The long-abandoned and blighted Old Feed Mill in Buchanan is set to be demolished, thanks to a State Land Bank grant.
Buchanan City Manager Tony McGhee tells us that the city secured this demolition grant from Berrien County.
“Those mills were a critical economic driver within the community,” McGhee says. “It gave a place for our agricultural businesses to drop off their product for ship off to the market from the rails right there. Obviously times have changed and the needs of the community have changed.”
McGhee stated that the city has been actively working on the demolition process, which includes addressing issues with the old building. Demolition is scheduled to begin on April 23rd and is expected to be completed within four to six weeks. The city has plans to redevelop the parcel with the vision of attracting new residents and creating jobs.
“We’re going to be looking at that site for some combination of commercial use and housing development,” McGhee says. “As a gateway to the community, it really gives us the opportunity to create a new identity. You should come into Buchanan there and meet some of our commercial needs and our residential needs here locally.”
During the demolition, there will be heavy construction in the area. However, the city assures that no road closures are anticipated for this project.
