ADRIAN  — Plans to redevelop the former ProMedica Bixby Hospital site into a community of single-family rental homes are continuing to advance, and the Adrian City Planning Commission is expected to review those plans at its May meeting.

ProMedica has reached an agreement to sell the property to real estate developer Collier Gibson. Tausha Moore, associate vice president of strategic communications for ProMedica, told the Lenawee Voice that demolition of the old hospital is still on track to begin in mid-July.

As reported in the April issue of the Lenawee Voice, developers cleared one milestone in March when the city’s Brownfield Redevelopment Authority approved a loan to help speed the process of getting the homes built. 

The purpose of a Brownfield Redevelopment Authority is to help get underutilitized or functionally obsolete proprerties back into productive use. At its March 14 meeting, the authority approved a $900,000 loan that Collier Gibson said would speed up their construction timetable. 

The loan will not be disbursed all at once. Instead, the schedule has been drawn up so that, as the value of the property increases due to reaching milestones like the end of demolition, the amount the city has loaned out will increase proportionally. The loan will have a 4% interest rate and the agreement calls for it to be repaid to the city in 36 months.

The city will have collateral, ultimately through a mortgage on the property that will be held in escrow until the loan is repaid.

Collier Gibson will ask the planning commission to approve a Planned Unit Development, which is essentially a tool that can be used to make the city’s zoning more flexible, as long as the proposed use is in line with the city’s future land use plan.

According to the city’s zoning ordinance, the purpose of encouraging Planned Unit Developments is to achieve:

• A maximum choice of living environments by allowing a variety of housing and building types and permitting an increased density per acre and a reduction in lot dimensions, yards, building setbacks, and area requirements. 
• A more useful pattern of open space and recreation areas and, if permitted as part of the project, more convenience in the location of accessory commercial uses and services. 
• A development pattern which preserves and utilizes natural topography and geologic features, scenic vistas, trees and other vegetation, and prevents the disruption of natural drainage patterns. 
• A more efficient use of land than is generally achieved through conventional development resulting in substantial savings through shorter utilities and streets. 
• A development pattern in harmony with land use density, transportation facilities, and community facilities objectives of the City’s Land Use Plan.

Scott Gibson, one of the partners in Collier Gibson, attended the planning commission’s April 2 meeting for a preliminary discussion of the plans. According to planning commission chairman Mike Jacobitz, the purpose of the meeting was for planning commissioners to provide the developers with preliminary feedback on their ideas.

In response to one question, Gibson confirmed that the company’s plan is to keep all of the houses as rentals. However, he also said that in the future, the company may be interested in creating a similar community with homes for sale, possibly closer to downtown.

He said that Collier Gibson will retain responsibility for maintenance and upkeep of the common areas in the development, and will also be responsible for trash pickup.

Gibson also discussed the aesthetics of the proposed development. He said the goal is to make it feel like a neighborhood, meaning that houses will be similar but not identical — “it won’t look like a vinyl jungle,” he said.

“You’ll have a design language that complements itself … but there’ll be variation just so it doesn’t look like you’re looking at the same vanilla box,” he said.

City administrator Greg Elliott said he expects the planning commission to review a preliminary layout at their next meeting, which will take place at 7 p.m. Tuesday, May 7, in the City Chambers Building, 159 E. Maumee St.