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Oakland County allocates $5 million in ARPA funds to move historic Holly train depot
Summary
The Oakland County Board of Commissioners allocated $5,000,000 of ARPA funding to Main Street Oakland County to support placemaking projects, including relocating a 140‑year‑old train depot in the village of Holly to a site across from the Holly Hotel to create a historic plaza.
OAKLAND COUNTY, Mich. — The Oakland County Board of Commissioners has allocated $5,000,000 in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds to Main Street Oakland County for placemaking projects, including moving a 140‑year‑old train depot in the village of Holly, a county spokesperson said.
"Imagine moving a 140 year old train station," the host said in introducing the interview. John Bry, administrator of local business development and Main Street Oakland County program coordinator, discussed the project and funding during the interview.
Bry said Holly was one of the beneficiaries of the county funding and described the depot’s historical importance. "It was the first train depot in Michigan that was built at the intersection of two rail systems, and it's one of the few historic train depots that survive in Oakland County today," Bry said.
Bry said the building had been vacant for years because it could no longer be used safely due to its proximity to active tracks. He described the technical challenge and expense of lifting and moving the brick depot — which he said does not rest on a basement — and placing it closer to the downtown core.
Under the plan Bry outlined, the depot will be moved to a site directly across the street from the Holly Hotel and the entrance to Battle Alley. Bry said the relocation is intended to create a cluster plaza of historic structures and a new public place for downtown Holly.
The transcript does not specify a construction schedule, the full funding breakdown or the formal county resolution or motion language authorizing the allocation. The interview credits the Oakland County ARPA allocation as financing for the placemaking projects; details such as contract awards, mover/second for the county action and the exact timeline for the depot move were not specified in the provided transcript.
Officials and preservation partners still must finalize engineering, permitting and contracting steps before a physical move can occur. The project’s proponents said they expect the relocation to enhance downtown Holly’s historic character and public access.
