VBT DDA OKs razing, rebuilding Harris house on Belleville Rd.

The Van Buren Township Downtown Development Authority approved Option A for the Belleville Road Placemaking Project – which includes tearing down the 57-year-old house and part of a garage at 10151 Belleville Road and rebuilding it in a slightly different way.
After a description of problems with the old Harris house, the DDA unanimously approved the tear-down-and-rebuild option at its regular meeting Sept. 27.
William M. Wiemer of Wakely Associates of Warren said it will add about $158,000 to the cost, which had been estimated at $2.5 million.
Previously a bond for the project had been mentioned, but now DDA Executive Director Susan Ireland said, “We’re not going to bond this project at all.” She said the DDA is supposed to spend the money it has for approved projects and there is a sufficient amount in the bank for this project.
Ireland said they will obtain township staff review and take plans to the planning commission by the end of the year. Some of the groundwork will be done this year, but the main construction will begin in the spring.
The DDA authorized Axiom Construction Services and Wakely Associates to begin the construction documents for Option A, then a bidding process will help determine the Guaranteed Maximum Price.
The DDA also authorized Ireland to execute an AIA agreement between the owner and construction manager as constructor where the basis of payment is the cost of the work plus a fee with a guaranteed maximum price.
At a previous meeting, the DDA was told the former house would end up looking like a lodge that would beckon those walking along Belleville Road to stop and sit in the quiet gardens and participate in activities in the meeting rooms and workshops.
The original concept was to preserve the main homestead of the family of early African American settlers in Van Buren Township, but after a study by Wade Trim engineers, there were a few ordinance problems:
• The south side of the main building is encroaching on the side yard setback requirement by at least five feet. Ten feet is the current requirement;
• The required separation between the main building and garage is under the 15’ requirement (approximately nine feet existing); and
• The existing building’s finish floor was lower (approximately 4”-8”) than the surrounding site and although it is workable it does not lend itself to good barrier-free access and proper drainage away from the building.
Also, it was determined the outside walls of the existing structure could not sustain an additional 16” of unrestrained height that was proposed with re-framing the roof system. The access to the existing attic space would be difficult to run ductwork or electrical.
The existing roof framing may require extensive reinforcement thus adding to the problems of ducting a new HVAC system. The existing sanitary drainage inside the building is questionable and cannot be ascertained as to its condition.
Ireland said there is piping in the ceiling because of the slab below and there are fuses in the house. With the new building they will be able to run HVAC underneath.
Ireland said the DDA wants to comply with the township ordinances and by rebuilding the house in the right spot they won’t have to ask for a variance. The garage will be shortened to meet the setback requirement to the house.
She said the front entrance will be relocated, but they will maintain the homestead’s features.
Ireland said a new structure would result in better insulation and better installation of HVAC, plumbing and electrical system. There also could be two toilet rooms and more efficient layout of the building.
The proposed layout includes a large meeting room, two offices, two toilet rooms, a reading and sitting room, exhibit hall, kitchen, vestibule and porch.
In other business at the Sept. 27 meeting, the DDA:
• Reviewed and approved the amended 2016 DDA Budget and Proposed 2017 DDA Budget, which now goes on to the township board as a part of its greater budget. Ireland said she plans to do another PowerPoint presentation on the budget for the board and for the website;
• Learned the MDOT is preparing to award the grant for the pedestrian overpass and they are putting the relevant DDA information into their system. MDOT will work with the DDA on the aesthetic and non-motorized features of the bridge, as well as proposed signage. The designing will occur during the state’s 2017 fiscal year (starting Oct. 1) and construction should begin in 2018. The state is in charge of construction and engineering and it will own the overpass;
• Approved the 2017 meeting date schedule as the fourth Tuesday of each month at 5:30 p.m.; and
• Went into closed-door session to consider purchase of real property and then came out into regular session and voted to purchase parts of parcels 16 and 19 as Belleville Road right of way for future road projects. At its July meeting it purchased parcels 2, 3, 6, 14, and 17 and approved options for parcels 6, 14, and 17.