Marshall Barn Scoring Response

Background: The Marshall Area Economic Development Alliance (MAEDA) has been seeking assistance in repurposing and preserving certain physical structures within the BlueOval Battery Park Michigan. MAEDA is committed to ensuring this process is thoughtful, transparent and deliberative.

According to the general contractor, the barn structures known as the former Glotfelty Property located at 13024 C Drive North, Marshall MI, 49068, impact the site construction, including drainage, utilities, roads and other infrastructure and therefore need to be moved by September 30, 2023.

MAEDA closed on this property on February 7, 2023, and the former owner retained possession of the barns until May 15, 2023, and had an opportunity to move or repurpose the structures during that time. Pursuant to agreement with the former Owner, on May 15, 2023, the barns and other structures came into the ownership of MAEDA.

In an effort to reach a thoughtful solution and garner feedback from experts and community members, MAEDA formed a committee of community stakeholders to help us decide the best way to remove the structures from the site with an aim of repurposing and preserving them, if possible. The decision was made to donate the structures to an organization interested in their repurposing. MAEDA does not have access to any funding to move the structures.

An RFP was posted on June 12, 2023, and closed on Friday June 23, 2023. MAEDA reached out to the Michigan Barn Preservation Network for advice and sent the RFP proposal to every contractor listed on their site.

MAEDA received two proposals, one from the Albion Amish and the second from the Calhoun County Agricultural and Industrial Society which owns and operates the Calhoun County Fairgrounds (Fairgrounds). At no point, before or after the RFP was submitted, did MAEDA ever receive a written proposal that included funding to move or repurpose the barns or other structures. According to experts, it will cost up to $200,000 to take down and store the barns and a few million dollars to fully reconstruct and bring them up to code at the Fairgrounds.

Awarding of the Barns: The stakeholder committee has awarded the large barn and the attached structure to the Amish Community of Albion for $1. The Amish can move and repurpose the barn at no cost and they have the capacity and expertise to disassemble, fix, and reassemble the structures. We are pleased to report that the Amish Community will be repurposing the barn for active agricultural use. The large barn will live on to support active farming operations that will provide life sustaining food to families in the community.

All of the other structures on 13024 C Drive North have been awarded to the Calhoun County Fairgrounds for $1. They can either move some or all of those structures to the Fairgrounds, or salvage some or all of these structures and use the proceeds to support agricultural education efforts at the Fairgrounds.

Other Properties: MAEDA is dedicated to preserving the Bear Creek properties and repurposing those properties into a museum and nature center/nature trail, that will connect with the conservation easement. MAEDA has recently closed on this property but will not obtain possession for at least nine months.

Regarding the farmhouse, barn and other structures known as the former Bauer Property, located at 13315 C Drive North, Marshall, MI 49068, the owner salvaged his own property as was his legal right as the property owner. The remaining structures have been demolished.

The former Ceres Barns are currently being used as headquarters for Walbridge, the general contractor constructing the BlueOval Battery Park. If these structures and other properties fall into MAEDA’s possession, we will reengage this committee of stakeholders to ensure we are making the best decisions on behalf of the community.