Dundee council OKs 2 buildings

4/20/2005

DUNDEE, Mich. - The Dundee Village Council last night approved a resolution that will pave the way for a pair of new buildings- one for the village's headquarters; the other for public works.

Any opponents of the resolution have 45 days in which to call for a referendum on the issue. No one spoke out against the project last night.

The plan, proposed by village Manager Pat Burtch, calls for a 7,800-square-foot, two-story municipal building to be constructed on village-owned property off Ypsilanti Street, just east of the village square. Construction costs will be between $1 million and $1.3 million, Mr. Burtch said.

Currently, village offices are housed in two buildings - a main office at 145 Riley Street and council chambers in the Old Mill banquet hall. The village owns a third building at 141 Riley and looked at turning the two Riley Street buildings into a single municipal building.

But Mr. Burtch said renovation of the structures would cost almost as much as constructing a new building.

He said the village will now sell the two Riley Street buildings, which could reduce the cost of the new building to $300,000 to $400,000.

Village Council unanimously supported the plan and already has budgeted for the expense.

"We need it," Councilman Vaughn Massingill said.

The new building will include village council chambers that will seat 88 people, the village police station, and its inspection department. The second floor will remain initially vacant. Later, when needed, the village will finish off the second floor and add an elevator, Mr. Burtch said.

The design will reflect that of the historic village center, where many of the buildings date from the mid-1800s. Four architectural firms are in the running for the project, including SSOE and Arcadis of Toledo, David Arthur of Dundee, and Studio Intrigue of Okemos, Mich.

Village President Jim Roe last night appointed a committee to narrow the list to two or three finalists.

Mr. Burtch said he hopes to begin construction this summer and finish by winter.

The resolution calls for up to $2.3 million to be spent on the municipal building, a new public works building at a yet-to-be-determined site, and a pedestrian bridge across the River Raisin near the new municipal building and a nearby riverwalk.

In other business, the council approved a resolution calling for a $500 fine to be levied against residents who put their trash out more than 24 hours before collection or leave their empty bins out 12 hours after the trash has been collected.