Designation facilitates private investment, improves economic development opportunities

LANSING, Mich. – For its efforts in establishing a solid foundation to attract private investment and further build on municipality assets, the City of Ironwood has been awarded the Redevelopment Ready Communities (RRC) certification designation, the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) announced on July 12.

MEDC formally recognizes the City of Ironwood as a Certified Redevelopment Ready Community in Michigan. Ironwood joins an elite group of 73 Michigan communities in all corners of the state that have qualified as “thoroughly prepared” when it comes to planning and zoning to remove traditional barriers and promote opportunities for prospective investors. To see the entire list of Redevelopment Ready Communities, visit here.  

“Our mission at MEDC is to support Michigan’s strong economic momentum and empower communities to establish a strong planning, zoning and economic development foundation,” said MEDC Executive Vice President of Economic Development Incentives and Services Michele Wildman. “The City of Ironwood is well-positioned to continue to implement their vision for the future and further improve the quality of life for its residents. We look forward to building upon our relationship with the village and supporting local economic development efforts.”

As an RRC participant, the City of Ironwood received a comprehensive assessment that measured current community and economic development practices compared to RRC best practice standards. The toolkit evaluates and certifies communities which integrate transparency, predictability, and efficiency into economic development practices. Certification status is a compelling indicator that a community has removed development barriers and streamlined processes to be more competitive and attractive to investors.

“I am proud of all of the efforts that our Community Development staff have put in to accomplish Redevelopment Ready Community status,” said City Manager Paul Anderson. “RRC has helped the City develop streamlined internal processes, a functional and user-friendly zoning ordinance, and an efficient regulation process to make it easier to develop in Ironwood. We look forward to the opportunities that come with being Certified as a Redevelopment Ready Community.”

As a certified community, the City of Ironwood will have access to new tools to implement its community development goals as well as ongoing support and technical assistance from the Redevelopment Ready Communities team. Annual check-ins and updates will help ensure the City continues implementing the best practices over time. Certification is active for five years before needing to be renewed.

“We are very excited to have Ironwood officially designated as Certified Redevelopment Ready Community! Our economic development staff have worked very hard to streamline our development practices and to show that Ironwood is invested in taking the necessary steps to shape its own future,” said City Mayor Kim Corcoran. “We have taken the time to build a foundation of solid planning and look to present ourselves as being vibrant, competitive, and development ready to our stakeholders. We are eager to promote Ironwood as a place where people want to live, work, and play.”

About Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC)
The Michigan Economic Development Corporation is the state’s marketing arm and lead advocate for business development, job awareness and community development with the focus on growing Michigan’s economy. For more information on the MEDC and our initiatives, visit www.MichiganBusiness.org. For Pure Michigan® tourism information, your trip begins at www.michigan.org. Join the conversation on: Facebook Instagram LinkedIn, and Twitter.