Waterford trustees back new consolidated community center plan, signal demolition of Levinson Hall

Trustees in Waterford Township on Monday reviewed schematic designs for a proposed community center at the OCC campus and signaled support to proceed with the option that removes Levinson Hall and adds a consolidated Student Center with a new gym, expanded kitchen and outdoor plaza.

The design team from Newman Smith Architecture described a reduced-size schematic (about 10,000 square feet smaller than an earlier concept) intended to control construction costs while preserving key amenities: a full high-school-sized gym with cross courts and three pickleball/cross courts, an elevated walking track, a two-story community room that can seat about 220 with partitions open, and a reconfigured kitchen to support Meals on Wheels. Jim Stock of Newman Smith said the team “started to look at the building and and how we can consolidate space and make the building, less big,” explaining the reductions were meant to avoid escalating construction and operational expenses.

Parks and Recreation Director Allison Swanson told trustees the project is timed to expand services for residents of all ages and emphasized the kitchen and bistro will support congregate meals and outreach. “July is National Parks and Recreation Month,” Swanson said, “we are celebrating their theme this year which is building together and we are going to be building our community center.”

Board members focused much of the discussion on whether to preserve the newer portion of Levinson Hall or to demolish it and create an open courtyard in its place. Trustees who supported demolition cited operational efficiency, grade/topography constraints and schedule risk if the board attempted to renovate Levinson instead of building additions to the Student Center. Vice-chair and construction adviser Jeff (last name withheld in the transcript) and Trustee Gary Wall said the site's soil, grade and building layout made retrofitting Levinson costly and complex. Trustee 13 noted that keeping Levinson would require changes that could push the project schedule back as much as 18 months and increase costs by multiple millions of dollars, citing a staff estimate presented during the discussion.

Trustee Sam (speaker 3) asked for more time and requested side-by-side cost comparisons before committing. He emphasized the board had not yet seen a full alternate cost analysis for retaining Levinson Hall and suggested a brief delay for more complete financial comparisons and options.

Project staff and the construction manager said the feasibility study and earlier budgeting accounted for demolition and renovation costs and that some design choices — including an elevated track and single staffed entry/control point — made consolidation on the Student Center site preferable. Robert (project manager) said the team would continue refining construction documents and cost estimates and reminded trustees that fully investigating the alternate Levinson scenario would require additional consultant fees and more time.

The board did not take a formal, recorded vote on the Levinson question at the meeting, but after extended discussion the chair sought a direction and concluded there was board consensus to move forward with the presented schematic that removes Levinson Hall and advances additions to the Student Center. Designer Jim Stock said the team would proceed with the approach shown and return with refined documents and cost details.

The next formal deliverable is a schematic-design submission for the board packet; staff had earlier indicated a target packet date near August 19, though scheduling could shift while the team incorporates requested changes and any additional cost work-ups. The meeting closed with public comment expressing support for the project and a procedural motion to adjourn.