Error processing SSI file
Patricia and Thomas Taylor dine at Mary Ann's Drive-Inn in New Boston. They know change is coming. "I'm amazed we still have dirt roads, but I understand some people who live here don't want it any different," she says.Township hall flees downtown
$1.7 million Huron Twp. facility will be built outside of New Boston, leaving some residents upset.
Comment on this story
NEW BOSTON -- The Huron Township Hall has long been an anchor in New Boston, a tiny village nestled on the banks of the Huron River, and the cultural and historic downtown for all of the township.
But the township broke ground recently on a new $1.7 million Township Hall that's about 2 1/2 miles away, next to Lajko Park on Huron River Drive.
That has residents like business owner Mike Glaab feeling that the township has abandoned the heart of the community.
"This has put the nail in the coffin, as far as government funding of any revitalization," said Glaab, who grew up in New Boston and owns Individual Financial Planning in downtown.
"It's a $1.7 million project, and it's not even close to the downtown area," Glaab said. "It's sad; it's just a huge, missed opportunity."
Township officials say the old building was plagued by fungus, sewer backups, asbestos and a lack of space. And they say vacating the downtown property will open opportunities for residential and business development in the downtown district.
"The old township hall was much too small," said John Enos, director of planning and zoning for the 36-square-mile township. "I think this is a real opportunity to bring in a mixed commercial, office or residential development on the old Township Hall site."
According to the Southeast Michigan Council of Governments (SEMCOG), the township's population has grown from 10,444 residents in 1990 to about 16,000 today. SEMCOG predicts that Huron will have 24,450 residents by 2030.
There was no room for expansion at the old site, Enos said. The new 10,400-square-foot building will have enough room to grow with the community.
"That parcel was hamstrung by surrounding buildings and just couldn't grow," Enos said. "This township is projected to be one of the fastest growing in southeast Michigan.
"The board also wanted the town hall to be centrally located to service the entire township," Enos added, noting that the township has two other unincorporated villages: Waltz and Willow. "New Boston is in the northwest corner of the township."
Bryan DeLano, 27, said he can remember when the village of New Boston had a bowling alley, a movie theater and a drug store. His said his family has lived in the community since the mid-1800s.
He just bought a new house and intends to live in New Boston for the rest of his life. But he wishes the township would invest more in developing the now-sleepy downtown.
"The (township) seems to only care about services and making things come to life when Apple Festival comes to town," DeLano said, referring to the annual shindig slated for Oct. 1-2 in New Boston. "More should have been done to benefit the downtown area."
Still, not everybody in New Boston wants it to change.
Kathy Coffee, 49, has lived in New Boston for 30 years, and she's been a waitress at Mary Ann's Drive-Inn -- the hub of downtown New Boston. The '50s-style diner draws about 500 customers daily from the far corners of the township, she said.
Coffee said she thinks its "odd" that the Township Hall won't be in downtown anymore.
"They say it hurts business, but it's not hurting us," Coffee said. "It's built up a lot in 21 years, and it will build up some more. But it's (still) a very small town, and I'm not disappointed with the way it looks."
Patricia Taylor, a regular at the diner, has lived in New Boston for all but eight of her 70 years. She said the town has changed very little over the years. But she knows change is coming.
"I'm amazed we still have dirt roads, but I understand some people who live here don't want it any different," Taylor said. "I'm not worried because the friendships will last forever regardless."
You can reach Karen Bouffard at (734) 462-2206 or kbouffard@detnews.com.
Huron Township officials hope to see a mixture of commercial, residential and office development in downtown New Boston when the Township Hall moves.
Copyright © 2005
The Detroit News.
Use of this site indicates your agreement to the Terms of Service (updated 12/19/2002).