No lights, and no camera, but Independence Township saw a flurry of action when Senior Center Extreme Makeover debuted at last week’s Township Board meeting.
The board officially launched a community-wide effort to redevelop a former school into a township senior center.
‘Extreme Make-over: Home Edition is one of my wife’s favorite shows,? said Tom Stone, community activist who helped spearhead the initiative. ‘So when this idea came up, the name just clicked with me.?
Most people who are familiar with the current senior center agree that the building is unfit for use.
‘The place is falling down around them,? said Stone. ‘It takes an incredible amount of money just to keep it operating. It’s a lawsuit waiting to happen.?
The Township Board established a sub-committee to develop the idea of renovating the school, including members of the community, Tom Stone, Dawn Horner, and Fred Roeser, Senior Advisory Committee member Mel Vaara, and Independence Township officials, Clerk Shelagh Vanderveen, Treasurer Jim Wenger, and Trustees Daniel Kelly and Daniel Travis.
The plan is to renovate the Clarkston Community School’s building at 5275 Maybee Road, formerly used as the South Sashabaw Elementary School and Early Childhood Center.
‘This is a win-win situation,? Vaara said. ‘The senior center (in Clintonwood Park) is not a safe environment for them ? this is a large step for seniors.?
The one-story, barrier-free, 16,000-square-foot school building is bigger than the current, 1,800-square-foot facility, as well as the 12,100-square-foot senior center proposed this past year. The Clintonwood center is itself a renovated structure ? it was a four-bedroom house when it was purchased in 1978.
The Early Childhood Center moved to its current home next to the school administration building on Clarkston Road in 2004. At the time, school officials considered using the Maybee Road building as a storage or staff-training building, or razing it and using the property as an athletic field. Since then, the building has been used mostly for storage.
In April, 2004, Deputy Superintendent David Reschke said ‘there are too many needed renovations for it to be used for student education purposes.?
Stone and local contractors, including Kevin Fangel, a master plumber, inspected the building. The boiler is 16 years old and approaching the end of its expected lifespan, but they found it to be serviceable. Utilities, much of which were updated when the building was made into an Early Childhood Center, have been maintained over the past two years.
Renovation work would include repair of a roof leak, strip away old facing stone and repaint the exterior, and wrap whatever asbestos is in the building, mostly around the boiler room.
‘The current approach is to encapsulate it (asbestos) ? don’t tear it out,? Stone said.
No reconstruction would be needed. Instead, it would take a lot of ‘spit and polish,? he said.
‘It would take a lot of work,? Stone said.
He has met with representatives of the Clarkston Area Chamber of Commerce, and Clarkston Rotary, Optimists, and Lions clubs, and they are excited about the idea, he said.
‘The feeling is that it might be a unifying, exciting project for the community,? Stone said.
The Township Board voted 6-1 to establish the committee.
‘This is a great idea,? Kelly said. ‘I appreciate all the hard work ? I’m more than happy to be on the subcommittee.?
Trustee Charles Dunn supported the vote, but said the search for a new senior center should be expanded to consider other available buildings.
Stone said other buildings are not likely to be more appropriate than the former school, especially if it is offered as a donation or for a $1-a-year lease.
‘With other buildings, you’re looking at a significantly more expensive lease,? he said.
Also, as a former school, reusing it as a senior center would not take a commercial building off the tax rolls, he said.
‘It wouldn’t affect the tax base,? he said.
Supervisor David Wagner voted no on the motion. He said he supports the idea of a community senior-center effort, but opposed the motion because of improper protocol.
‘It was the first I had heard of it,? Wagner said. ‘It’s hard to operate a meeting when you have no idea what will be discussed there ? it’s disappointing.?
He has set up a meeting with Building Department Director David Belcher and Dr. Al Roberts, superintendent of Clarkston Community Schools for an inspection of the site.
‘We’ll look it over and see what’s needed,? Wagner said. ‘I look forward to working with Dr. Roberts on this project.?
Township and school officials previously worked on a new senior center. Throughout 2005, officials worked to put together property for a new center next to the school administration building on Clarkston Road. Construction and programs would have been funded by a millage and bond, but they were rejected by voters this past November.