The city of St. Joseph is ready for redevelopment, and now it has a state certification to prove it to developers.
In an interview with WSJM, City Commissioner Michael Sarola said the city of St. Joseph has received its Redevelopment Ready Communities (RRC) certification from the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, marking a milestone as the first municipality in Berrien County to earn the designation.
Sarola said the certification is a signal to developers that St. Joseph has completed the necessary steps to support and streamline new development projects — and he calls it a big win for the city.
“There are a lot of hurdles you have to cross as a municipality. There are a lot of things that tell a prospective developer, we’ve thought of all these things, we have a plan in place. And it basically, once a developer sees that RRC, they know that you’re ready for development and it piques their interest.”
The certification process, which took more than two years to complete, requires municipalities to meet a four-part system of planning, zoning, and development readiness standards. It ensures that the city has addressed regulatory hurdles, grant requirements, and other factors that can affect major projects.
Sarola noted that the certification is particularly important for attracting larger developments, like the Marquette project downtown, by showing that St. Joseph is “ready for development” and has the infrastructure and planning in place to make projects successful.
Sarola said the city’s planning staff, led by Kristen Gundersen, played a key role in compiling the necessary documentation and guiding St. Joseph through the certification process.
With this designation, officials hope to signal to prospective developers that the city is prepared for growth and investment. City Manager Emily Hackwork said of the certification that the city is open for business and moving forward.
“We’re proud to have our progress recognized with this achievement. It’s been a pleasure to work with MEDC, and our partners at Cornerstone Alliance, to become the first RRC Certified community in Berrien County. Most of all, we are thrilled that the City is more welcoming and accessible for businesses, visitors, and residents.”
Mayor Brook Thomas said the achievement has been a long time in the making.
“For some time, when it comes to public and residential development, St. Joseph has had a reputation for complexity and difficult processes. Achieving RRC Certification shows that we are prioritizing removing barriers—for both our residents working on personal projects and businesses who would like to call St. Joseph home,” said Thomas.
Development Senior Vice President Andrew Haan with Cornerstone Alliance said RRC certification is recognized as the gold-standard by the development community and elevates St. Joe as a community that’s truly open for business.
“The RRC program has a long-established track record in helping communities large and small across Michigan set themselves up for success. The RRC framework provides a path for communities to ensure that they have engaged residents, clear plans, and the right zoning and development processes in place to shepherd plans into action,” said Haan.
Next steps recommended by the MEDC are for St. Joseph to identify and prioritize redevelopment sites, develop a vision for those sites, and identify resources and incentives to make that redevelopment come to fruition. City officials are quick to point out this is also a win for city residents because it means simplified processes and easier access to city development information.
