Ox Creek revitalization project takes a big step forward

In the flow toward new life for the Ox Creek corridor in and around Benton Harbor, the current is picking up.

Demolition getting underway at a contaminated industrial site marks the latest milestone in the community-driven Ox Creek Corridor Restoration and Revitalization project.

The Michigan State Land Bank Authority (SLBA) has committed up to $2.6 million in Blight Elimination Program funding through the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity (LEO) to support demolition and cleanup at the former Modern Plastics site, transforming the property into a catalyst for redevelopment and economic opportunity.

Ox Creek flows into the Paw Paw and St. Joseph rivers before emptying into Lake Michigan. One of the most urbanized portions of the St. Joseph River Watershed, the creek links residents in the city and neighboring Benton Charter Township with history, social connections, and the natural environment. But it has suffered from excessive dumping of trash, nonpoint source pollution, and other contamination and neglect.

Benton Harbor City Manager Alex Little launched the Ox Creek project in 2021 under the direction of the City Commission and with support from the University of Michigan (UM); the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE); the Southwest Michigan Planning Commission (SWMPC); and others.

Since 2022, more than $11.4 million in grant funding has been secured to advance the city’s vision for a vibrant, healthy Ox Creek corridor with biking/walking trails and bridges, commercial development, housing opportunities, and more. The project aims to:

• Restore habitat and increase resilience.
• Improve water quality and manage water quantity.
• Create economic redevelopment opportunities that align with ecological goals.
• Create and revitalize places to enjoy, explore, play, and gather.
• Create an interconnected system of pedestrian trails, parks, and amenities.
• Clean up and stop illegal dumping, littering, and other debris.
• Build community capacity and stewardship.

Partners in the Ox Creek Collaborative Partnership include the City of Benton Harbor and Benton Charter Township, EGLE’s Office of the Great Lakes, the SWMPC, the Berrien County Drain Commission, Abonmarche Consultants, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA); and UM.

In June 2024, the City hired Dane Rasmussen as waterfront restoration and revitalization project manager and community engagement/outreach specialist to focus on the project. The position is funded for three years through a NOAA grant.

“Water is at the heart of where and how we live as a community and interact with nature,” Rasmussen said. “Developing an inviting pedestrian corridor along this waterway through the center of the city and into Benton Charter Township will create new opportunities for enrichment.”

Plans and work continue for funded projects:

• A habitat restoration plan has been completed for the creek from Highland to Napier avenues.
• Implementing planning and design for a pilot stream restoration project from Highland Avenue at Hall Park to Britain Avenue.
• Constructing a bioswale (a vegetated channel to slow the flow of stormwater) and rain garden at Hall Park that will manage flooding and improve water quality along with creating a new parking area along Highland Avenue.
• Construction of a green stormwater project in the Benton Charter Township retail area that will complement a massive bioswale built upstream in the Meijer parking lot near I-94 in 2023.

In July 2024, the Ox Creek Summit saw the unveiling of the draft Ox Creek Framework Strategic Implementation Plan and generated community and stakeholder input and opportunities to join the movement. The finalized plan will incorporate community input.

The City received a Community Center and Neighborhood Initiative Grant from LEO and an Environmental Justice Impact Grant from EGLE for capital improvements to the Bobo Brazil Community Center across from Hall Park, with repairs beginning this year.

The City also was awarded a $1.03 million Marine Debris Removal grant for Fiscal Year 2024 through NOAA under the federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to remove large trash items and prevent illegal dumping. This project builds on volunteer stream cleanup efforts.

The Modern Plastics site is a long-standing eyesore across from the Harbor Shores golf development along the creek corridor on the city’s north side.

Before closing in 2008, Modern Plastics manufactured plastic components for the automotive industry and other companies. Polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) contamination on the property is considered a significant environmental concern. The property is under the control of the Berrien County Treasurer following a decade of litigation resulting in foreclosure.

A 2009 inspection found leaking PCB-labeled transformers, stained floors from oily substances, and asbestos-containing materials throughout the building. Based on the inspection, the EPA conducted an immediate removal action to address the PCB-related hazards at the site.

EGLE continues to lead environmental oversight of Ox Creek’s revitalization and will evaluate cleanup options for the property once the blighted structure is safely removed.

The demolition is expected to cost about $2 million. Next steps will include addressing contamination to protect creek water quality and create redevelopment opportunities at the site.

“This project marks another step forward in improving environmental safety and protecting public health for communities across the state,” said EGLE Director Phil Roos. “We are proud to collaborate with the State Land Bank, local government, and nonprofit partners to not only mitigate decades of contamination but also restore this space for future job creation and public benefit.”

Benton Harbor seeks additional funding and partnerships to realize its restoration vision for healthy habitats and a revitalized community.

Adapted from an article by Dane Rasmussen in the 2024 Michigan State of the Great Lakes Report.