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| Soccer Complex at Cooper; Livonia Observer | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: Jul 22 2009, 11:10 AM (10,433 Views) | |
| Administrator | Aug 23 2009, 02:05 AM Post #41 |
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New DEQ grant appears likely for Cooper siteBY DARRELL CLEM STAFF WRITER A project to redevelop the contaminated Cooper School site will likely receive another $1 million state grant, boosting the total in state aid to $3 million, a Lansing legislator said Monday. The announcement by state Rep. Glenn Anderson, D-Westland, came during a Westland City Council meeting and received a chilly response from Mayor Sandra Cicirelli. Cicirelli responded to Anderson's remarks by saying that city officials had been asked by state officials not to announce the possible grant until it became a certainty. "But we're pleased," she said. The latest $1 million Clean Michigan Initiative grant would be given to Livonia Public Schools by the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality, Anderson said. Cicirelli said that she, Livonia school Superintendent Randy Liepa and project consultant Jack Kirksey -- former Livonia mayor -- have been to Lansing on several occasions to lobby for additional state money. Cooper School, on Ann Arbor Trail east of Middlebelt, was closed by Livonia school officials in 1991 amid a contamination scare and concern for students. The school was built on a former landfill. A group of developers has received a rezoning and preliminary plan to redevelop the 37-acre site. The plan calls for hauling old soil to a landfill, building four single-story medical office buildings and, in a later phase, constructing a senior housing complex. On Monday, Anderson described MDEQ as being on the verge of approving another $1 million grant to help with the project. He said the latest announcement should be formally made within a week or two. Grant money has been viewed as critical to making the project affordable. The school was demolished last year after developers raised new hopes that the site will be readied for redevelopment. Developers still have some hurdles to clear, such as receiving final site plan approval from the city. However, most city leaders have been enthusiastic about redeveloping the site and generating new tax revenues. Originally published October 19, 2006 |
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| Administrator | Aug 23 2009, 02:19 AM Post #42 |
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http://www.hometownlife.com/apps/pbcs.dll/.../605210455/1027 Council OKs Cooper rezoning BY DARRELL CLEM STAFF WRITER In a vote that ended a 15-year stalemate, the Westland City Council has approved a rezoning and preliminary plan to redevelop the contaminated Cooper School site. "I think this is the first time we've gotten this far," Mayor Sandra Cicirelli said Thursday, three days after the council cast its long-awaited votes. "I think this is really a milestone for the site." Other critical steps remain before developers will move ahead with building four medical office buildings and senior citizen housing on the site, on Ann Arbor Trail east of Middlebelt. For one, plans to haul away 45,000 cubic yards of soil to a landfill will require further review by state officials. But, developers hope to get the work done while students are on summer break at the newer Cooper School, on the north side of Ann Arbor Trail. On Monday, the seven-member City Council voted unanimously to rezone the 37-acre site from townhouse residential to a planned unit development. Essentially, that clears a hurdle allowing developers to build four single-story, 12,350-square-foot medical office buildings and a four-story, 136-unit independent living facility for seniors. The council also supported a separate preliminary plan for redeveloping the Livonia Public Schools property, which was fenced off in 1991 amid concerns for student safety. "This is definitely significant," Cicirelli said. "It's the culmination of many years and a lot of hard work." Some viewed the council's votes as particularly significant because they were unanimous, drawing support from longtime Cooper site watchdog and Councilwoman Cheryl Graunstadt. "This is a really important vote for me," she said. "It's not just about developing something that was a thorn in our side." Graunstadt commended developers for revising earlier plans and making them more palatable, although she cautioned that she will continue to carefully weigh each step in the process before giving her support. Developer Frank Jonna indicated that, barring any unknown obstacles, the first phase of redevelopment would include two medical office buildings near Ann Arbor Trail. The second phase would center on two other medical buildings behind those, and the final phase would include the senior housing complex even further back from Ann Arbor Trail. Jonna conceded that market conditions will dictate how quickly the overall project can be finished. dclem@hometownlife.com | (734) 953-2110 |
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| Administrator | Aug 23 2009, 02:43 AM Post #43 |
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Communication with Parents in the Cooper Triad April 6, 2006 Cooper Environmental Meeting As part of the District Transition Team’s (DTT) commitment to providing information to the LPS community, a group of DTT members held a focus group meeting with Paul Owens from the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ), Robert Gorman from NTH Consultants and developers Frank Jonna and David Nona, to gather information about the environmental history of the current and former Cooper sites. DTT members listened to the information presented and asked questions, many of which were submitted ahead of time from other parents and staff. The information that was discussed at the focus group was so comprehensive, the DTT felt that the whole meeting should be shared, unedited, on the LPS cable channel in May. Below is the schedule for airing the meeting: Thursday, May 11 8:00 p.m. Saturday, May 13 9:30 a.m. Tuesday, May 16 8:00 p.m. Sunday, May 21 7:00 p.m. The DTT also wanted to provide a written summary of the meeting. Included in this mailing is a review of the environmental history of both the Current and Former Cooper Elementary schools, and Question and Answer handout that came out of the April 6 meeting. Current Cooper Elementary School Students have been attending the current Cooper Elementary School since 1991. The current school was formerly Whittier Junior High School, which was renamed the New Cooper School when students were relocated there due to environmental concerns at their school across the street. The current Cooper Elementary school was never part of the landfill across the street. The site has been tested and doesn’t have any environmental problems. Former Cooper Elementary School The former Cooper school was located directly south of the current Cooper school until it was demolished late last year. Environmental concerns resulted in the closing of the former Cooper because the site had been a municipal landfill prior to the school’s construction in 1966. The district has looked to safely redevelop the site since 1997 to bring it back to a positive use. Currently, the hope is to have the site developed into medical office space, possibly senior living and open park space. The environmental testing continues on this site in order to ensure a safe use of the former Cooper site in redevelopment. This testing has been very thorough and is monitored by the MDEQ. To date, the field investigation has not collected one sample on site that could be classified as a hazardous waste based on the results of laboratory tests. Attached is a list of questions and answers about the Old Cooper site that the DTT representatives prepared from the April 6 meeting. Conclusion The District Transition Team is committed to accurate information being given to the families and residents in the Cooper triad. For further questions, contact your DTT representative or email transition@livonia.k12.mi.us. http://s14.zetaboards.com/Hull_Neighbors_Net/search/2/?c=1&q=cooper school |
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| Administrator | Aug 23 2009, 02:46 AM Post #44 |
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Developers drop driving range from Cooper School plan BY DARRELL CLEM STAFF WRITER Plans to redevelop the old Cooper School property have been revised yet again, but officials are hopeful that cleanup efforts will be done this summer on the former landfill site. And, in what would be a milestone, the Westland City Council could vote as early as June to approve a preliminary site plan allowing developers to move forward. "We've made a lot of progress, and we're ready to get moving on this," Westland Mayor Sandra Cicirelli said Monday. Her remarks came during a 90-minute meeting with council members, developers, environmental consultants and Cooper area residents. The latest plan calls for four single-story, 12,350-square-foot medical office buildings and a four-floor, 136-unit, independent living facility for senior citizens. Developers have dropped plans for a golf driving range on the 37-acre site. Cooper School, on Ann Arbor Trail east of Middlebelt, opened in 1965 by Livonia Public Schools but was closed and fenced off in 1991 amid concerns for student safety. The building was demolished last July. New environmental tests have found municipal-type waste and related methane gas, but nothing that officials believe would pose any health risks or block redevelopment efforts. Even so, Councilwoman Cheryl Graunstadt, whose children attended Cooper School, indicated concerns Monday over the finding of methane. "Now, to hear that there's methane concerns me because my kids were there," she said. In another development, the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality has told developers that they will have to remove waste from the site where buildings will be constructed. Earlier plans called for redistributing the contaminated soil, leaving it on the property and capping it. Officials hope to remove the soil this summer and haul it to a landfill while school is not in session at the nearby, newer Cooper School, said Jack Kirksey, former Livonia mayor and a project consultant hired by Livonia Public Schools. Fresh soil will be brought in. The latest requirements by MDEQ will result in higher cleanup costs. The state already had approved a $1.3 million grant for the school district and a $1 million loan for the city of Westland. Now, with cleanup costs potentially reaching the $3 million mark, local officials have asked MDEQ to provide an additional $700,000. Cicirelli indicated that she is "pretty confident" that the money will be approved. Some nearby residents welcomed news that old municipal waste will be hauled away. "Removing it to a landfill -- that's good news to me," resident Ruth Dale said. Moreover, developers would leave in place a monitoring system, including underground pipes, to keep any potential methane from getting into buildings. As a precaution, the buildings would be equipped with alarm systems to warn against any dangerous levels of methane. One of the developers, David Nona, indicated that officials hope to start construction in spring of next year. The project would start with two medical office buildings off of Ann Arbor Trail. Two similar facilities would be built during a second phase, and the senior housing during a third phase. In all, the project would take several years to complete. The Westland City Council is expected to schedule a public hearing on June 5 to hear comments from citizens. That would be followed on June 19 by the vote on a preliminary site plan. dclem@hometownlife.com | (734) 953-2110 Originally published April 27, 2006 Posted May 2 2006, 01:13 AM in Livonia Neighbors Forum OLD |
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| Administrator | Aug 23 2009, 02:49 AM Post #45 |
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Progress continues on Cooper school site Meghan Chatham Staff Writer Developers hope to begin construction on the former Cooper School site on Ann Arbor Trail this summer. Westland City Council members met Monday evening for a study session regarding the status of the site redevelopment. Cooper Elementary School, which had been built by the Livonia Public Schools in 1965 on the site of a former landfill, was closed in 1991 because of concerns about soil contamination. For more than a decade, the building remained vacant and boarded up. Both Westland and Livonia officials wanted the building demolished and the land redeveloped, but in order to make that happen, the property had to be made safe for use. “What held up things for a great deal of time—in terms of doing the remediation—was the fact that we did not have funding to take the old building down with its contents and we did not have funding to do the environmental cleanup,” said former Livonia Mayor Jack Kirksey who represented the Livonia schools at the study session. That problem was solved when the Livonia Public Schools received a $1.3 million dollar grant and the City of Westland a $1 million revolving loan from the State of Michigan to help pay for the rehabilitation of the area. In 2000, developers from the Jonna Group entered into a purchase agreement for the property pending approval from the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ), approval by the City of Westland, and remediation funding for the site. Since then, the site has undergone extensive environmental testing and the building was finally razed last summer. Ron Jona, architect for the project, unveiled the proposed plans for the site. The site envisioned calls for four single-story medical buildings expected to measure 12,350 square feet each as well as a four-story independent living facility. The plan also includes plans for two retention ponds and on-site green space. “We will be needing approximately $1.2 million—that’s $200,000 over the initial loan that was approved for Westland,” said Kirksey. Costs increased after the Michigan Department of Economic Development recently revised their guidelines. Although the original plan was to relocate and cover the waste from the landfill on-site, the new plan calls for the waste to be removed to a landfill. Westland Mayor Sandra Cicirelli added that the city is pursuing additional grants and loans to offset the heightened costs—the funds wouldn’t be come from the city general fund. The Livonia Public Schools would contribute the final $200,000 of the $1.4 million project. If plans for the project are ultimately approved, construction on the premises will be staggered. The two medical facilities along Ann Arbor Trail would be erected first while the construction of two more medical facilities directly behind the first two would make up the second phase of the project. The independent living center would be the final building added. Kirksey added that the group hopes to begin construction this summer. “We’ve made a lot of progress and we’re ready to get started on this,” said Cicirelli. Original plans also called for a golf driving range adjacent to the new construction, but that plan has been eliminated because the vegetation is no longer expected to be removed for waste relocation. Instead, the western edge of the site—about 40 percent of the total property—is expected to remain undeveloped as a sort of nature preserve. The waste in the area will be capped to meet MDEQ requirements. The Jonna Group, Cicirelli said, has also agreed to provide a letter of credit so that if something should happen to derail the project, the city will not have to absorb the loan payment costs. The project was expected to go before the Brownfield Redevelopment Authority yesterday for possible approval. Results of that meeting were not available at press time. The proposed plans are still open to change, as the site development must still undergo the usual examinations and possible alterations by the Westland Planning Commission and the Westland City Council. |
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| Administrator | Aug 23 2009, 02:50 AM Post #46 |
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Developers drop driving range from Cooper School plan BY DARRELL CLEM STAFF WRITER Plans to redevelop the old Cooper School property have been revised yet again, but officials are hopeful that cleanup efforts will be done this summer on the former landfill site. And, in what would be a milestone, the Westland City Council could vote as early as June to approve a preliminary site plan allowing developers to move forward. "We've made a lot of progress, and we're ready to get moving on this," Westland Mayor Sandra Cicirelli said Monday. Her remarks came during a 90-minute meeting with council members, developers, environmental consultants and Cooper area residents. The latest plan calls for four single-story, 12,350-square-foot medical office buildings and a four-floor, 136-unit, independent living facility for senior citizens. Developers have dropped plans for a golf driving range on the 37-acre site. Cooper School, on Ann Arbor Trail east of Middlebelt, opened in 1965 by Livonia Public Schools but was closed and fenced off in 1991 amid concerns for student safety. The building was demolished last July. New environmental tests have found municipal-type waste and related methane gas, but nothing that officials believe would pose any health risks or block redevelopment efforts. Even so, Councilwoman Cheryl Graunstadt, whose children attended Cooper School, indicated concerns Monday over the finding of methane. "Now, to hear that there's methane concerns me because my kids were there," she said. In another development, the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality has told developers that they will have to remove waste from the site where buildings will be constructed. Earlier plans called for redistributing the contaminated soil, leaving it on the property and capping it. Officials hope to remove the soil this summer and haul it to a landfill while school is not in session at the nearby, newer Cooper School, said Jack Kirksey, former Livonia mayor and a project consultant hired by Livonia Public Schools. Fresh soil will be brought in. The latest requirements by MDEQ will result in higher cleanup costs. The state already had approved a $1.3 million grant for the school district and a $1 million loan for the city of Westland. Now, with cleanup costs potentially reaching the $3 million mark, local officials have asked MDEQ to provide an additional $700,000. Cicirelli indicated that she is "pretty confident" that the money will be approved. Some nearby residents welcomed news that old municipal waste will be hauled away. "Removing it to a landfill -- that's good news to me," resident Ruth Dale said. Moreover, developers would leave in place a monitoring system, including underground pipes, to keep any potential methane from getting into buildings. As a precaution, the buildings would be equipped with alarm systems to warn against any dangerous levels of methane. One of the developers, David Nona, indicated that officials hope to start construction in spring of next year. The project would start with two medical office buildings off of Ann Arbor Trail. Two similar facilities would be built during a second phase, and the senior housing during a third phase. In all, the project would take several years to complete. The Westland City Council is expected to schedule a public hearing on June 5 to hear comments from citizens. That would be followed on June 19 by the vote on a preliminary site plan. dclem@hometownlife.com | (734) 953-2110 Originally published April 27, 2006 |
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| Administrator | Aug 23 2009, 02:51 AM Post #47 |
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Council waits for update on Cooper School BY DARRELL CLEM STAFF WRITER Ten months after work crews demolished the old Cooper Elementary School in Westland, a company planning to redevelop the site hasn't started any new construction. But officials for Jonna Cos. will report on the project's status during a meeting at 6 p.m. Monday with elected officials at Westland City Hall, on Ford Road east of Newburgh. Jonna hopes to build a senior citizen apartment complex, a medical office building and a golf driving range on the old Cooper site -- a former landfill fenced off in 1991 after investigators found contaminants. Company President Frank Jonna couldn't be reached for comment last week. Council President William Wild said local officials have received few details about Monday's meeting, although he expects a progress report. Since the former school was torn down last July on Ann Arbor Trail east of Middlebelt, Councilwoman Cheryl Graunstadt said additional soil testing has been done. "I still have a lot of questions myself," she said Thursday. "I want to know what they're finding and how they are determining how they'll deal with what they're finding." Graunstadt was an original member of a citizens group that raised public awareness about environmental concerns that shut down the school 15 years ago. The group was called CHECK, or Concerned for the Health and Environment of our Community's Kids. Graunstadt is hoping to receive some answers during Monday's meeting, which is open to the public. The latest soil tests are expected to help Jonna determine how to proceed with preparing the site for redevelopment. Even last July, when the school was razed, officials said they couldn't predict when any new construction would begin. dclem@hometownlife.com | (734) 953-2110 Originally published April 23, 2006 |
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| Administrator | Aug 23 2009, 02:54 AM Post #48 |
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Old Cooper School Site Update Old Cooper Elementary School was built in 1965. In the early 1990's, the school closed due to environmental concerns with the school site, which was formally a landfill. To insure the safety of the students, they were transferred to a former junior high school (Whittier) located directly across the street from the old Cooper school on Ann Arbor Trail. The vacated building remains closed. Livonia Public Schools continued to seek to rehabilitate the site and put it to good use. In 2000, a purchase agreement was entered into with Jonna Co. for the sale of the property contingent on approval from the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ), approval from the City of Westland, and remediation funding. Subsequently, a $1.3 million grant was secured from the State to clean up the site. The City of Westland, the Livonia Public Schools, the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality, and the developers are working together to put a multi-use land development plan in place. Visit the links below to see what the progress is and what the planning stages are for the redevelopment of the Old Cooper School site. For more information, call the hotline number at 734-744-2500, ext. 42118. If you to to http://www.livonia.k12.mi.us/ and click on Old Cooper School Siteyou can then click on New! - Work Plan to get more information. |
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| Administrator | Aug 23 2009, 02:58 AM Post #49 |
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Velvet S. McNeil / The Detroit News Sixth-graders Allyson Dominquez, Ann Marie Rufini, Mikaela Warren and Kaitlynn Riley walk home from Cooper Elementary across the street from the old Cooper School site. Parents are raising concerns about the cleanup at the old Cooper site. Contamination worries surface as Livonia's school fight builds Parents ask if students who this fall will attend 'new' Cooper School near razed site will be safe. Catherine Jun / The Detroit News LIVONIA -- More than a decade ago, parents in gas masks picketed in front of the old Cooper School on Ann Arbor Trail over contamination found in the soil. The school, in Westland and part of the Livonia school district, was built over a landfill. The site has since been tested and the building came down. Medical offices and housing for seniors will likely be built on the cleaned-up land. But the old fear of contamination is rearing its head again, as parents, upset about a controversial plan to reorganize Livonia Public Schools, are asking whether the 900 students headed this fall to the "new" Cooper Elementary School, across the street from the old site, will be safe. Parents have filed a lawsuit seeking to halt the district's plan to close seven elementary schools and reorganizing some of the schools, including Cooper, into large fifth- and sixth- grade buildings. They are turning over testing data on the old Cooper school in advance of a Friday court hearing that could halt the reorganization, at least temporarily, while a judge considers a legal challenge to the plan. Fifteen years ago, soil sampling at the new Cooper Elementary -- then Whittier Junior High -- found no health hazards there. But the debate over district reorganization has heightened parents' concerns about their children and revived fears of the building's safety. "I would prefer to see some factual data that says that it is safe," said Loraine Campau, 43, whose daughter, a fourth-grader at Adams, is supposed to attend Cooper next year under the district's plan. Campau said she is not assuaged by the fact that there are more than 300 students at the school now. The district is now mounting a public relations effort to assure people like Campau that there is no need for concern. Within weeks, it will send letters to all the homes with students headed for Cooper to explain why the school is safe and to assure them that care will be used when disturbing soil for cleanup and construction at the old site. "There really is no basis to be apprehensive about what will occur there," said former Livonia Mayor Jack Kirksey, who has been leading the redevelopment project. He said that air quality testing at the site and in front of the Cooper building during last summer's demolition detected nothing hazardous. A private consulting group, monitored by the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality, will complete the latest environmental testing of the site this spring. Then remediation will begin, and construction will likely start in 2007, Kirksey said. The state will oversee every step of the process, he added. State grant money and a redevelopment loan totaling $2.38 million are funding the demolition and cleanup costs. The old Cooper School was built in the late 1960s on a landfill that was operated by the city of Detroit until the 1950s, when it was closed and topped with a layer of clay. The school closed in 1991 after soil tests found dangerous contaminants, including cadmium and mercury, buried under the property. The building was closed and some students were sent to a closed junior high school across the street. The school has since been renamed Cooper, while the original Cooper site remains fenced. Ruth Pianga, who has lived near the school for a decade, doesn't understand the latest fuss. She has believed for years that her three children attending the school were in no danger. "Sometimes, people act like we're sending our kids to that (former landfill) site," Pianga said. Several parents who oppose the reorganization, however, are asking the district to test the air inside Cooper School before sending an additional 600 students there this fall. Kirksey said soil sampling 15 years ago showed no need, but he will bring up the issue with Superintendent Randy Liepa. You can reach Catherine Jun at (734) 462-2204 or cjun@detnews.com. ________________________________ http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/artic...26/1006/METRO01 |
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| Administrator | Aug 23 2009, 02:59 AM Post #50 |
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From District Transition Update 2-8-06: Cooper School Environmental Information Many staff and parents have asked about any potential environmental issues at the proposed 5-6 school to be housed at the existing Cooper School. As background, the elementary school across the street was closed in 1991 because of concerns that it was built on a former landfill. That property is currently in the process of being redeveloped back into a positive use through the efforts of the school district, City of Westland, the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality and a developer. The current Cooper school was also studied closely by environmental experts in 1991. It was determined that not only was it built on clean ground, but soil testing on the site confirmed that it was environmentally safe. At that time, the district decided to use the school after the old school was closed. It has been used safely ever since. Environmental companies and the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality must monitor any work that may occur on the old site across the street. Their responsibility is to assure that the school and all neighbors who live next to the site will be safe at all times. Safety of students and staff is our highest priority and we are sure the environment at the school will be great for all involved, as it has been for many years. We will share more detailed information with our new parents at Cooper as we move forward. |
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| Administrator | Aug 23 2009, 03:05 AM Post #51 |
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SCHOOL CONTAMINANT REPORT DUE SOON An enviromental consulting group is expected to soon reveal what if found at the former Cooper School site on Ann Arbor Trail, said Mayor Sandra Cicirelli. NTH Consultants hired by LPS, has been measuring the level of contaminants at the sire to determine what should be done to clean it up: the Michigan Department of Enviromental Quality has been overseeing the process. The school building was erected in the late 1960's for Livonia and Westland students and closed in 1991 after contaminants were found in the soil. The building was razed in July. Posted Jan 6 2006, 09:24 PM in Livonia Neighbors Forum OLD |
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| Administrator | Aug 23 2009, 03:05 AM Post #52 |
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Thursday, April 8, 2004 Morris Richardson II / The Detroit News Westland City Councilwoman Cheryl Graunstadt worries about the safety of residents because of the contaminated soil at the old Cooper School, which was built on a landfill. Contaminated school's future remains unclear Livonia district pushes for cleanup funds By Shanteé Woodards / The Detroit News Morris Richardson II / The Detroit News "We don't know 100 percent what's at Cooper. It's an old, historic site, and from what we're told, there weren't a lot of records kept in those days," Graunstadt says. LIVONIA — The future of the vacant school building on Ann Arbor Trail remains uncertain, 13 years after contaminated soil was discovered on the site. Once known as the Cooper School, officials in Livonia and Westland are eager for the site’s redevelopment. Livonia Public Schools, which owns the Westland property, has been unable to secure state funding for its cleanup. A Southfield-based developer is interested in building on the 37-acre site, but nothing can be done until state officials declare it safe. District administrators are hoping their latest push for brownfield redevelopment funding will move the project forward. Brownfields are properties that can be reused once hazardous substances are removed. Since the school closed in 1991, the site has remained fenced in and students were transferred to other schools. The district estimates it needs at least $1 million to clean up the land. Right now, the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality is reviewing the applications. “The project had slowed down significantly because funding at the state level dried up for potential remediation,” Livonia Superintendent Randy Liepa said. “It’s just been slow, and that’s the way it has been for eight years — on and off again. The biggest issue has been getting over the funding hurdles ... to make sure it meets (Michigan Department of Environmental Quality) standards.” Still, that hasn’t eased residents’ concerns about living near a site that has high levels of mercury and cadmium, a natural element in the Earth’s crust. Breathing high levels of cadmium can damage the lungs and cause death. “If they’re going to do something (with the property), they better do it fast,” said Westland resident Charise McCullough, who attended grade school at Cooper. “It’s all fenced off ... it looks like hell. They’ve got to tear it down or do something.” The school was built on a landfill that was operated by the city of Detroit until the 1950s, which is when it was closed and capped with a layer of clay. The school opened in 1966. In 1991, a woman walking her dog reported finding a substance leaking from the sealed landfill into a local waterway. Soil tests showed that along with common household waste, the landfill contained toxins such as mercury and cadmium. Contaminants were found in school carpeting that had been tracked into the school by students. Parents reported finding syringes and medical waste in the playground soil. Administrators immediately closed the building and sent some students to a closed junior high school across the street. The school has since been renamed Cooper, while the original Cooper remains fenced in without signage. In 2002, Jonna Co. proposed building about 200 condominiums there, each selling for about $160,000. A golf range was planned for the other half of the property. Plans have since changed, and the developer is examining different options for the land, including a portion that would include recreation, Liepa said. In Metro Detroit, environmentally unsafe properties are being converted into viable sites for homes and businesses in Detroit, Monroe and Plymouth Township. The drawback to reviving an old toxic landfill is public perception, according to developers, city officials and residents. Westland City Councilwoman Cheryl Graunstadt had been critical of the condominium plan or any type of housing. She had worried about the safety of the residents because of the contaminated soil. Graunstadt sent her two daughters to the school and wasn’t aware that a landfill was there until there were complaints about landfill debris. “What I want to see is it cleaned up, and that’s the main thing I want,” Graunstadt said. “We don’t know 100 percent what’s at Cooper. It’s an old, historic site, and from what we’re told, there weren’t a lot of records kept in those days.” Graunstadt compared Cooper’s situation to the Beard School in southwest Detroit, which was built on land contaminated with lead, arsenic and other pollutants. A group of parents sued to keep the building from opening, but a federal judge overruled them. The only viable option for the site would be a storage facility or some other option that didn’t involve people living there, she said. “The tests that were done there I don’t feel were adequate,” Graunstadt said. “They backed off once the children were removed.” You can reach Shanteé Woodards at (734) 462-2204 orswoodards@detnews.com. Posted Dec 8 2005, 12:42 PM in Livonia Neighbors Forum OLD http://s14.zetaboards.com/Hull_Neighbors_Net/topic/357363/1/ |
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| Administrator | Aug 23 2009, 03:42 AM Post #53 |
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April 6, 2006 Cooper Environmental meeting: A follow up by Bill Williamson, Roosevelt DTT member I was given a couple dozen questions to get answers for at the Cooper meeting held on April 6th. I am not an air quality expert but am providing this information as best I understand it. How long did this site operate as a dump? The site was used as a dump from 1946 to 1952 for municipal waste. Who owned the site while it operated as a dump site? The city of Detroit owned the property and utilized it as a garbage dump. Who owns and is responsible for the property now? LPS Are there records for and what do records show, as to exactly what is buried at the site? There are some basic records that the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) found on file with the city of Detroit. At the time this site operated as a dump, there were not many requirements for dumps to record activity. The MDEC did locate some aerial photos of the site. One from 1947 ish shows the areas cleared for and used as dump zones. A second photo from 1967 showed the location of the old Cooper building. We recommended that LPS post these photos onto their web site. Testing at the site, past and present, indicate high lead and arsenic levels as well as pockets of built up methane. There were no V.O.C. present. I believe these are gases. Besides the present clay cap, what else, if anything, does the design of this site include in terms of protection. ie is it lined in any way? This site has a substantial natural clay base which is typical of this part of town. The MDEQ contends that this natural clay base provides a great natural liner. This strata of clay has also maintained the natural water shed into the Rouge flood plain. Where was soil moved to from when Old Cooper was built? Old Cooper was built in 1966. The earth cleared for the building and parking needs was placed along the south side of Hines drive and is still presently being used as a sled hill. Has any “leaking” been detected in the past? Yes, in the 80’s materials were being brought up from the ground by, believe it or not, ground hogs. Test holes were dug and testing was done. It was then that materials containing lead and arsenic were discovered as well as pockets of methane. Present day landfills utilize a network of corrugated drain tiles to allow this natural build up of methane to escape. What is buried there and how much? Much glass, corroded metal and shoe soles (the rest of the shoes decomposed) have been discovered. The thickest area appears to be about 20 foot deep. The majority of the site has a 5 –10’ layer of trash. Compared to other sites inspected by the MDEQ, this is a relativily thin layer of garbage. This is probable due to the fact this site only operated as a trash dump for about 6 years. As developers moved into the area in the early 50’s the property was more valuable for housing without an active dump in the back yards. What role does the EPA have regarding the development of this site? After looking at initial test sample results in the 80’s, none. This site’s lead and arsenic levels are not large enough for the EPA to be a part of this project. This is when our MDEQ steps in and they are the government body overseeing any work at this site. What is the currant status of the testing on the old Cooper site? To date, testing has been completed on 70% of the west area of the old Cooper site. This has been designated for park use. Inspections to the east half of the site, referred to as area “A”, is 53% complete. Area “A” is to be completely cleared of all materials down to the natural clay base. Clean fill will be brought in for the development to be built on. What is being built on this hazardous site? (4) - 12,000 sq ft. medical office buildings are being built on slab by the Jonna Companies. In addition to these 4 buildings, 100+ independent living units are slated to be built over the next several years. Plans are still in the approval stage by the City of Westland. We requested that the preliminary plans be posted on the LPS web site. When is the development planned to take place and for how long? The removal of materials is slated to begin this summer after school lets out. The plan is to dig up and transport the materials from area “A”, to an appropriate dump site. This is to create what the MDEQ refers to a “clean corridor”. The balance of the site will continue to be inspected for an adequate cap thickness and increased as needed. This shall be done during the placement of the engineered fill by Jonna’s contractors, for the proposed buildings and parking areas. How will air quality be monitored? Employees will have hand held monitor devices as well as belt sample collectors. This is done to assure the safety of the workers as well as the surrounding homeowners who are also being subjected to the dust created during the excavation of the hazardous materials. Portable monitoring stations shall be positioned at appropriate locations around the perimeter of the work site too. Who is responsible if there is any emergency or contamination during this work? LPS. In addition to our students, the LPS has expressed desires to monitor this site for the benefit of the surrounding Westland residents who are adjacent to the work site 24-7. We asked that sampling results and the monitor records be posted on the LPS web site. What is the threashold limit on the monitors? What levels will they be calibrated for? Monitors shall be calibrated to alert workers of a raised level and not just set to go off when unsuitable levels of lead, arsenic or other hazardous elements are stirred up in the excavation dust. Risk = Exposure x Toxicity x Duration. All 3 are kept to a minimum. What is the emergency plan if a monitor goes off? Should dust sensors detect elevated levels of hazardous materials the “hot spot” shall immediately be sprayed with water to control the rise of the dust. Additional appropriate measures are still being developed. They are to be in place prior to the commencement of any excavating. Should this work not be completed by the fall, kids in school shall remain in the school building during the duration of any incident, similar to a rain day recess. Is the City of Westland and Livonia Departments of public safety involved in any of the monitoring or emergency planning for this site? Yes. In addition to the Cities, there shall be several local neighborhood watch and community association involved. This was also done during the 6 weeks it took to demolish and remove the hazardous building materials, as well as soils, from the old Cooper building site. Who is the LPS consultant and what is their background? NTH Consultants, Ltd. of Farmington Hills, MI www.nthconsultants.com NTH has recently worked on the Brownfield project adjacent to the San Marino Golf course on Halstead in Farmington Hills. How is the LPS paying for this? LPS has secured a State grant for this Brownfield remediation project. According to the MDEQ analyst, Paul Brown, the MDEQ encourages the redevelopment of toxic sites. Green spaces, parking lots and structures are better capping methods than a layer of clay. He sited the Eleven Pines development near San Marino in Farmington Hills, the Fairlane Green in Allen Park, the Mulberry Redevelopment in Wyandotte as examples of remediation and redevelopment projects. There were many other specific questions such as how are the instruments calibrated and certified, what other projects are in the area similar to ours, etc. I was asked to pass on the e-mail addresses of the following: Please take advantage of the resources these people are offering to us! Michigan Department of Evironmental Quality (MDEQ) Remediation and Redevelopment Division Mr. PAUL OWENS Senior Environmental Quality Analyst (586) 753-3821 owensp@michigan.gov NTH Consultants, Ltd. Mr. ROBERT F. GORMAN Vice President (248) 324-5335 bgorman@nthconsultants.com Posted Jul 24 2006, 11:20 AM in Livonia Neighbors Forum OLD http://s14.zetaboards.com/Hull_Neighbors_Net/search/2/?c=1&q=mdeq |
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| LPSisPoor | Aug 23 2009, 08:21 AM Post #54 |
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Maybe the kids "skipping" class will be able to use the dome during the day! |
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| Whatever | Aug 23 2009, 09:27 AM Post #55 |
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It might be legal, but does it make good financial sense? It is wise to use $1 million of our tax money for this business venture when there are schools that need a/c, windows, etc.? I know the majority of members on the board have a personal relationship with Mr. Liepa, but when he makes bad decisions, it's their job to say "no." |
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| Ms. AK | Aug 23 2009, 06:04 PM Post #56 |
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So, when the economy is tanking, foreclosures, job loses and reduced tax income--the government-run school district now decides to purchase a soccer field with our hard-earned and quickly diminishing dollars? A soccer field? Who can afford a soccer field when the district is in dire financial stress with a 7.5 million dollar deficit? What a waste of taxpayer money. It's like the bridge to nowhere--only in the form of a soccer dome. These contractors who will be doing the work--have they contributed to the sitting BOE's campaigns? What is Breeze Management? Who do they know? Where did they come from? How do we know they are a viable business? In a supposedly conservative town, we have rampant wasteful government spending and the people cannot see it? |
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| Silentwolf | Aug 25 2009, 11:44 AM Post #57 |
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Anna, Breeze Management has been around since August 2008 according to Michigan. They are NOT a member of the BBB (Better Business Bureau). The "New Dome" that is going in at the site is actually 2 years old. Would you trust 1.8 Million to a company that's been around only 1 year? Hope this helps Anna. |
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| Ms. AK | Aug 25 2009, 11:54 AM Post #58 |
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Yes. Thanks. On the O/E blog, it was stated that Breeze is some subsidiary of a larger corp. Do you know what corp. that is or if that is true? Is was also stated on the O/E blog that "big" corps spin off or create a smaller one to cash in on a deal or for tax reasons? Is this what is happening here? And, if so, what is the "parent" corporation? The reason I ask is because the administration's groupie is saying, "So what if Breeze was just created for this soccer deal, they are part of a larger corp.--so, it doesn't matter." That's the sort of spin that regular, uninformed people accept and don't question. I question it, BTW. |
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| Spanky | Aug 25 2009, 12:10 PM Post #59 |
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I also wonder about that 'parent' company, too, because you never know if someone on the board or administration or city council or the mayor himself are part of that 'parent' company. |
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| BoaterDan | Aug 25 2009, 12:54 PM Post #60 |
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Honestly, that in itself is very common. These days developers routinely form a new LLC for a particular project, precisely to shield the "parent" company. All of this is public record, if someone has the time. Coming in very late in the game, I still find the idea of the district spending money towards this thing utterly ridiculous (if that's what we're talking about), but I don't think there is necessarily anything peculiar about the formation of Breeze Management. |
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