Gifts of Land
Posted on October 18, 2017
Here at the Community Foundation helping donors with their charitable goals is our top priority. Those goals can take many forms and all come with their own complexities.
At times that can include accepting gifts other than money, such as gifts of land.
“We’re here to help donors do great things,” said Michael Cansfield, board chair of the Community Foundation. “We realize at times that can involve more than writing a check, but the Foundation staff has years of experience dealing with those intricate cases – much to the benefit of the community.”
Over the last few years, the Community Foundation has received two gifts of land.
The first was an almost one-mile stretch of shoreline along the St. Clair River. Donated by local philanthropist James C. Acheson as a Christmas present in 2011, this former industrial site has been restored to its natural beauty. Today, it is the Blue Water River Walk in downtown Port Huron and is open to the public year-round.
The second gift of land was a rundown, cement courtyard at the center of the shopping plaza in downtown St. Clair. In 2015, the Foundation renovation the once neglected space and revitalized it into a community gathering spot, now called St. Clair Plaza Park, with different events taking place throughout the year. Some business owners even credit the revamped courtyard as the reason they decided to open their business in the plaza.
“Projects like the Blue Walk River Walk and Plaza Park show just how valuable gifts of land can be,” Cansfield said. “Not only do they improve the quality of life for residents, they can also spur economic advances as well.”
The Foundation also accepts gifts of real estate – like the apartment in New York City, which helps support local arts and culture – and other personal property. All gifts like these are considered on a case by case basis.
We can’t do great things without helping you do great things. Have questions about leaving a gift of land? Please contact Randy Maiers at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) or call 810-984-4761.
