Portion of tannery falls at 'groundbreaking'

July 14, 2007
By Eric Gaertner
Chronicle Staff Writer

The main event -- demolition of the largest, 140-year-old building on the former Whitehall Leather Co. tannery site -- isn't expected to begin until next week. Those who attended a "groundbreaking" on the site Friday afternoon, however, got a sneak preview.

Following brief comments by invited dignitaries, including Michigan Department of Environmental Quality Director Steven Chester, a portion of one of the corners of the historic building was pulled down by excavation equipment. The rest of the building that is a visible landmark on the White Lake shoreline is expected to be demolished over the next 21/2 weeks.

The "groundbreaking" was ceremonial, because construction on a proposed condominium community can't proceed until the main tannery building is demolished and a final remedial action plan and cleanup of the site are completed.

The 33-acre site on Lake Street was contaminated from more than a century of leather-tanning operations. The bay near the former industrial site also was contaminated, but that cleanup was completed years ago.

The comments and appearance by Chester were considered vital to Whitehall Mayor Mac Hatch. The city's pursuit of a cleanup plan, officially known as a remedial action plan, recently was questioned by city Councilwoman Tanya Cabala, who boycotted Friday's groundbreaking. She alleged that city staff are pressuring the DEQ to prematurely approve cleanup items so the redevelopment can begin.

"It just goes to prove to those who say we're not all on the same page that we are," Hatch said. "You can't get the DEQ director here if you're not on the same page or, at least, in the same book."

Chester, who attended the event with a DEQ staff member who has worked directly on the tannery remediation, said the remedial action plan, cleanup and redevelopment will be completed according to DEQ's environmental standards.

"I want to assure you that this will be a safe site when it's completed," Chester told the 80 residents who attended the ceremony. "We certainly don't want to leave a negative legacy here."

The DEQ, city, developer and Genesco, former owner of the site, continue to work through the issues for a cleanup plan.

Friday's event drew more than 20 former tannery employees, ranging from those who worked there for decades to Councilman Edward Whalen who worked there for one week in 1965 before leaving for graduate school.

Before the event, many of the former tannery employees took turns pointing out the part of the building they worked in and asking each other if they remembered other co-workers. After the event, they gathered for a group photograph in front of the main tannery building.

The demolition of the main tannery building is expected to begin as early as Tuesday. City Manager Scott Huebler said temporary fencing will be placed and the nearby portion of Lake Street will be closed Tuesday for the demolition.

The contractor is expected to remove the building's bottom supports and allow the building to fall on itself.

"As this building falls, we're really setting the stage for this phoenix to rise from the ashes," said Mick McGraw, one of the developers for South Shore Development. "We look forward to the day when we can have a real groundbreaking."

Joan Bowman, West Michigan regional director for Gov. Jennifer Granholm, said there's "no way to overestimate the significance of projects like this" and the impact it can have on Michigan.

State Sen. Gerald VanWoerkom, R-Norton Shores, has worked on and followed the project for years. He called the cleanup of the tannery site the project that makes him most proud of his years in office.

"When I'm well into my retirement years, I look forward to bringing my grandkids here and telling them about the recovery and renewal of this site," VanWoerkom said.

The tentative schedule calls for a condominium model to be open by September 2008. A final site plan for the condominiums has yet to be reviewed and approved by the city's planning commission.