A formerly dilapidated building in downtown Marcellus will receive new life thanks to a program of the Cass County Land Bank Authority.
Land bank chair Hope Anderson tells us the county has been using state blight elimination grants to demolish blighted buildings and rehab salvageable buildings for a few years now.
“In round one, we did several demolitions,” Anderson said. “Round two, we did several demolitions of unsafe, blighted, vacant structures in the county. Round two even included the demolition of a former Lincoln Elementary in the city of Dowagiac, another eyesore, a dangerous structure similar to the village of Marcellus where it was drawing illegal activity because they had been just open to that type of thing…So between all four rounds, we are administering $4.3 million in blight elimination grants across the county.”
This year’s project concerned 140 East Main Street in Marcellus, formerly home to the Tailgater Restaurant. The building owned by the village has been vacant for many years, and Anderson says it was in such a terrible state the village declared it dangerous and boarded it up in 2023.
“The structure had been tagged as a dangerous structure. The roof is heavily damaged and structurally unsound, posing a significant risk of collapse. There’s evidence of people squatting in the structure. Multiple windows were not secured and or broken. The rooms contain raw garbage, broken furniture, a stove and a refrigerator in disrepair.”
Anderson says the ceiling was collapsing, there was exposed wiring, and the moss on the floor was so thick that it could be mistaken as carpet when looking at photos. Supported by funds from the village, the land bank secured a state grant of $350,000 to fix the place up at a total cost of $441,000.
“It had asbestos surveys done, asbestos abatement done, the assessment and the abatement of both lead and asbestos. And then it replaced the roof, replaced the foundation repair, stabilized the interior.”
Anderson says the building is now prepped for a new developer, whoever that may be.
“That’s the hope, that we’ve now stabilized it and that a developer is going to come in and be ready to give it new life. Obviously, there were barriers to development because of the disrepair that it was in. And it’s a central downtown location. It was even becoming unsafe to the neighboring buildings. So we’ve at least got it to the point now where a developer can come in there and decide what they want to do.”
Anderson says the first floor could be commercial, while the second floor could be residential, should the village find the right partner.
“It was so important to the village of Marcellus and to the DDA in Marcellus that they were willing to put forth money for the stabilization of the building as well.”
Anderson says this project represents one of the top blight elimination projects to be supported by the state this year, something locals are proud of. She tells us the next priority, in round four of the ongoing blight elimination effort countywide, is to rehab a building at 117 South Broadway in Cassopolis, putting in seven apartments. That work is slated for this year.
The village of Marcellus says the project at 140 East Main reflected its goals of meeting demand for housing and commercial space in the area, along with downtown revitalization.
Some photos of the Marcellus building are below.
Before:
During the rehab:
