FRANKENLUST TOWNSHIP, MI — Delta College officials have a decision to make, one that is sure to impact Saginaw County for years to come.

The college's Board of Trustees plans to choose a new location for a satellite campus in the Saginaw area.

On Monday, Jan. 13, the board heard 20-minute presentations from government officials and business leaders touting each of the four potential zones for the campus, either in the city of Saginaw or in neighboring Buena Vista Township.

Buena Vista Township

Buena Vista Township Supervisor Dwayne Parker said the existing Delta College campus at the township's Ricker Center has been a bedrock in the community, and asked the board for strong consideration.

Sarah Traxler, McKenna Associates project manager, also spoke on behalf of Buena Vista Township.

The 36-acre Town Center, or former Fort Saginaw Mall site, is shovel ready, she said.

“It’s a blank slate,” she said.

Buena Vista Township Supervisor Dwayne Parker and Sarah Traxler, McKenna Associates project manager, spoke on behalf of Buena Vista at a Delta College board meeting regarding a new Saginaw campus.

The site has room for parking and for Delta College to grow, Traxler said. The college can construct new facilities to meet student needs. The Town Center also is highly accessible, located 1,000 feet from I-75 and on M-46.

Buena Vista Township plans to add a green space next to the site along Outer Drive across from the Township Hall, Traxler said.

Parker said he feels strongly that it could be the next opportunity for Buena Vista to grow into the 21st century.

The township’s Downtown Development Authority either could sell the property to Delta College or sell the property, Traxler said.

“We want you to stay,” Parker said.

Downtown Saginaw

Tim Morales, interim Saginaw city manager, gave presentations for all three of the Saginaw sites and invited community leaders, including Midwestern Surgical Associates surgeon Dr. Samuel J. Shaheen, to speak on behalf of their zones.

“No matter where Delta College winds up, it’ll be a blessing to our community,” Shaheen said.

The city of Saginaw controls a number of sites in downtown that would be willing partners for Delta College to build a new facility or renovate an existing building, he said.

“Development can work very quickly,” Morales said.

Downtown is easily accessible from I-675 and is home to the STARS bus system, he said. The area also will have Central Michigan University students studying downtown starting in 2015.

Herb Spence, Spence Brothers Construction president and chief executive officer and Saginaw Downtown Development Authority member, and Morales pointed to downtown businesses and attractions such as the Castle Museum, Dow Event Center, First Merritt Bank Event Park, St. Mary’s of Michigan and Hoyt Library.

The newly renovated Bancroft and Eddy buildings offer new housing, Morales said.

The region is only as strong as its urban centers, Spence said, and Delta could make a tremendous impact on the entire county and region.

“There is promise in the downtown Saginaw area,” he said. “It really has tremendous access from our entire region.”

Michigan Avenue

The Michigan corridor is located off I-675 on Saginaw's West Side and is home to Covenant HealthCare, Saginaw County's largest employer, Morales said.

The city will spend $15 million in two years to eliminate blight.

The zone has several potential sites, including a riverfront parcel owned by the school district, a 5-acre Garber lot, the former Gase Bakery site and a city-owned 50 acres.

Carol Cottrell, Covenant HealthCare Foundation director, said the location offers Delta College students the opportunity to practice at Covenant hospital, she said, which receives 86,000 patients in its emergency department each year. The hospital also has a large IT department, providing another opportunity for students.

Old Town Saginaw

Old Town Saginaw on the city's West Side is the social hub of the city and its further along in its evolution than other areas of the city, said Dick Garber, Garber Management Group president and a resident of Old Town Saginaw.

Morales said the area is home to events, businesses and attractions such as the Lawn Chair Film Festival, the KCQ Country Music Fest and several bars and restaurants.

Garber said Old Town has quality-of-life aspects.

“With any location, you get all those amenities. I don’t think you can make a bad decision,” he said.

Morales said there are several sites available for Delta College along Hamilton Street and the Saginaw River. The area has new housing developments and accessibility from I-675, M-58 and M-46.

Morales said he couldn’t provide a top recommendation for a specific zone or site.

“I just want you to locate into the city,” he said.

Delta College Trustee Deedee Wacksman said she feels much better prepared to make a decision on the zone after seeing the presentations.

Kimberly Houston-Philpot, a Delta trustee, said this is exciting time for Delta College, the city of Saginaw and Buena Vista Township.

"There are good things ahead for our region," she said.

At the end of the day, it's about the students and their education, said Robert Stafford, board chairman.

Jean Goodnow, Delta College president, will make a recommendation regarding a zone. The board later in January will pick a zone, then narrow potential locations within the zone.

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Lindsay Knake covers education for MLive/The Saginaw News. Follow her on twitter or contact her at 989-372-2498 or lknake@mlive.com.