Dexter

Construction wraps up on Dexter library, March opening set

By Newsroom

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February 18, 2009

At long last, books in Dexter have a new home. The new Dexter District Library is finished.Construction workers are putting the finishing touches on the new building while movers begin to move the library's stacks into their new home. Library officials are planning for an early March opening."It's all sort of hitting us pretty fast but it's great," says Paul McCann, library director for the Dexter District Library.The new building is in downtown Dexter, 3255 Alpine Street, and overlooks Warrior Creek Park and the Mill Creek bridge. The $7.8 million structure measures out at 25,000-square-feet and two stories. It features more space for books and other materials, studying and reading space and meeting rooms. There will also be computer rooms and wireless Internet access for library patrons.There will be expanded computer resources, significantly more study space, a quiet reading area and more comfortable seating throughout the building. The meeting room space will comfortably accommodate 200 people without the moving book stacks to free up space, which must be done in the current library.It replaces the 4,200-square-foot old library, formerly the Methodist Church Education Building, it moved into in 1996. The future of the old building has been tossed around ever since the library announced it was moving. The village at one time intended to move its offices into it, and is still considering that option. McCann says the library is also looking at selling the building to DISS Data by the time it moves into its new home.Source: Paul McCann, library director for the Dexter District LibraryWriter: Jon Zemke

Local sculptor creates piece for area college

By Newsroom

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General

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January 14, 2009

New Jersey's loss is Saline's gain when it comes to sculptors, or at least one very prominent sculptor known for his bronze works.Excerpt:Saline is a warm, gentle community that keeps great traditions and friendships. Now the community has added to its residents a renowned sculptor, Anthony Frudakis, who continually contributes his art to Michigan locales.Born and raised in New Jersey, Frudakis moved to Saline only four months ago and followed in his father's footsteps of artistry. He became a sculptor and attended the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts and the University of Pennsylvania.He now creates both large and small bronze sculptures for both private and public venues, and his works can be seen across the country.His most recent, nearly completed task is a 7-foot tall bronze statue of Thomas Jefferson, for which he was commissioned by Hillsdale College."(Hillsdale College) has embarked on a program called Liberty Walk that consists of a series of statues of very important figures in the country's history of freedom," Frudakis said. "I already finished a George Washington statue for them, and they also have two other statues, Winston Churchill and Margaret Thatcher."Read the rest of the story here and how a Dexter artist won a Best of Show award here.

Ann Arbor area workers earn among highest wages in state

By Newsroom

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General

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January 14, 2009

Washtenaw County has always been known as a hub for new economy jobs, now word is getting out that it's also home to high new economy wages.Excerpt:If you're aiming to make money, the Ann Arbor area apparently is a good place to be.New federal wage data shows jobs in Washtenaw County are among the highest paying in the state. Employees in Washtenaw County earned an average of $58,479 last year, the fourth highest average compensation rate per job in Michigan, according to data released Monday from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.Read the rest of the story here.

Dexter to discuss five potential sites for new village hall

By Newsroom

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Community Development

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January 7, 2009

First there were eleven, and then there were three and now the Dexter Village Council is back up to five options for the Village Hall.Even though the options seem to fluctuate from more to less and then more again, one thing is consistent."I think there is a general consensus that they want to stay downtown," says Donna Dettling, village manager for Dexter.The options as of now are as follows:- Expanding the fire and police station on 8140 Main St. The $3 million project would triple the size of the 5,000-square-foot structure, building additions to the Alpine Street side and a new fire truck bay.- Renovating the old Tupper Property on Broad Street. The DDA announced plans to purchase and redevelop last year. - Renovating the old Dexter Library building. The Village Council started to follow through on this project in early 2008 but decided against it.- Leasing space in the new Mill Creek Terrace building. That structure is set to be built on the western edge of downtown next year.- Buy and revamp the old Cottage Inn structure on the east side of downtown adjacent to Monument Park. That building is mostly vacant except for one attorney's office there.The Village Council plans to discuss these potential sites at its meeting Monday night.Source: Donna Dettling, village manager for DexterWriter: Jon Zemke

Dexter moves forward with plans for Mill Creek Park

By Newsroom

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Community Development

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January 7, 2009

Dexter officials now have an idea of what the new Mill Creek Park will look like and they hope to start construction on it sometime next year.The plan calls for a combination of urban park with recreational resources and natural areas filled with trees, shrubs and small woodland creatures. The concept is the work of Ann Arbor-based JJR. Village officials plan to add more design details this year while applying for state funding."It could change once we get into the design phase," says Allison Bishop, community development director of the village of Dexter.The park will run alongside approximately one mile of the east bank of Mill Creek between Warrior Creek Park and Shield Road. It will be integrated into the city's proposed river walk, highlighting the section of Mill Creek that borders downtown.The idea behind the park is to open up the creek to more village residents and downtown patrons. The creek has turned into a mud-filled pond over the years as the old damn under the Main Street bridge has aged. The Washtenaw County Road Commission is tearing out that damn, rebuilding the bridge and the creek.Source: Allison Bishop, community development director for the village of DexterWriter: Jon Zemke

Northern United Brewing seeks microbrewery prominence

By Newsroom

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Development News

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December 17, 2008

Bell's and Motor City have long been considered the mainstays of Michigan's microbrewery world. Northern United Brewing hopes to add its name to that list.The micro-brewery received a $1.1 million tax credit from the Michigan Economic Development Corporation to expand its operations in Ann Arbor, Traverse City and Dexter. The company currently owns North Peak Brewing Co. in Traverse City, Jolly Pumpkin Brewing in Dexter, along with Ann Arbor's Grizzly Peak, Café Habana and Blue Tractor restaurants.Northern United plans to use the money to expand its operations in those spaces and create 158 jobs within the next five years, including 67 in its first year. It had been looking at other sites in Ohio and Indiana.Source: Elizabeth Parkison, Ann Arbor SPARKWriter: Jon Zemke

Dexter and Chelsea offer a great deal to shoppers

By Newsroom

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Economic Development

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December 17, 2008

There's more than big-box shopping in Chelsea and Dexter this holiday season. Excerpt: There is a lot of talk about local shopping efforts and the benefits of keeping it local, but I think everyone should make sure to maintain a proper perspective on the issue. Too often in this business we hear arguments about what a community has to offer at the exclusion of all others. But the truth is this: each and every one of these communities has something unique to offer, whether it's to do with the character of the residents that you will have the pleasure of running into on "Main Street" or the products that the business community has to offer. For the purposes of this two-part holiday shopping series we're talking about Dexter and Chelsea. Never have two communities had so much in common. Read the rest of the story here.

Downtown Dexter wraps up streetscape improvements for this year

By Newsroom

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Community Development

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December 3, 2008

The last of the concrete for downtown Dexter's streetscape improvement is being poured this week.The village is spending $731,000 to upgrade one square block between Main, Broad, Jeffords and Forrest streets. The upgrades include new streets, sewers, landscaping, sidewalks, lighting and other amenities.The project is on the west side of its downtown, overlooking the Huron River. The 2-phase project will finish up next year and will complement the adjacent bridge and dam replacement development.Next year the village plans to install the last of the light poles, plant trees and add more parking spaces. The idea is to create a walkable and aesthetically pleasing space to complement the rest of downtown's main drags. Source: Carey Baker, principal of Beckett & RaederWriter: Jon Zemke

Preservationists work to restore Dexter’s landmark Gordon Hall

By Newsroom

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Development News

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December 3, 2008

Dexter's best-known historical structure is taking its first steps on the long road to restoration.The Dexter Historical Society is raising money to replace the roof of Gordon Hall, just west of downtown. Original estimates put roof and chimney repairs at $100,000. That figure was reduced to $30,000 when it became apparent that the chimneys wouldn't have to be rebuilt.So far the society has raised $19,000 and hopes to finish fundraising soon. The society has already purchased the home and surrounding acreage for $1.5 million, replaced the front porch and cleaned up the grounds and surrounding farmland."That's 67 acres that have been farmed ever since the house was built," says Paul Bishop, chair of the Gordon Hall Committee for the Dexter Historical Society. "The historical society wanted to preserve it and the acreage."Judge Dexter, who founded Dexter, built the grand white house in 1841. He lived there for 12 years and the house remained in his family until 1899 when his third wife died. One of Judge Dexter's granddaughters bought it in 1939 and restored it.The University of Michigan purchased the property in 1950 and turned it into four apartments. The society bought it in 2006 with the idea of restoring it to its mid 1800s grandeur."We want to eventually turn it back to what it was in 1865," Bishop says. "That takes a lot of money."It will cost somewhere in the area of $35,000 and $40,000 just to create a master plan for the property, which is the next step after the roof is replaced. Once done, local leaders see the property serving as a great asset for the village."We think it's going to be as important to us as Central Park is to New York," Bishop says. "It's 67 acres that's going to be preserved."Source: Paul Bishop, chair of the Gordon Hall Committee for the Dexter Historical SocietyWriter: Jon Zemke

First two homes of Cedars of Dexter retirement development done

By Newsroom

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Development News

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November 12, 2008

Some thing old. Something new. Both are just outside downtown Dexter.The United Methodist Retirement Communities have finished building the first two homes of the The Cedars of Dexter development. The rest will be built once the development has secured 36 deposits on the homes."We hope to have our first residents move in by the winder of 2010," says Stacey Olson, director of marketing and public relations for United Methodist Retirement CommunitiesThe project calls for 60 craftsman-style houses on 15 acres in an old farm field just on the other side of train tracks of downtown Dexter. The single-family homes will range in size from 1,500 to 1,900 square feet and come with an attached garage. The smaller will have two bedrooms and two bathrooms. The larger will have all of that and a den. There will also be a clubhouse in the development that comes with room for a spa, casual and fine dinning and life-learning studio space.The homes range in price between $189,000 and $309,000, along with an entry fee.Source: Stacey Olson, director of marketing and public relations for United Methodist Retirement CommunitiesWriter: Jon Zemke