Urban Land Institute analysis provides recommendations for future development in Marshall

Dozens of community stakeholders were interviewed by the prestigious Urban Land Institute (ULI) about how to enhance and maintain Marshall’s desirable community character and amenities while maximizing the economic benefits of BlueOval Battery Park Michigan and the future development of the Marshall Area Jobs Opportunities and Recreation (MAJOR) Campus.

The Marshall Area Economic Development Alliance (MAEDA), and the City of Marshall, with the support of Ford Motor Company, convened the panel in late May. Panelists interviewed 84 individuals – who represent a diverse group of community stakeholders – about opportunities that will be generated with Ford’s BlueOval Battery Park Michigan, which will create 1,700 local jobs and is scheduled to begin production in 2026.

The panel produced a 56-page summary, which is available on the Choose Marshall website, based on feedback provided during those interviews and ULI’s independent analysis of data. With the wide-ranging economic impact of BlueOval Battery Park Michigan, recommendations include:

• environmental and recreational investments at the MAJOR Campus, such as additional parks, greenspace and trails, and the activation of Bear Creek as a community gathering space and tourist attraction,
• improved community services, such as daycare and public safety and investments in education and workforce development,
• thoughtful neighborhood design and affordable housing, and
• regular communication about construction updates and building details.

“Marshall has a unique opportunity to boost our local economy with BlueOval Battery Park Michigan and we are committed to listening to feedback from community residents,” said James Durian, CEO of MAEDA. “ULI’s recommendations aim to help us grow economic opportunity for residents while preserving Marshall’s small town historic character.”

ULI, a global nonprofit education and research organization, is recognized as one of North America’s most respected organizations to provide objective information on best practices to build thriving communities and cities.

Interview participants in Marshall represented a variety of community sectors, including real estate, housing, green spaces, environmental services, economic and land development.

“Feedback about the future of our community is especially helpful as our city moves forward on updates to our master plan,” said Derek Perry, manager of the city of Marshall. “After decades of job loss, it will be rewarding to develop a plan that accounts for more foot traffic to our small businesses and more tax revenue to our local economy.”

Housing and workforce development were two areas identified as opportunities for future growth. As more people come to live and work in Marshall, property values are expected to increase and demand for housing is expected to rise. Interviewees also highlighted the importance of investing in workforce development as the demand for workers from regional employers will increase.

“Since the Ford project was announced, we’ve talked about its ability to create economic opportunities not just for Marshall but for the broader region,” said Kelli Scott, Calhoun County Administrator/Controller. “Now with these ULI survey results, we have incredible insight into the ways our local and regional stakeholders want to accomplish that.”

The ULI survey findings also showed that existing outreach efforts are on the right track, such as Ford’s commitment to contributing to community facilities and programs. Interviewees noted the importance of Ford being an active, responsive neighbor in Mashall. The automaker has already invested more than $370,000 to date in a variety of beloved institutions and amenities in Calhoun County.

“We welcome ongoing community input as we continue our collaborations and identify future investment opportunities,” said Gabby Bruno, Ford’s community relations director. “These insights will help inform our efforts to strengthen Ford’s presence in Marshall to the benefit of our neighbors, future employees and their families.”