With buildings demolished, Adrian moves toward next step in downtown redevelopment plan

Brad Heineman, The Daily Telegram

ADRIAN — With the demolition and cleanup of three buildings in downtown Adrian almost complete, the city is inching toward the redevelopment of a section of downtown along South Main Street.

The blighted and vacant buildings at 116, 118 and 120 S. Main St., were torn down May 13 as one of the initial steps in Adrian’s Town Square project at Maiden Lane, between South Main Street and South Winter Street.

With guidance from Adrian’s Downtown Development Authority/Main Street committee, the three buildings are being removed to create new open spaces as part of the city’s placemaking efforts to “improve the downtown experience for all users,” Adrian DDA/Main Street said.

Crews from Pitsch Companies of Grand Rapids assisted the city of Adrian with the demolition of three buildings along South Main Street in downtown Adrian. Crews are pictured working on the cleanup of the buildings Wednesday.
Crews from Pitsch Companies of Grand Rapids assisted the city of Adrian with the demolition of three buildings along South Main Street in downtown Adrian. Crews are pictured working on the cleanup of the buildings Wednesday.

The Town Square project at Maiden Lane is part of a series of planned projects throughout downtown Adrian and along the River Raisin in the Downtown Adrian Riverfront vision plan, which seeks to reinvent downtown Adrian and set forth a “bold, new plan” for development along the South Branch of the River Raisin. The plan — born from the city’s 2019 strategic action plan — includes new residential development along North Winter Street, new parks and open space, walking trails, public amenities and a renewed focus on the river ecosystem.

To move the Town Square initiative along, the city is working with SmithGroup, an architectural, engineering and planning firm, to design renderings and concepts for the project.

The Adrian City Commission accepted a contract with SmithGroup for phases one and two of the Town Square project design at its May 20 regular meeting. A resolution for the contract was approved by unanimous vote at a cost of $53,895 — $21,850 for the site investigation of phase one and $32,045 for the schematic design confirmation of phase two. Other costs of the remaining project phases are to be determined.

From March 2023: Downtown Adrian redevelopment plans continuing

“At an appropriate point in the process we will have an open house,” Adrian City Administrator Greg Elliott said. “…Now that the buildings are down on South Main Street, we can begin the process of designing the improvements that will take place,” he said in a memorandum to the city commission. “At this time, we are only asking for your approval for phases one and two of that process, as outlined in the SmithGroup proposal, since the schematic design process will help us understand the scope of the remaining design effort.”

In 2022, Adrian received a $15 million enhancement grant from the state of Michigan that is intended to support the costs of removing blight, incentivizing new residential development and creating new parks, open spaces, trails and other public amenities. Costs associated with the design of the Town Square project will be paid from the funds awarded to Adrian from the state. The grant is being administered through Lenawee Now.

SmithGroup said it believes the work outlined in phases one and two of the proposal can be completed in six weeks. The remaining phases should take 12-14 weeks.

Piles of debris and rubble from three buildings along South Main Street in downtown Adrian that were recently demolished are pictured Wednesday.
Piles of debris and rubble from three buildings along South Main Street in downtown Adrian that were recently demolished are pictured Wednesday.

The design includes a new bathroom/storage building, which may be incorporated into an overhead trellis or covered open space; a prototype retail shed; new lighting for pedestrians; special lighting features such as festoon lights; new paving; site furnishings; signs; landscape beds; trees; planters; irrigation and potable water; and sanitary sewer services.

Creating a new plaza along South Main Street, improving Maiden Lane to connect the new plaza with Winter Street and enhancing the open space at the southeast corner of South Winter and West Maumee streets are associated parts of the concept.

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SmithGroup said the city of Adrian has recognized the importance of placemaking and economic development in the redevelopment of its downtown.

“Enhancing the downtown visitor experience and activating public spaces encourages downtown investment and supports economic development initiatives,” SmithGroup said. “The Town Square project will expand the placemaking enhancements downtown and provide additional community space activation.”

Robert Doyle is the principal landscape architect for SmithGroup, and Allison Bishop is the project manager/planner.

— Contact reporter Brad Heineman at bheineman@lenconnect.com or follow him on X, formerly Twitter: twitter.com/LenaweeHeineman.

This article originally appeared on The Daily Telegram: Next phases of downtown Adrian Town Square project approved

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