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Here you'll find status updates for the Belle Isle courts.
This includes renovation status & completion dates.
Should you care to share comments, please post them on the Member Forum Page.
Dateline December 20, 2019: MHA member Ted Grammatico took the reins with his never-give-up attitude and helped tremendously in our quest to save the courts. Ted introduced us to an independent engineer to make an assessment of the ceiling structure. The goal of hiring the consultant was to overturn the State of Michigan MDNR determination that the roof is not salvageable and must be demolished. Our engineer inspected the roof along with Ted and MHA Board members Michael MacDonald and Stewart Shevin. It was determined the ceiling was well worth the repair. It could indeed be less than the cost to demolish the roof. Our understanding is that the MDNR has about $60,000 left in their budget to demolish the roof, shore up the wall caps and paint the walls. If we can circumnavigate these funds for our suggested repairs, everyone wins. Michael took this initial finding to the MDNR's monthly meeting at the Island on December 19. They agreed to hear us out in more detail. The next step is to write up an engineering methodology and meet with the MDNR's engineer and architect along with Amanda Treadwell, the MDNR's Urban Field Planner. If accepted, we will have the engineer draw up plans for repair. I do want to express some realities we've found in working with the State of Michigan. First, the bureaucracy of the State's structure is a tough ship to turn around. To suggest an engineer they hired gave them incorrect information could be cause for "egg on the face" syndrome. We will fill you in on updates as they arise. Stewart Shevin |
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