Power plant demolition makes way for waterfront development in Michigan

Demolition is underway at the former James DeYoung Power Plant in Holland, Michigan, reports the Holland Sentinel.

Just over a month ago, Holland voters approved a proposal for the municipality to sell the power plant. This cleared the way for a waterfront development planned by Geenen DeKock Properties (GDK), which has already redeveloped some portions of the Holland Lake Macatawa waterfront.

The plan triggered an exterior demolition of the plant, which passersby noticed less than 10 days after the vote.

“With each day that passes, the structure ages, increasing risks,” Dave Koster, general manager for the Holland Board of Public Works (BPW), tells the Holland Sentinel. “Demolishing the building is the prudent course of action for upholding safety, sustainability and our commitment to the community to prepare the land for future use.”

According to Holland BPW, remediation of hazardous materials like asbestos and lead-based paints began in February. The demolition is part of a multi-year decommissioning process that started in 2017 when the plant closed.

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The James DeYoung Power Plant opened in 1939 and supplied Holland with electricity for 78 years until it was replaced by Holland Energy Park as the primary energy provider. As reported by the Holland Sentinel, this was a move sought to improve efficiency and reduce carbon emissions.

Holland BPW says the current demolition work isn’t tied to the vote enabling the sale of the property, but rather that none of the proposed waterfront projects involved the reuse of the building.

Holland first sought proposals for the project, called Waterfront Holland, in 2021.

Of the three companies invited to submit a full proposal, only GDK followed through. The proposed mixed-use development included 108 units of housing across four buildings, a 50-room hotel, a marina with private and transient slips, a "boat-watching plaza," a restaurant and ice cream shop and a docking area for cruise ships.