SHELBY - Two corners in downtown Shelby are scheduled to be under construction very soon, according to a report from Village Manager Phil Morse at Tuesday’s Shelby Village Council meeting.
Presented that evening were renderings of two downtown projects being undertaken by Shelby Village Holdings LLC, one to begin construction for a new, two-story residential/commercial unit; another to begin site prep for a new, three-story residential/commercial unit, both by mid-September.
Construction of the anticipated residential unit at the corner of 4th Street and Michigan Avenue, to be named “The Browne,” has been in the works for a number of months. The new mixed-use building will be two-storied, with the ground floor featuring three commercial spaces as well as a residential-only laundry room, and eight residential units on the second floor.
“The name of the new building came from former Shelby resident, Samuel A. Browne, a prominent businessman, who along with other individuals, purchased the original 40-acre farm which today is the Village of Shelby,” Morse shared.
The second project set to begin mid-September is the demolition of the former Rankin Hardware building at the corner of 3rd Street and Michigan Avenue. The demolition would make way for the proposed “Shelby Commons.” If approved, this three-story residential unit would feature eight units on both the second and third floors for a total of 16 residential units; and a proposed two commercial units on the first floor.
“The really neat feature of ‘The Shelby Commons’ is the rooftop patio,” Morse pointed out on the rendering he shared with council. “Future construction proposed for the other side of the street (south of 3rd Street and Michigan Avenue) will mirror the construction on this corner. Morse added that the renderings council was viewing were paid for by the MEDC (Michigan Economic Development Commission), a benefit of the village’s Redevelopment Ready Community designation.
According to a spreadsheet prepared and presented by Morse, the cost to build The Browne is an estimated $4 million; the rent being considered would range from $1,000 to $1,400 per month, with the estimated years to pay off the cost of the building being anywhere from 21.6 to 30.3 years, based on what amount of rent is charged for each unit.
The estimated cost to build The Shelby Commons is $8.5 million; the approximate rent being considered also ranges from $1,000 to $1,400 per month, with the estimated years to pay off the building from 28.1 to 39.4 years.
Morse noted the water and sewer income that could be realized per year based on the village’s 2026 rates and two usage units per commercial/residential unit, as $9,213 for The Browne and $12,684 for The Shelby Commons. The water and sewer income generated by Shelby Acres, once the development is fully complete, is expected to be $52,015.
Public participation followed Morse’s report, and resident Leo Padot addressed the council, saying, "I've lived here for six years. I love Shelby. I love the old buildings. I think you need to have a presentation for the public, like you did for the water and sewer rates. I haven’t seen this reported in the Echo or any village newsletter. I don’t think people know what is going on. I commend you guys for what you are doing, but I think you need to save the historic buildings (old fire department, false-front buildings) and let people know what is going on. Otherwise it’s going to be ‘Anywhere, USA.'”
Village President John Sutton replied, saying they had toured the old fire department building and it is in need of a lot of work, including electrical and ADA compliance. DPW Superintendent Jeremiah Hellenhouse told those assembled the village had already decided that any historical parts of the building that could be saved would be utilized elsewhere.
The Oceana Echo reached out to Morse following Tuesday’s meeting for further clarification. “I understand why people may say, ‘Why don’t we know?’ However, if a zoning request aligns with our village zoning laws, we have to approve it. That’s why you need good zoning ordinances. It’s not our place to advertise what is taking place. It’s not prudent or appropriate. ‘The Browne’ project has already gone through the Planning Commission. 'The Shelby Commons’ has not. The demo permit (allowing them to start demolition) is an administrative action, not council action. I only brought it before council last night because I have been involved in a lot of discussions as part of the village’s Vision and Implementation Team.”
Morse invites all residents to sign up for village updates and information on social media by subscribing to the village’s YouTube channel (@villageofshelby218), or following their Facebook page (VillageOfShelby). Residents and stakeholders can join the 207 residents and stakeholders also receiving regular emails by visiting the village’s website www.shelbyvillage.com, going to the “Contact Us” tab and selecting “Sign up for Alerts.”
The next Shelby Village Council meeting is scheduled for Monday, Sept. 14 at 6 p.m. The next village Planning Commission meeting is scheduled for September 15 at 6 p.m.
