Objective: Creation of linkages be-
Concerns which seek to better capitalize on the tween the lakefront and inland land
City's waterfront location. Tourism, uses (especially in the downtown and
Among the many amenities offered by habitat conservation, recreation, com- Lakeside commercial districts) that will
the Lake, are the spectacular views it merce, historic preservation and resi- help spur complementary spin-off de-
affords from the various promontories dential development are all individual velopment.
and other vantage points along the goals of the plan. All are treated as in-
shoreline. However, despite its omni- terrelated components in creating an Objective: Relocation of existing non-
presence, there are an abundance of active year-round lakefront. fixed attractions (Silversides, Farmers
physical and visual barriers to the wa- Market, Milwaukee Clipper) to down-
ter's edge. Long stretches of shoreline Implicit in the discussion is the axiom town-waterfront locations to maximize
are currently off limits to the public that the lake and its environs should the potential for ancillary development,
both physically and visually. principally be the realm of Muskegon and maximize the capture of visitor
citizens, and that large stretches of lake spending (i.e."synergy").
Where public access is allowed, a gen- frontage should never be permanently
eral lack of landscaping and signage off-limits to them, physically, visually *Goal: Maximize the economic
makes them difficult to find and/ or or economically. Other goals: development potential of the lake.
visually uninviting. Furthermore the
entire network of lakefront parks and *Goal: Creation of a critical Objective: Maximize patronage of
public access points suffers from a lack mass of activities along the lake downtown and Lakeside commercial
of physical linkages and "active" rec- district by visitors drawn to otherwise
reational spaces. within walking distance of down- single-purpose events such as the
town that will serve as a regional Queen's Cup regatta, Summer Celebra-
Other concerns include real and per- tourist destination and community tion, Parties-In-The-Park and events at
ceived environmental problems, con- focal point. the Frauenthal Theater and Walker
tinued loss of natural habitat, and ob- Arena.
trusive industrial facilities located in Objective: Establishment of a down-
residential and recreational areas. town accessible staging area for a
cross-lake ferry and other forms of wa-
Primary Goals & Objectives ter-born transit (including a permanent
destination for the Queen's Cup regatta,
Because it is arguably the City's most and transient boat slips, water taxis).
coveted asset a number of general goals
Waterfront Redevelopment Sub-Plan 6
Objective: Establishment of a Muske- Objective: Preservation and adaptive
gon Port Authority or similar entity reuse of water related historic resources Objective: Unification of the lakefront
(with bonding and condemnation pow- such as the Mart Dock. through an integrated network of pe-
ers) to effectuate port related infrastruc- destrian/ bicycle pathways, lookouts,
tural improvements and promotional public finger piers, and public ac-
activities. cess easements.
Objective: Expand/ Increase Foreign Objective: Application of general
Trade Zone (FTZ) designations on design standards for lakefront de-
Muskegon Lake. velopment which seek to preserve
views, insure public access, and
Objective: Mitigation of the environ- promote environmentally sensi-
mental concerns associated with lake- tive land use.
Lakefront focal point containing a variety of
front development, and the various
sites and activities within in walking distance of
planning issues they pose. Objective: Reduction of land use
each other, and downtown.
conflicts. Mitigation of land uses
Objective: Increase the mixture of land Objective: Increase awareness of natu- that are uncomplimentary or con-
uses (especially housing) along the ral features and wildlife habitat, and flicting.
lake. encourage zoning and design criteria
for the protection of same. Objective: Buffering lakefront indus-
*Goal: Conservation, protection trial facilities that are the most visually
and enhancement of sensitive wa- Objective: Elimination/ mitigation of and environmentally obtrusive and/ or
"animating" their appearance.
terfront resources. existing environmental hazards.
Objective: Mitigation of the impact of *Goal: Enhance the attractive-
new development on existing view- ness and accessibility (physical
sheds and natural habitats. and visual) of the lakefront.
Objective: Relocation and concentra- Objective: Accommodation of various
tion of heavy industrial waterfront uses, forms of passive and active forms of
and the reduction of the conflicts they public recreation along the lake.
pose with less intensive uses (such as
residential and recreational).
Waterfront Redevelopment Sub-Plan 7
issues which,
Part I until only re-
cently, ap-
peared intrac-
table.
Current Conditions and
Recommendations For Although his-
torically util-
the Future ized for indus-
try and bulk
Historical Overview shipping, the
City of Mus-
Due to the City's industrial legacy, few kegon also has
places along Muskegon Lake's south- a long history
ern shore have been left unaltered by as a cross lake
human activity. The extensive lumber- passenger port
ing activity which took place in Mus- linking many
kegon during the 19th and early 20th cities on the
Centuries resulted in a wholesale re- western side Former Goodrich Docks
configuration of the shoreline through of Lake
dredging, filling and other activities Michigan to
designed to make the shoreline more Muskegon. During the off season, ships Over the past several decades, bulk
conducive to shipping. such as the Milwaukee Clipper were shipping on the Great Lakes has con-
used to transport freight (including ve- centrated in fewer ports and reduced in
By the middle of the Century, the lum- hicles from Detroit) to various ports in tonnage due to the ascendancy of the
ber industry had largely given way to Illinois and Wisconsin. interstate highway system and the
heavy "smoke stack" industry such as trucking and containerization it has fa-
steel production. The cumulative effect During the height of Great Lakes ship- cilitated. As a smaller Great Lakes port
of this prolonged and intensive exploi- ping (post WWII) Muskegon also saw without the infrastructure, or shipping
tation (utilization) of the natural harbor regular shipments from European ports volume required for containerized
and its waterfront (a situation certainly whose ships made their way to Muske- shipping, Muskegon, has suffered as a
not unique to Muskegon) resulted in a gon via the Saint Lawrence Seaway and result of this new paradigm.
series of environmental and land use later, the Erie Canal.
Waterfront Redevelopment Sub-Plan 8
A. General Land Use Recent improvements in this area in-
clude the SPX development and Heri-
Existing Conditions tage Landing, both in the immediate
vicinity of downtown. The most pris-
tine sections of shoreline are generally
Although much industry has left the at the extreme east and west. Bluffton/
shores of Muskegon Lake over the past Harbourtown and Richards Park/ Vet-
several decades the physical remnants eran's Park respectively.
of its industrial past still remain in the
form of the numerous jetties, wharves
and docks which dot the shoreline. Be- General Recommendations:
cause of its history, the southern shore-
line of Muskegon Lake has a pro- Greater Mixture of Land Uses spur significant private investment
nounced "jagged", or uneven profile along the water.
which stands in marked contrast to the As a visible reminder of the lakefront's
northern shore which saw much less utilitarian history, large tracts of water- By increasing the mixture of land uses
cutting, filling and dredging. front land remain in a semi-industrial or along the lake to include more housing,
de-industrialized state. Much of this public recreation and other waterfront
Although pockets of industrial "scar property, although rezoned for more compatible uses, the city will become
tissue" can be found along the entire waterfront compatible use, remains in physically oriented to the water instead
length of shoreline, from Bluffton (sand the hands of a relatively small number of turning its back to it. With a wider
mining) to the Causeway (power plant), of landowners who have not sought to variety of uses, the lakeshore will be
the most intensive industrial uses were redevelop their properties to their animated with a variety of year-round,
generally concentrated between what is "highest and best" use.. 24 hour activities, and more fully inte-
today the Great Lakes Marina on the grated into the larger city.
west, to what was the Teledyne - Con- The reasons for the present inertia may
tinental Motors property on the east. include: residual commercial/ industrial
Along this approximately 3 mile stretch activity, environmental cleanup con-
are a number of sites which have been cerns, land speculation and/or a lack of
deemed (contaminated) "facilities" pur- recent development pressure. Although
suant to recent site assessment activi- greatly improved over recent years by
ties. Many others have been identified projects such as Heritage Landing and
as having underground storage tanks the Great Lakes and Hartshorn marinas,
(UST sites). these facilities have generally failed to
Waterfront Redevelopment Sub-Plan 9
Bird's eye view of the southern shore of Muskegon Lake, circa 1940. Much of the industry that fueled the City's booming wartime
economy, was located directly along the shore.
Waterfront Redevelopment Sub-Plan 10
The shoreline in the 1990s. Sections of waterfront have been reclaimed for public use such as Heritage Landing (foreground).
Waterfront Redevelopment Sub-Plan 11
Relocation of Industry are rather disjointed and poorly linked. recreational nodes should be created
The City has already undertaken reme- which tie into the bike trail. Active rec-
Increasing the mixture of land uses dial efforts in this regard through the reational spaces for sports activities, are
along the lake requires opening up construction of Shoreline Drive particularly needed.
large sections of shoreline for uses such
as recreation and housing. In many in- Downtown - Waterfront Focal
stances this may involve the movement Point
of existing land intensive activities
such as industry and bulk handling in An equally critical land use goal, and
order to effectuate the necessary one directly related to the above, is to
changes. "wed" downtown to the lakefront. The
downtown waterfront should be used to
Although certain "benign" industries accommodate a variety of public and
should be allowed to remain on the quasi-public facilities that will both
lake, the relocation of several non- feed, and be fed, by downtown.
water dependent industries inland (Aquarium, cross-lake ferry, Maritime
would have to be facilitated. Those in- A "step down" development pattern Museum, public pier, housing, outdoor
dustries that are dependent on water would help accentuate Muskegon's markets, shops, planetarium-
frontage should be allowed to remain modest topography and protect views. observatory, arboretum, botanical gar-
on the lake, or relocated to a "central The lakeward end of Third Street dens, amphitheater, public sports com-
port" location. should terminate with a strong visual plex etc.)
element.
Key objectives in relocation are miti- It is critical that these facilities be lo-
gating existing visual and traffic im- and the pending construction of the cated in a fairly dense pattern so that
pacts, the utilization of existing deep Lakeshore Trail; a project designed to pedestrian cross-traffic and spill-over
water berths and the availability of serve as the recreational spine of the into downtown is fostered. The dedica-
nearby transportation linkages. waterfront. tion of a waterfront site primarily for
public cultural and recreational use, in
Unify the Lakefront and Improve Expanding on the success of projects direct proximity to downtown, will help
Public Access. such as the aforementioned Lakeshore catalyze the "synergy" currently lack-
Trial as well as Heritage Landing ing in both.
As alluded to in the introduction, exist- should be a top priority of the City's
ing public access points along the lake lakefront redevelopment efforts. New
Waterfront Redevelopment Sub-Plan 12
B. Commercial & industrial lands. The largest of these is Port Development
Industrial Development the Great Lakes Marina in Lakeside.
At present, bulk shipping operations are
spread rather thinly along almost the
Existing Conditions entire southern shore of Muskegon
Lake. This distribution is one of the
While bulk handling no longer domi- principle reasons why large stretches of
nates the shores of Muskegon Lake, it shoreline are currently under-utilized
still exists in the likes of such compa- and off limits to the public. In addition,
nies as LaFarge, Verplank, J. Bultema, these uses tend to be land intensive
and Sappi Paper. Since their existence which makes their presence on the lake
depends wholly or in part on a lakeside very conspicuous and often unsightly.
location for the loading and unloading
of large quantities of raw materials, As a means to both promote shipping
they cannot easily adapt to inland loca- activity and to encourage more com-
tions and therefore must maintain a patible lakefront development, it is rec-
presence on the lake. ommended that a long-term goal of the
City should be to work toward relocat-
The most problematic issue surround- ing and clustering heavy industrial and
ing these industries is not necessarily commercial port operations. A pre-
what they do, but where they do it. Besides the downtown central business ferred location would be one which is
Their dispersal along the shoreline of- district, the largest commercial use visually and environmentally least ob-
ten causes them to interface poorly with concentrations are found at the Lake- trusive, and where access to the City's
residential and recreational land uses. side commercial strip (neighborhood transportation linkages to the state
This is especially true in the Lakeside commercial), and in the vicinity of east highway system is also available.
area, which along with Bluffton and the Western Avenue, immediately north-
Nims neighborhood, contains some of east of downtown and parallel to U.S.
the City's most desirable housing stock. 31. The sole office building directly
fronting on the lake is the SPX head-
Lighter commercial activity is gener- quarters at Terrace Point.
ally associated with the various public
and private marinas which are inter- Recommendations
spersed among industrial, or formerly
Waterfront Redevelopment Sub-Plan 13
(See discussion of Port Facilities Node, merce to designate more Foreign Trade Many of these recreational facilities are
Part II below). Zones along Muskegon Lake. small, residual lands, or property con-
verted/ adapted from formerly indus-
With adequate public infrastructure, Provide suitable public infrastruc- trial use. The most celebrated of these
concentration of such activities in a ture and access at favored port opera- is Heritage Landing which serves as the
primary area may eventually encourage tion location. City's premier festival park.
the development of more technologi-
cally advanced cargo operations (i.e. Work with existing industries to Noticeably absent are "active" recrea-
containerization) which would increase help improve or mitigate their physical tional areas containing ballfields,
the attractiveness of Muskegon as a presence on the lake. swimming, playgrounds etc. One of
cargo port. the few remaining natural habitat areas
Work with Lakeside businesses to of any size is in the vicinity of Rich-
Modernized cargo facilities would enhance the Lakeside commercial strip. ard's Park, where the tributaries of the
promote economies-of-scale in the ex- Muskegon River flow into Muskegon
isting break bulk operations found C. Recreation & Lake.
along the lake by allowing existing
bulk handlers to share facilities. They Natural Habitat Areas Recommendations
may also promote more Foreign Trade
Zone (FTZ) designations. These facili-
ties may be best planned and managed Existing Conditions Integration of Recreational Fa-
under the aegis of a port/ harbor author- cilities
ity (see appendix). Like the scattered industrial/ bulk han-
dling operations along the lake, public A fundamental component of a revital-
Other Recommendations recreational land uses are distributed
: fairly evenly along the shoreline. While ized lakefront is increasing the number
such a distribution is far more desirable and sizes of recreational land uses
Promote the formation of a Mus- than in the case of the former, they are along the lake. Equally important how-
kegon Port Authority/ Harbor Commis- poorly linked, and sometimes difficult ever, is the goal of creating more
sion to manage commercial shipping, to find - a situation likely to be greatly
and ancillary development along the remedied by the pending construction
lake. of the Lakeshore Trail bicycle/ pedes-
trian path.
Work with private industry, U.S.
Customs and the Department of Com-
Waterfront Redevelopment Sub-Plan 14
The Lakeshore Trail project will help connect the many sites and activity areas along the shoreline. Clockwise: Richard's Park, Heri-
tage Landing, Fisherman's Landing and the Mart Dock.
Waterfront Redevelopment Sub-Plan 15
effective suitable to the development of Funding Sources:
physical esplanades and boardwalks do
linkages be- exist and should be pursued. Possible funding sources include De-
tween them. These could be obtained via partment of Environmental Quality
Although the easement (preferred), purchase (DEQ) Coastal Management Grants
aforemen- (less preferred), or condemna- and Clean Michigan Initiative (CMI)
tioned Lake- tion (least preferred). grant funds.
shore Trail Where the profile of the shore
project will makes this physically infeasible Other Recommendations:
effectively (i.e.where there are numerous
achieve this, jetties and land spits), a series of Increase the number of active rec-
large sec- trail spurs, finger piers and reational spaces for activities such as
tions of the lookouts should be developed. swimming and sports.
proposed These should be connected to,
bicycle- and architecturally consistent Increase the number of transient
pedestrian with, the proposed Lakeshore boat slips (especially proximate to
path are set Trail. These spurs could run downtown).
well back perpendicular to the Trail, and
from the would be chosen for maximum Capitalize on the educational po-
shoreline contact with the water, and wid- tential of natural habitat areas by de-
and there- est possible view radius. veloping nature walks that highlight/
fore physi- profile indigenous wildlife and
cally and plant species.
visually off
limits to the Work to increase the size of -
water's edge. and create more effective linkages
between - isolated areas of natural
While the jagged profile of the shore- habitat (wildlife corridors).
line clearly makes the development of a
continuous pedestrian network of Work with landowners to
shore-hugging trails impractical (to say donate, dedicate, and develop
nothing of the legal and financial issues public access easements. Create
involved), large tracts of water frontage zoning incentives for same
Waterfront Redevelopment Sub-Plan 16
Above and left: Proposed pedestrian trail
system. Trail spurs (perhaps in the form of
public piers) should be developed on ma-
jor jetties to take advantage of superior
views. Right: Conceptual focal point ele-
ment at the end of Third Street.
Waterfront Redevelopment Sub-Plan 17
D. Residential Devel- vacant lots, and one of the lowest popu-
opment lation densities of any neighborhood in Other Recommendations:
the City. Large tracts of cleared land in
this neighborhood, along with it prox- Continue to promote the adaptive
Existing Conditions imity to the lake, makes it potentially reuse of older industrial buildings in the
ripe for redevelopment.
vicinity of the lake and Downtown for
Despite the fact that some of the City's housing (Amazon, Shaw-Walker).
most remarkable neighborhoods are Recommendations:
located on the bluffs overlooking Mus- Work to encourage new lakefront
kegon Lake (e.g. Bluffton, Nims and Mixed-Density/ employers to adopt walk-to-work pro-
Lakeside), the immediate southern Clustered Housing grams for their employees.
shore of Muskegon Lake contains very
little in the way of residential develop- Promote the construction of new
Along with recreational, and commer-
ment of any type. Small enclaves of housing units in Downtown and Jack-
cial land uses, housing is a key ingredi-
"high end" housing can be found in son Hill.
ent in creating an active year-round wa-
Harbourtown, Bluffton, and in a newer
terfront. As such, a primary objective
gated community near Cole's Bakery Promote mixed-use commercial-
of lakefront redevelopment efforts
however large stretches of shoreline residential projects containing second
should be to encourage more - and a
contain no housing whatsoever. floor housing.
greater variety of - residential devel-
opment in select waterfront locations.
With the exception of Bluffton, the
housing that presently exists directly Such housing could take the form of
along the shoreline is mostly of the large single-family detached dwellings
large single family variety. Higher den- to multi-unit attached apartments and
sity residential development (apart- condominiums (or combinations
ments, condos etc.) is noticeably absent thereof) depending on location and
along the water's edge, as in most parts physical site constraints. Whatever
of the City as a whole. forms they take, it is important that a
clustered (PUD) site planning approach
Although separated from the lake by is used in order to assure: (1) effi-
the chasm formed by U.S. 31, the Jack- ciency in the provision of infrastructure
son Hill neighborhood north of down- and utilities and, (2) maximum physi-
town has the highest concentration of cal and visual access to the shoreline.
Waterfront Redevelopment Sub-Plan 18
Muskegon Lake offers tremendous opportunities for various
forms of residential development. Building such as Shaw-Walker
and the Amazon (left), have excellent loft/ condo reuse potential.
Lower density development such as Harbourtown and Coles
(bottom) has only recently arrived on the shores of Muskegon
Lake. Below: The "Actor's Colony"at Bluffton.
Waterfront Redevelopment Sub-Plan 19
E. Historic Resources from places such as Chicago, Milwau- Recommendations:
Inventory kee and Sheboygan, WI.
Both buildings add a distinctive historic Adaptive Re-Use
Existing Conditions character to the downtown waterfront,
and once restored, could compare fa- Work with property owners to pre-
vorably to similar waterfront reuse pro- serve and/ or adaptively reuse historic
Few of the City's impressive collection jects in such places as Baltimore (the properties (Mart Dock, Waterfront
of historic buildings are actually lo- Powerhouse), San Francisco (Ghiradelli Center, Shaw-Walker).
cated directly on the lakefront. Most Chocolate Factory, Cannery and Em-
are located in the heart of downtown, or barcadero), Monterey, CA (Cannery Increase awareness of historic
in the several designated historic dis- Row), Boston (Fanueil Hall, Quincy preservation tax credits, facade im-
tricts contiguous with it. However, con- Market), Chicago (Navy Pier), Alexan- provement grants and other incentives
tained within the City's premier his- dria VA (the Torpedo Factory) for historically sensitive renovations.
toric district (Clay-Western) are the
waterfront buildings which comprise Other waterfront historic resources in- Dedicate the Bluffton "Actors
the historic Mart Dock. clude the former Waterfront Center and Colony" as the City's 9th historic dis-
nearby buildings, and the intimately trict, and/ or nominate it to the National
The importance of these buildings goes scaled Bluffton "Actor's Colony" with Register of Historic Places.
well beyond their aesthetic qualities. its significant supply of Midwest ver-
These are Works Progress Administra- nacular beach cottages and bungalows. Work to locate a downtown loca-
tion (WPA) era structures which serve tion for the Silversides and Milwaukee
as a lasting reminder of the New Deal's A number of non-fixed historic re- Clipper, and help secure grants and in-
impact in Muskegon. They are also sources also have the potential to pro- kind services for same.
emblematic of the City's seafaring tra- vide historic reference points along
dition and perhaps best define a indus- Muskegon Lake. These include the
trial iconography of Muskegon in the USS Silversides currently berthed in
early 20th Century. One (the former the Muskegon channel, the Milwaukee
Mart Auditorium), served as the City's Clipper car ferry berthed at the end of
first public auditorium and ice rink. the McCraken Street wharf, and the
The other was both a warehouse and Muskegon Trolley cars which make
passenger terminal for thousands of regular summer runs along Lakeshore
people who visited the City by ferry Drive.
Waterfront Redevelopment Sub-Plan 20
The Mart Dock was one of the few additions to the City's Although the buildings have suffered from poor
building stock during the Depression (above). It served maintenance over the years, they retain much of
as a combination wharf, auditorium and outdoor market. their historic character(below). Center: Parapet
detail. Inset: Navy Pier, Chicago.
Waterfront Redevelopment Sub-Plan 21
F. Urban Design
Considerations Accentuating the lack of visual
transition between land and wa-
ter is the lack of relationship
The City of Muskegon enjoys some of between downtown and water-
the most spectacular lake views of any front land uses. At present, there
city on the Great Lakes. The numerous are few visual linkages between
bluffs and plateaus offer many pano- downtown and the lake. Each
ramic views of Muskegon Lake and are separate entities devoid of
surrounding dunes. Through projects any sense of physical unity. Nei-
such as Shoreline Drive, the Lakeshore ther place is made more special
Trail, and the dedication of waterfront by its proximity to the other.
parks such as Heritage Landing (a for- Shoreline Drive from U.S. 31 from the
mer scrap-yard), and Fisherman's Recommendations: south.
Landing the City has taken great strides
in reclaiming waterfront land for public Waterfront Focal Points Silos transformed into public sculpture. Boston,
use, and improving the general aesthet- MA. *Source: "Waterfronts: Cities Reclaim their
ics of the lakefront. The pavilion at Heritage Landing Edge" Breen & Rigby 1994.
is a good example of an attention-
In spite of these efforts however, there catching focal point which helps make
remains a general shortage of public a visual connection between the lake Despite its high visibility, Heritage
spaces, and an abundance of visual and downtown. It calls attention to the Landing is too far removed from the
clutter directly along the water. Much civic life of the City, and acts as a heart of downtown to effectively con-
of this clutter is composed of large, counterpoint to the City's modest sky- nect downtown to the lakefront. Sorely
utilitarian structures, piles of raw mate- line. More importantly, it beckons the needed, are more effective linkages be-
rials, salvage materials and other dis- passerby to explore it, and the water- tween downtown's primary east-west
cards of the City's industrial past; many front beyond. Its prominence is made streets, and where they terminate at
of which conceal or obscure views to more commanding by the fact that it Shoreline Drive. The need is especially
the water. In addition, many lakefront stands out against the backdrop of acute at the end of Third Street, where
properties have a raw, unkempt appear- Muskegon Lake, and is the first thing to the otherwise unobstructed view to the
ance which makes them appear harsh come into view as one approaches lake is made unremarkable by the lack
and forbidding. of visual focus at the water's edge.
Waterfront Redevelopment Sub-Plan 22
The shoreline offers numerous view-scapes worthy of protection. The development pattern in Bluffton, where streets run directly to the
water's edge (top), preserves the visual accessibility of the lake. Such a pattern is worthy of duplication in newer waterfront develop-
ments.
Waterfront Redevelopment Sub-Plan 23
Other Recommendations: G. Transportation & concurrently as a means to unify trans-
portation and land uses along the lake.
Increase the visual "porosity" of Circulation
the shoreline (more places that allow at In terms of commercial transportation,
least a glimpse of the water.) Existing Conditions a number of deep draft berths can be
found at various scattered sites along
Implement streetscape and design The combination of Lakeshore/ Shore- the lake. The most heavily used among
program for the Lakeside commercial line Drives forms the principle trans- these is the dock at the CMS power
district. plant at the extreme northeastern edge
of the lake. This dock receives frequent
Provide incentives for animating shipments of coal to help fuel power
or softening the appearance of indus- plant operations. Running parallel to
trial facilities along the lake. Lakeshore/ Shoreline is one of the few
remaining active railroad corridors left
Preserve the industrial character in the City and operated by CSX Rail-
of the waterfront. Integrate new build- road.
ings/ uses that interface compatibly
with this character. Despite periodic plans to reestablish
portation spine of Muskegon Lake. Ma- cross-lake ferry service, water-born
Promote human-scaled, pedes- jor streets which feed into this system passenger transit has been dormant in
trian-oriented development along the are Laketon Avenue, Apple Avenue via Muskegon since the retirement of the
lake, and in downtown. Promote devel- Terrace Street, and U.S. Business 31. Milwaukee Clipper in the mid 1970s.
opment that seeks to create a visual The western leg of Shoreline Drive,
connection between downtown and the completed in the mid 1990s, serves as Lakeshore Drive
waterfront. the City's lakefront parkway, and has
been credited with increasing access Although the current "level of
and investment activity along the lake.
Major improvements to the area's
transportation infrastructure are pend-
ing completion of Shoreline Drive -
East, and the Lakeshore Trail bicycle
path. Both projects are being developed
Waterfront Redevelopment Sub-Plan 24
service" of lakefront streets is consid- diverted from Muskegon and Webster routes be developed - or traffic demand
ered good to excellent, new housing Avenues. management measures implemented -
developments underway at Bluffton to relieve the burden of this route. Im-
Bay and along McCraken will likely While this will likely make the core provements to McCraken Street would
cause a noticeable increase in traffic on downtown more pedestrian friendly, it be a logical first step in attempting to
Lakeshore Drive (especially in the will accentuate the existing "divide" disperse traffic in this area.
summer months). If other proposed de- between downtown and the lakefront,
velopments materialize (such as at the unless steps are taken to mitigate this Other Recommendations:
present-day, MeKoff Dock), a further effect.
increase in traffic volume can be ex- Institute a "way-finding" system in
pected. Possible solutions include boldly downtown and along the primary routes
marked/ textured crosswalks at Third to Shoreline Drive (Apple, Laketon/
An area of current concern, is the heavy Street and Shoreline Drive, and at Sev- Seaway) designed to highlight the loca-
volume of truck traffic generated by enth and Shoreline. If future traffic tions of key downtown and waterfront
Sappi Paper, along Lakeshore Drive. volumes warrant, pedestrian bridges attractions.
Heavy shipment volumes and cramped and visual devices (i.e. pavers, boldly
conditions at the entrance to the mill, marked crosswalks etc.) intended to Develop the necessary transporta-
have resulted in frequent truck queues strengthen the physical connection be- tion and infrastructure needed for more
as trucks attempt to negotiate the mill's tween downtown and the waterfront fully developed port operations at the
gates. should be explored. desired location for such operations.
Recommendations: McCraken Corridor If future circumstances warrant,
develop an overpass at the
Unifying the Waterfront Clearly, one of the most pressing trans-
portation issues facing the City is the
The pending completion of Shoreline current traffic volumes on Lakeshore
Drive - East is widely viewed as a cata- Drive in Lakeside. With possible plant
lyst for redevelopment of major sec- expansions at Sappi and with new
tions of shoreline. One planning objec- residential developments at Bluffton
tive of the new road is for it to serve as Bay, along McCraken and at Harbour-
the new downtown segment of U.S. town, (and with more lakefront housing
Business 31; thus allowing traffic to be proposed under this plan) it is impor-
tant that alternative transportation
Waterfront Redevelopment Sub-Plan 25
current junction of U.S. 31 and the which are encouraged along the lake Primary goals of such oversight are to
Causeway (Veteran's Memorial High- (i.e. restaurants, hotels, recreational fa- encourage a higher level of aesthetics,
way). cilities). preserve/ protect view-sheds, provide
public access, and promote environ-
Work to develop a staging area for Typical of most zoning schemes in ma- mentally sensitive design in exchange
a cross-lake ferry near downtown. ture urban areas, many aspects of the for greater site plan flexibility.
City's current zoning appear largely to
Work with Sappi officials to better affirm historic land uses, rather than Integral to an effective PUD program,
manage truck traffic volume on Lake- attempting to change them in any pro- is the adoption of specific design crite-
shore Drive. Options include: physical found way. Besides the aforemen- ria for all residential, waterfront ma-
modifications to entrance and unload- tioned W-2 and L-R, the major classi- rine, commercial and industrial zones
ing areas, as well as traffic flow man- fications include Industrial (I-2), Open along the lake. Design considerations
agement measures such as, restrictions/ Space Conservation (OSC), and Busi- should include:
prohibitions on truck arrivals/ depar- ness (B-2). Conspicuously absent, are
tures during commuting hours. most residential classifications al- Detached or recessed garages and
though most would be allowed in other carports (residential areas).
Further study the development of zones as a permitted or special use.
alternative route from Lakeshore Drive Maximum setbacks or "build-to"
to Sherman Blvd. Recommendations: lines (residential and commercial ar-
eas).
Lakefront P.U.D.
H. Zoning Maximum/ minimum residential
lot sizes (residential areas).
Existing Conditions In attempting to control the quality of
development in sensitive lakeside ar-
eas, a Planned Unit Development Discourage/ prohibit gated com-
With the exception of higher density (PUD) overlay zone is strongly sug- munities (residential areas).
residential areas, the City's existing gested along the entire lakeshore. PUD
lakeshore zoning includes almost every should not be construed as an addi-
zoning classification found within the tional layer of regulatory control, but
larger City. A few special designations rather as a way to encourage a superior
such as Lakefront Recreation (L-R) and level of design, responsive to the par-
"Waterfront Marine" (W-2) are used to ticular characteristics of a given site.
address the special types of land uses
Waterfront Redevelopment Sub-Plan 26
Extension of street grid to the Require parking lots to have gen- Foundry sand was commonly used as
lakeward side of Lakeshore/ Shoreline erous perimeter and interior landscap- fill throughout the City, and is gener-
Drives (all areas where feasible or prac- ing. ally considered hazardous if disturbed.
tical). The latter material is mostly harmless
Apply maximum height and/or (benign), but is notoriously unstable
Require larger commercial build- bulk restrictions in sensitive view- and often requires additional filling to
ings to be situated at right angles to the sheds. (*Note: Variance should be al- prevent settling.
shoreline (except where a different lowed if it can be shown that develop-
treatment is warranted). ment minimally or favorably impacts Other potential hazards include under-
an existing view-shed. Variance may ground storage tanks especially in the
Limit building "footprint" size also be allowed if the developer miti- vicinity of the petroleum tank farm
through floor area ratio (FAR) or other gates the view impact by narrowing the where the remaining presence of petro-
bulk control devices (commercial and building footprint (bulk), orienting the leum based contaminants continues to
industrial). building at an angle to the shoreline, or pose a hazard to Muskegon Lake.
by dedicating and developing public
Promote/ require a reduction in the access easement.) Finally hazardous runoff into Rudi-
visual mass of larger buildings through mann Creek and other tributaries con-
such design devices as recessions and tinue to present hazards to local wild-
protrusions in the building wall, gables, I. Environmental Issues life. While nearly the entire lakeshore
L-shapes, change of roof height/ pitch has been classified as a "facility" by the
etc. (all areas). Department of Environmental Quality
As discussed above, the historical de- (DEQ), there are no known CERCLA
Prohibit "pole-barn" type con- velopment of the Muskegon Lake (Superfund) sites on the southern shore
struction. (unarticulated building walls, shoreline involved extensive cutting, of Muskegon Lake.
metal surfaces etc.) filling and dredging to accommodate
waterfront dependent industry and As discussed in the City of Muskegon
Encourage buildings that have commerce. It is widely known that Master Plan, and in the Muskegon Lake
maximum transparency (numerous much of the fill material used to create Remedial Action Plan (RAP),
windows and other openings). Limit the numerous land spits and jetties were
use of tinted or reflective glass). waste materials originating from these
industries themselves; most notably
foundry sands and lumber mill debris.
Waterfront Redevelopment Sub-Plan 27
The maps above show the findings of recent site assessment activities along Muskegon Lake. The dashed red line indicates the ap-
proximate location of the shoreline in 1837. The shaded areas represent fill materials; typically: foundary sands, lumber mill waste,
and building demolition debris. The map on this page shows the western site assessment area from Heritage Landing west to the
Grand Trunk Dock in Lakeside. *Source: Dell Engineering.
Waterfront Redevelopment Sub-Plan 28
The eastern site assessment area from Mart Dock to CMS Energy. * Source: Superior Environmental Corp.
Waterfront Redevelopment Sub-Plan 29
he lake continues to be a DEQ "Area of to protect "innocent" brownfield inves-
Concern". This is due to continued high Recommendations tors.
levels of contaminants found in Mus-
kegon Lake and its many tributaries. Work with Sappi Paper, and Con- Identify additional lakefront prop-
sumers Energy (Cobb Plant) to mitigate erties for future MDEQ and EPA Site
Most of these contaminants are residual the effects of olfactory emissions. Assessment/ Remediation grants.
affects from previous industrial prac-
tices (i.e. leeches from hazardous fill Organize a consortium consisting
and releases from historically contami- of: DNR, DEQ, Soil Conservation Dis-
nated sediments) as well as current in- trict, Muskegon Lake Public Advisory
dustrial and municipal discharges. Council (PAC), Grand Valley State
Other toxins enter the watershed Water Resources Institute, the Lake
through "non-point source" runoff Michigan Partnership (U of M), and
originating from urban storm water and private landowners to identify, elimi-
agricultural activities (i.e. animal nate/ mitigate non point sources of con-
waste, pesticides, fertilizers etc.). tamination
According to the 1994 RAP update, Work with the above groups to
there has been no detectable deteriora- develop a program, or series of guide-
tion or improvement in the water qual- Work to relocate existing heavy lines to avoid/ mitigate future habitat
ity since the time the original RAP was industry inland, or to a central port lo- loss associated with new waterfront
drafted in 1987. According to the cation. development.
document cited, toxicity levels at 14 of
the 15 sites sampled as part of the RAP Aggressively promote the incen- Produce and implement institu-
update exceeded federal EPA stan- tives offered by the City of Muskegon's tional environmental response guide-
dards. Problem areas include: Ryerson Brownfield Redevelopment Authority, lines to address known fill materials.
Creek, the 11th Street outfall, Ruddiman and Clean Michigan Initiative to en-
Creek and points near Sappi Paper. courage environmental cleanup and re-
Complete Area-Wide Site As-
development along the lakeshore.
( sessment, including an approved Base-
* Many of the recommendations be- line Environmental Analysis (BEA) for
low expound upon those previously Increase public awareness of re- the entire lakeshore.
contained in the City's Master Plan and cent changes in liability laws designed
the Muskegon Lake RAP.)
Waterfront Redevelopment Sub-Plan 30
Part II
Lakefront Nodes:
Civic/ Cultural
Resort/ Residential
Habitat/ Recreation
Port Development
Waterfront Redevelopment Sub-Plan 31
Lakefront Nodes A. Civic/ Cultural (Down-
Although a mixture of land uses is
typically desirable, to assure year- town Waterfront)
As stated in the introduction, the con- round use, there are instances where
ceptual framework of this plan is prem- concentrating uses is advantageous ei- The Civic & Cultural node is conceived
ised on the designation of four primary ther to contain adverse impacts, or to as the centerpiece of the lakefront, and
land use nodes along the Muskegon catalyze positive ones. Such affects are a principle focal point for the entire
lakefront: recreation/ natural habitat, also accounted for in the nodal concept City and region. Because of this dual
residential, commercial/ industrial and outlined below. role, it is important that it is visually
public/ institutional. The nodes, de- linked to downtown, and be physically
scribed below, were selected for their For instance, while certain port opera- integrated with it in terms of site plan-
physical characteristics and location, tions may actually help "animate", or ning and streetscape. It is also impor-
the level of current infrastructure, and add interest to the waterfront, heavy tant that the activities planned at this
their compatibility with surrounding port operations and aggregate storage location be distributed densely enough
land uses. are best concentrated at one particular to encourage pedestrian cross-traffic
area to mitigate impacts on (or take ad- and spill-over into downtown.
The node designations are not meant to vantage of) area infrastructure, to re-
preclude development identified pri- duce noise and other environmental and Principle uses appropriate for this node
marily with one particular node, at visual impacts. On the other hand, cul- include those recommended in the
other locations along the lake, or the tural and "tourist" facilities are best Master Plan, and repeated (augmented)
mixing of uses between nodes. For in- concentrated near downtown where here: Aquarium, Planetarium-
stance, it may be perfectly acceptable, they can form a "critical mass" of ac- Observatory, Arboretum-Botanical
and in fact desirable, to have housing tivities whose economic benefits can Gardens, Great Lakes Maritime/ Indus-
near port facilities even though housing spill-over into the heart of the City. try Museum, outdoor recreation/ sports
is most strongly associated with resort/ facilities, municipal fishing pier, hotels,
residential development (of the type In short, the nodal concept should not conference center/ research institute(s),
envisioned for Lakeside). Similarly be interpreted, or applied rigidly. By produce/ seafood market, restaurants,
commercial uses, albeit limited in some design, the boundaries are both porous ferry landing, transient boat slips, am-
cases, may be appropriate at each node and overlapping. phitheater,
and in the stretches of shoreline in be-
tween nodes. In all cases, recreational
uses and public access to the shoreline
are encouraged.
Waterfront Redevelopment Sub-Plan 32
The vignettes shown on this page
express a design vocabulary con-
sistent with the industrial origins
of the Mart Dock. Preservation
and adaptive reuse of the original
brick structures, and integration of
new construction consistent with
their character, would provide an
historic "wharf" theme for the
downtown waterfront. Uses appro-
priate to this site include: ferry
terminal (above left),shops and
outdoor market among others.
Waterfront Redevelopment Sub-Plan 33
arboretum/ sculpture gardens
and limited condo/ apartment
housing.
Although a waterfront baseball
stadium is not incompatible
with the uses described above,
such a facility requires large
amounts of parking and is
used only infrequently. There-
fore, it would be best located
on the eastern edge of this
node (Teledyne), where its
presence would not over-
whelm or "strand" other
nearby uses.
Funding Sources
In addition to private sector investment, possible
funding sources for these projects could come
from a variety of sources including: donations or
endowments, CMI (environmental cleanup and
new construction), Coastal Management grants
(recreational facilities), EDA and MJC loans and
grants (typically projects tied to job creation),
Federal TEA-21 grants (transportation projects
with an historic preservation and/or "intermodal"
aspect) as well as, EDA Brownfield Assessment
Demonstration Pilot grants, and DEQ Site As-
sessment
Waterfront Redevelopment Sub-Plan 34
Opposite page: The Civic Node should be tied
together with an esplanade (top) directly along
the water's edge. A focal point element on axis
with Third Street (bottom), would provide a
badly needed visual linkage between downtown
and the waterfront.* Drawing by Colette Klukos.
This page: Conceptual site plan for the Mart
Dock (top). New construction includes: Great
Lakes Museum (6), indoor/outdoor sports com-
plex (1), hotel (10).
Bottom: Early conceptual rendering and site
plan of a proposed aquarium for property near
Heritage Landing.
* Hooker/ DeJong Architects.
Waterfront Redevelopment Sub-Plan 35
B. Resort/ Residential - sons which include the proximity to the street grid to the water's edge. Gated
(Lakeside) established neighborhoods of Nims, communities and suburban styled site
Lakeside and Bluffton, the command- planning (i.e. excessively wide, curvi-
ing views of Muskegon Lake (which linear streets and cul-de-sacs) should be
While housing can and should be inte- would likely be lost on, or possibly ob- discouraged while architectural designs
grated to varying extents at most points structed by, more intensive uses). which hint at local vernacular styles
along the lake (excepting areas desig- with garages recessed or to the rear of
nated natural habitat), not all types of This site is also far enough away from the property, should be encouraged. All
housing are appropriate for every wa- existing lakeside industry that the pres- but the most benign industrial uses in
terfront location. Factors to consider in ence of companies such as Sappi Paper the vicinity should be relocated to the
residential site planning and design in- and West Michigan Steel will not likely maximum extent possible.
clude topography, views and surround- undermine the market appeal of higher
ing land uses and architectural styles. end residential housing. Serving as a prototype for the type of
residential community appropriate to
In very general terms, new residential While limited neighborhood and water- this location are the neighborhoods of
development should relate to existing front serving commercial development Bluffton and Lakeside themselves,
housing nearby. To the extent that could (and should) be incorporated into which are some of the City's most sta-
higher land use densities are found in any new development at this location ble and desirable residential communi-
areas closer to the central city, so too (preferably along Lakeshore Drive), it ties. With its traditional shopping strip
should be residential densities in down- should be carefully designed and sited (which includes the City's only movie
town waterside locations. In all cases, so as not to diminish the existing view- theater), Lakeside is also perhaps the
there should be a variety of housing shed, or visually overwhelm the resi- most self-contained. In fact, the
styles and types to choose from. dential character of the area. In general, neighborhood stands as a model of tra-
this means commercial buildings of ditional town planning principles of the
Because of the strongly residential pro- modest scale with larger buildings lo- type that have enjoyed a resurgent
file of its surroundings, the formerly cated at an angle to the water's edge. popularity in recent years: a variety of
industrial lowlands immediately east of housing
the Great Lakes Marina, and across To preserve the view corridors to Mus-
from Pinchtown, is best suited for resi- kegon Lake formed by Lakeside's
dential use (predominantly of the sin- north-south streets, and to harmonize
gle-family variety). While other com- new development with old, new
patible land uses should not be ruled Planned Unit Development at this loca-
out, this area is a prime location for tion should strive to extend Lakeside's
single-family housing for several rea-
Waterfront Redevelopment Sub-Plan 36
Top: New "Neo-Traditional" residential development at
Seaside, FL. The variety of housing styles grouped along
traditional residential streets underscores the distinction
between mere subdivision and "community". * Source:
"The New Urbanism"Peter Katz.
Although somewhat less dense, the widely acclaimed Sea-
side, borrows the scale and architectural vernacular of
Muskegon's own Bluffton (right).
Waterfront Redevelopment Sub-Plan 37
on smaller lots served by neighborhood reinforce, the predominantly residential play windows, awnings and outside seat-
commercial uses. character of the area. Public access and ing.
recreational facilities for activities such
Although most houses are modest in as sports and swimming should be in- Critical to an overall development pro-
scale and corporated into, and made a con- gram for the Lakeside commercial district
appearance, dition of, any new residential would be to physically unify both sides of
property development in the area. the strip through the development of pedes-
trian oriented infill buildings on the north
values here side of Lakeshore Drive. Because this is
are among primarily a neighborhood commercial
the highest The Lakeside Commercial Strip strip, parking requirements should be
in the City. greatly relaxed. Off-street parking should
This un- Clearly, what gives the Lakeside be placed behind building wherever possi-
doubtedly is neighborhood its distinct sense of ble. Shared parking arrangements between
attributable insularity and cohesiveness is its predominantly evening based businesses
to the gen- approximately 3 block long com- (i.e. taverns, theater) and daytime busi-
mercial strip along Lakeshore Drive. This
eral condition of the properties as much nesses (pharmacy, grocery store) should be
is perhaps the last economically viable
as to their proximity to Muskegon encouraged and coordinated.
pedestrian district outside of downtown
Lake. Yet despite the water's close-
Muskegon. It is one of the few places re- Funding Sources
ness, most of the Lakeside neighbor- maining in the entire county where one can
hood is largely cutoff from the water by walk from home to a movie, grocery store, Funding for common, "public" improve-
large swaths of privately held lands, pharmacy or restaurant/ tavern. ments could come from the formation of a
previously utilized for industrial use, Lakeside Business Improvement District
and the railroad tracks that served Unfortunately the strip suffers from too (BID), or from concessions for off-site im-
them. many gaps in the streetscape, and a lack of provements exacted from residential devel-
a consistent architectural theme. To rem- opers (i.e. in exchange for relaxing or for-
By developing the northern side of edy this situation a streetscaping theme giving on-site zoning restrictions under a
should be developed for the district which
Lakeshore Drive for single-family PUD scenario. Note: the latter technique,
seeks to enhance the strip's attractiveness
housing of appropriate design and could also be used to make necessary road
to local residents as well as tourists. Items
scale, the Lakeside neighborhood improvements along Lakeshore Drive and
to consider include benches, planters, styl- McCraken to mitigate the inevitable traffic
would be allowed to expand in a con- ized streetlights, and a permanent trolley impacts caused by new residential devel-
sistent and unified manner. As stated stop complete with shelter. Business own- opment in the area.)
above, this type of development ap- ers should be encouraged to enhance the
proach would interface well with, and "curb appeal" of their buildings with dis-
Waterfront Redevelopment Sub-Plan 38
The Lakeside commercial strip
would greatly benefit from a con-
sistent street-scape program, and
selected facade improvements. At
present, the north side of Lake-
shore Drive is made barren by the
expanses of asphalt parking which
greatly diminish the visual interest
of the strip. Sensitive infill, consist-
ing of shallow buildings (with
parking at rear) with traditional
storefronts could make the strip a
destination for tourists and resi-
dents alike.
Waterfront Redevelopment Sub-Plan 39
C. Port Facilities - clustering of the heaviest port activities
(Eastern Shore) The concentration of port operations can be seen as an integral part of at-
and heavy industry on the lake (perhaps tracting a greater variety of desired land
under the aegis of a Port Authority or uses to the lake while at the same time,
Muskegon's long held slogan, "Port other quasi-public agency) can be seen enhancing Muskegon's viability as a
City" stems from its long and storied as benefiting both industry and the gen- general cargo port.
history as a Great Lakes port-of-call for eral public in a variety of ways. In the
the shipping of locally abundant raw case of the former, economies-of-scale At a minimum, the logistical require-
materials, primarily lumber. However it and other efficiencies can be achieved ments for a port include ample land for
belies the fact that the City has never through the common use of port related storage and warehousing, deep water
had an official foci for its shipping and infrastructure such as: booms, steve- berths, and convenient access to a re-
break-bulk dore (gantry) cranes, deep wa- gional transportation network. Of all
activities; ter slips, warehousing and the sections of shoreline historically
only scattered transportation facilities thus used for industrial purposes, the section
wharves, relieving each operator of the of shoreline between Fisherman's
docks and need to maintain separate fa- Landing and the CMS, Cobb Plant per-
bulkheads lo- cilities. Perhaps more impor- haps best meets all of these criteria.
cated at vari- tantly, effective management Along this stretch of shoreline there are
ous points of port activities could eventu- several deep water slips, ample acreage
along the ally lead to full containeriza- for storage and access to inland rail
Lake. tion capabilities and more ex- transport. Most importantly, it is only a
pansive use of Foreign Trade Zone short distance to U.S. 31 and its conflu-
While this historical pattern of devel- (FTZ) designations. ence with I-96.
opment has added a distinctive 19th
Century character to parts of the water- From the public's standpoint, large A key benefit to a central port at this
front, it has also perpetuated a land use tracts of formerly inaccessible water- location is the reduction in truck traffic
pattern destructive of the environment front lands would be opened up for
and of the public's enjoyment of the more optimal uses such as housing and
lake. Worse still, the negative external- recreation. Truck traffic, and the wear
ities associated with port operations and tear it causes to local roads, would
(i.e. dust, noise, truck and train traffic), be more effectively contained to more
routinely spill over into residential sec- compatible areas away from high con-
tions of the City. centrations of housing. In short, the
Waterfront Redevelopment Sub-Plan 40
This page: Conceptual planning for
port facilities on Muskegon Lake. Ship-
ping operations should have good ac-
cess to the regional transportation net-
work, and incorporate public viewing
areas wherever possible. Aggregate
storage and warehousing should be
limited to the northern edge of the site.
Waterfront Redevelopment Sub-Plan 41
n downtown and along other sections of sediment. At the very least, special backgrounds. The presence of commer-
the lake. Trucks could quickly and eas- measures would have to be imple- cial vessels both animates and adds
ily access the port and circumvent mented to move the materials to a character to many urban waterfronts.
downtown altogether. Greatly reduced Class II
would be the heavy truck traffic along disposal Although
Muskegon and Webster Avenues. site. port facili-
ties have
Consideration however, would have to historically
be given to the amount of dredging re- been
quired to accommodate large ships at treated as
this location. The existing slips are not forbidden
currently wide enough to fit two ships wastelands,
side by side and at some point the slips many ports
may have to be widened and/or deep- have re-
ened. Given the present restrictions on cently at-
dredg- tempted to
ing soften their
activi- appearance
ties in Observation by developing public observation decks
Mus- Areas and piers. It is therefore important ,as
kegon with all other sections of shoreline, that
Lake The call for greater the future development of any port fa-
(due to public access to the cilities in Muskegon include adequate
sedi- lake (made else- public access and viewing areas.
ment where in this sub-
con- plan) applies Funding Sources
tamina equally to any pro-
tion), a posed port opera- Possible funding sources include: pri-
tions. It is widely vate capital investments, TEA-21
mitigation plan may have to be coordi- acknowledged that the watching of transportation grants, and the creation
nated with the DEQ and/or EPA to ef- ships and shipping operations have of a port authority entity with full
fectuate the necessary improvements, long provided a source of genuine en- bonding and condemnation powers.
including disposal of the hazardous tertainment for people of all ages and
Waterfront Redevelopment Sub-Plan 42
Port facilities should be visually accessible, and incorporate the public realm. *Drawing by Collette Klukos.
Facing page: Playground in Vancouver, B.C., with port facilities as a backdrop (top). As in Muskegon, a passing ship proves to be
an "event" on the Duluth, MN waterfront (bottom).
* Source: Waterfronts: Cities Reclaim Their Edge", Breen & Rigby.
Waterfront Redevelopment Sub-Plan 43
D. Natural Habitat/ Mixed used to accommodate a relocated Fish- facilities at the new location. While
Recreation Areas - erman's Landing. Of these, the river- pleasure craft do not require the same
mouth site just north of present day fa- water depths as larger commercial
(Muskegon River) cility (owned by CMS Energy) perhaps ships, they do need water depths in the
offers the most possibilities. At this lo- 8-12 foot range to accommodate larger
An added benefit of port facilities at the cation, it would serve as a better recreational vessels.
location suggested above, is the ab- neighbor to the presently isolated Rich-
sence of major land use conflicts ard's Park A potential problem
nearby. Presently both Fisherman's immedi- of a location near the
Landing and Richards park tenuously ately to Muskegon River, is
coexist with the scattered industrial ac- the east river-mouth sedi-
tivity surrounding them. Their awk- (and the mentation and the
wardness is exacerbated more by their latter to need for regular re-
isolation and poor access than by any it). The dredging. Therefore
conflicts posed by nearby salvage and connec- the boat launch itself
barge operations. (In fact in many tion of the may need to front on
cases, clean port operations have two parks the lake rather than
proven to be better neighbors to recrea- would the river unless a
tion and wildlife areas than other uses serve both maintenance plan is
which attract more human activity.) the inter- implemented, and
ests of monies budgeted, to
To make a port project work at the pro- recreational boaters, campers, nature address this recurrent problem.
posed location (present day Fisher- enthusiasts and wildlife itself by join-
man's Landing) requires the relocation ing together two highly compatible Regardless of its ultimate location, it is
of the existing boat launch and camping land uses. This arrangement would also important that Fisherman's Landing,
facilities in order to take better advan- provide for frontage on two separate along with all other waterfront recrea-
tage of the existing deep water berths. water bodies which would make it a tion facilities, be strongly tied into the
Such a project promises to be both popular location among fisherman and Lakeshore Trail project. Furthermore,
costly and time consuming. nature enthusiasts alike. care should be taken to limit the dis-
ruption of natural habitat at the new
Notwithstanding potential problems A particular area of concern surround- local
associated with acquisition, a number ing the relocation of Fisherman's Land-
of sites along Muskegon Lake could be ing, is the adequacy of boat launching
Waterfront Redevelopment Sub-Plan 44
Left: Relocated Fisherman's Landing linked to
Richard's Park via the Muskegon River and na-
ture trail (below).
Right: Conceptual rendering of the
south branch of the Muskegon
River with elevated boardwalk to
Fisherman's Landing. In this
scene, the river is conceived as the
spine of a linear park containing
both active and passive recrea-
tional uses. *Drawing by Colette
Klukos.
Opposite page: The Muskegon
River at Richard's Park.
Waterfront Redevelopment Sub-Plan 45
tion, as in all lakefront redevelopment Public Participation
projects. Finally, passive recreational Conclusion
areas and wetlands would be greatly As a sub-plan building on the ideas put
enhanced with interpretive nature trails The Future forth in the City's Master Plan adopted
and boardwalks. in 1997, the public participation com-
The plan outlined above is designed to ponent of this document can be traced
Funding Sources serve as the conceptual framework for directly back to the numerous surveys,
projects which may or may not ulti- interviews and questionnaires com-
Because Fisherman's Landing was de- mately resemble those presented in this pleted as part of the Master Planning
veloped using Federal grant monies, document. This is due to the knowledge process. It should be noted that the City
any relocation of the facility would that absent a port authority or other su- of Muskegon won the Michigan Soci-
have to take place pursuant to a cum- preme planning body, development ac- ety of Planning Officials (MSPO)
bersome and lengthy land conversion tivities will be carried out individually award for the public participation com-
process. Under this process, the exist- by private property owners. While ef- ponent of its Master Land Use Plan in
ing site could not be sold until a new, forts to involve individual property 1998.
comparable site was secured. In addi- owners in the planning process proved,
tion, an alternative funding source in most instances, to be effective, these The planning process resulting in this
would have to be used to rebuild the individuals may not always agree on