LANSING, Mich. – Gov. Gretchen Whitmer recently announced the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) has awarded two state Transportation Economic Development Fund (TEDF) grants that will support a total of 332 new and existing jobs in Menominee and Genesee Counties. The grants will help fund infrastructure improvements related to Performance Corporation’s expansion in the Village of Carney in Menominee County and Fessler & Bowman, Inc.’s new and expanded national headquarters in Grand Blanc Township, Genesee County.
“As we put Michigan back to work, these grants demonstrate the collaborative efforts around economic development and infrastructure we are taking here in Michigan,” Whitmer said. “We will stay laser-focused on creating hundreds of good-paying jobs for Michiganders while ensuring safe roads for drivers, helping us emerge from the pandemic stronger than ever before. Let’s get it done.”
Grand Blanc Township, Genesee County
“As a national corporation and a leader in the construction industry, we conducted a nationwide search to determine the location of our future corporate headquarters,” said Jim Malenich, president and chief executive officer of Fessler & Bowman, Inc.
“Improvements to Baldwin Road and the supporting infrastructure are critical to our transportation needs and was instrumental in our decision to relocate our corporate headquarters to Grand Blanc,” Malenich added. “The investment from the state of Michigan, Genesee County and Grand Blanc Township will allow Fessler & Bowman, Inc. to remain in the same county we have proudly been a part of since 1963. We are grateful to MDOT and their commitment to Genesee County. Their collaborative efforts will benefit the existing business community and bring economic growth to Grand Blanc Township.”
“The Charter Township of Grand Blanc has invested a great deal of energy into creating an environment within the DDA District that will attract and retain cutting edge technology-driven businesses, and the improvement to the Baldwin Road corridor is vital to achieving the vision,” said Dennis Liimatta, township superintendent of Grand Blanc Township.
“Without the upgrade to the infrastructure, we could not sustain the job-creating economic growth projected for this development zone,” Liimatta added. “We truly appreciate the cooperation and assistance from the Genesee County Road Commission (GCRC) and MDOT to improve the safety, and provide for efficient traffic flow, in this growing commercial district.”
Fessler & Bowman, Inc. is a leading national concrete and earthwork contractor headquartered in Flushing, with regional offices in North Carolina, Tennessee, and Louisiana. The company has outgrown its Flushing campus and is exploring new locations for their national headquarters.
A location on Baldwin Road in Grand Blanc Township, with its proximity to I-75, was identified as a potential location for their new 80,000-square-foot headquarters. Baldwin Road is not currently an all-season road, however, and Fessler & Bowman requires an all-season road for their operations. In addition, the pavement on Baldwin Road is nearing the end of its useful life and requires replacement. Without these road improvements, the company indicated they would consider expanding at one of their southern locations instead, which would result in the loss of 112 jobs to Michigan.
To assure continued access to the transportation network and enable continued operations during seasonal weight restrictions, the GCRC will rebuild Baldwin Road from Dort Highway to New Tech Drive. Additional work includes widening the road from two lanes to three with the addition of a center turn lane, new right-turn lanes at intersections, paved shoulders, geometric upgrades, and drainage improvements.
These improvements will allow Fessler & Bowman to continue with their $10 million expansion, which will result in the retention of 112 existing jobs and the creation of 52 new full-time positions.
The total project cost is $5,128,649, including $1,717,613 in Category A funds and $3,411,036 from the GCRC and Grand Blanc Township.
Enacted in 1987 and reauthorized in 1993, the TEDF helps finance highway, road and street projects that are critical to the movement of people and products, and getting workers to their jobs, materials to growers and manufacturers and finished goods to consumers.
TEDF “Category A” or “Targeted Industries Program” grants provide state funding for public roadway improvements that allow road agencies to respond quickly to the transportation needs of expanding companies and eliminate inadequate roadways as an obstacle to private investment and job creation. Eligible road agencies include MDOT, county road commissions, cities and villages. More information about the program is available online at www.Michigan.gov/TEDF.
