Township Calls Back Original Architect to Restore Unique Look of Town Center

Macomb Township officials are hoping a blast from the past will support continued construction in Macomb Town Center and assure residents that the unique plan for their historically themed subdivision has not been abandoned.

Acting on a recommendation from the , the township board voted Wednesday to bring the project’s original architect, John Dziurman, back to review current and future building plans for the 24 Mile Road neighborhood.

“If I’m a builder and I want to build in Town Center, there is an architectural code, and the architectural code says it has to be of neighborhoods before (such as Victorian in style),” said Supervisor Mark Grabow. “(Architectural review is) crucial in order to maintain that look because our building department looks at it and says, ‘Yes, it meets the building code,’ but there is a difference between that and the intended design code.”

In recent months, to voice their concerns that builders are not preserving the neighborhood’s established style.

“When we met with the developers we stressed, ‘We do not want a cookie cutter-type style home,'” said Town Center resident Scott Anderson . “It was all agreed upon that these ordinances that are already in place would be adhered to” and the “historical portion of this subdivision” maintained.

Reacting to concerns that the building code was far too specific, the board made significant changes in July 2011 to “make it easier to work with developers and build housing” in Town Center, said Lawrence Dloski, township attorney. “But (current building) seems to have gotten away from the township plan after those sections were devised.”

“The concern is that what’s being constructed (now) does not meet the traditional neighborhood code and is not in conformance with the existing code which says that the construction must relate site-to-site and building-to-building,” he added.

By bringing Dziurman back into the process, the township hopes to preserve the turn-of-the-century look of the homes in Town Center without causing too much headache for builders.

“The architectural review is going to help eliminate the problems that we’re having,” Grabow said. “Although it seems there is an attempt (by current builders) to create something (in the older style)–and they are absolutely beautiful homes–they don’t belong side-by-side at this point because that’s not the area that’s intended for that.”

In talking with Dziurman, Grabow said he believes the township, architect and builders will be able to work together to “create something that works there with what has already been built” without having to tear down any of the new homes.

will serve as the supervising body for Dziurman and any major changes proposed to the architectural or building codes for Town Center will come before the board of trustees for approval.

For Town Center residents, the assurance that their “unique” subdivision would remain so was well worth the countless visits and phone calls to Town Hall in past months.

“Thank you a bazillion, zillion times,,” said Barb Tomaszewski, a Town Center resident. “We’re so appreciative.”