I thought readers might be interested in yet another update about a blighted property in Van Buren Township.
The original photo story about the blighted property in Van Buren Township near the intersection of Tyler and Haggerty Roads ran in our July 30 issue.
At that time, we reported that neighbors of the Van Buren Township property were upset about the condition of this residential parcel. They told us they felt they received a slow response to months of complaints about ordinance violations on that property.
Tyler Street School class picture, courtesy of the Belleville Area Museum.
Unofficial reports from neighbors suggest that a tenant wrecked the property in retaliation for being evicted. Video sent to The Independent shows several barrels with unknown substances on the property, a trailer that has been torn apart for parts, and a severely damaged outer wall of the building that sits on the property.
Van Buren public safety vehicles were seen, along with people in protective clothing, on the night of July 7 and into the morning of July 8.
In our Aug. 13 issue, I wrote about an update I received from the township’s Director of Municipal Services Ron Akers via email.
He said the township’s ordinance department hired a contractor to clean up the property. A building inspector was able to get into the house and condemned it. The township then followed up with a formal notice to the property owner of the condemnation, but as of deadline for this issue, the township hadn’t made contact with the owner.
An interested reader, Dave Booher, who is also a local history lover who volunteers at the Belleville Area Museum, reached out to us about the property.
He wrote me noting that neither the original photo article nor my follow-up editorial had mentioned that the property in question is the Tyler Schoolhouse building, built in the 1860’s.
“It was the country school that served the Tyler Street community until consolidation in the 1920’s,” Booher wrote. “You can read a brief history of the school on page 278 of Water Under The Bridge by Wilson & Horste, published in 1977.”
That history of Van Buren Township notes that the property at 41405 Tyler Road belonged to David and Amanda Parker, who broke up their farmland parcel in the 1860’s and sold a portion to the township to build a schoolhouse.
The building was then used as a school until the 1920s when the Van Buren School System was created. After that, it was used as a public meeting hall and event venue until the early 1950s. Then it was converted into a private residence.
“I am sure it is a real mess inside but would be a shame to tear down this historic building if there are any other options,” Booher said in his email to us.
However, in a follow-up phone conversation with Akers, he wasn’t optimistic about saving the building.
The videos sent to The Independent showed that there were dozens of bricks pulled out of the side of the building, which might make it structurally unstable. Akers said the garage on the property has structural issues.
The owner was given a chance to make repairs or renovations but hasn’t responded, so the township will be “going through the enforcement process” and ultimately plans to demolish the building.
While the community might be attached to the history of the property, it doesn’t have an official historical landmark designation that would prevent it from being torn down.
“It’s hazardous, and if someone was to try to occupy it, somebody could get hurt,” Akers said. “We’re responsible to make sure that what we’re doing is addressing those issues.”
Many thanks to Marty Utz, museum curator at the Belleville Area Museum, for her help with historical research and archival photos.