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Owner seeks OPRA aid to rehab 1891 Bell Tower building into public venue and potential housing
Summary
Lindsey Dotson, owner of the historic 224 Michigan St. bell tower building, asked Petoskey City Council to begin an OPRA application to support roughly $1,000,000 in rehabilitation work, citing contamination remediation needs, ADA upgrades and phased plans for an event venue with later housing units.
Lindsey Dotson, the owner of the historic building at 224 Michigan Street, told Petoskey City Council on Dec. 15 that she plans to restore the 1891 structure — historically a Seventh‑day Adventist Church and listed on the National Register of Historic Places — and asked the council to begin the OPRA application process to support the work.
Dotson said the building faces substantial deferred maintenance, including roofing and original knob‑and‑tube wiring, is not ADA accessible and currently has restricted basement use because of contamination linked to a neighboring dry cleaner. She said a remediation firm, referred to in the presentation as Eagle, is developing a mitigation system; at present the site is considered safe for short (eight‑hour) occupancy but not for residential use.
Dotson described an adaptive‑reuse plan that would open the main floor as a year‑round performance and event venue for weddings, concerts and classes, use the basement initially for creative studio space, and consider adding residential units later. She said the project will use historic tax credits and adhere to the Secretary of the Interior’s standards for rehabilitation.
Council members pressed for specifics. Dotson said architects and structural engineers (Quinn Evans was named as a consultant team) must confirm whether housing can be added without major structural lifts; adding residences would require fire suppression systems and other upgrades. She estimated the total investment at “at least $1,000,000” and said an initial rehabilitation to make the building function as an event space would take about 18 months from work that began in July.
Dotson requested the maximum allowable OPRA term of 12 years to support the phased work. Council and staff asked for a more detailed financial breakdown and documentation to justify the requested term; Dotson said she will return with spreadsheets and supporting numbers at a future meeting.
The presentation also covered ownership and operating structure: Dotson said she is a 50% owner of the property and described a nonprofit component being formed to operate the training and programming side of the project while a private entity retains ownership. Rezoning to the Central Business District was discussed as a possible strategy to address parking and use restrictions.
Council did not take formal action on the OPRA request at the Dec. 15 meeting. Staff and Dotson agreed to continue the conversation and bring more detailed cost, financing and remediation data to a future council meeting.
