Gingellville could evolve into a second downtown destination for Orion Township, as visioning sessions have revealed what residents would like to see happen with the historic area.
The sessions took place almost two years ago, and Gingellville resident Sue Dorris, marketing coordinator for Oakland County Economic Development and Community Affairs, said number one on everyone’s mind was traffic improvements.
‘We talked about Gingellville as defined by the village overlay plan, which is Maybee Road to Morgan,? Dorris said. ‘Everyone is worried about traffic…Baldwin Road unites, and divides, Gingellville.?
Preliminary engineering to plan for the widening of Baldwin Road is set to begin soon, but the actual project could still be years in the future as funds have not been available.
Dorris said residents are concerned about how Baldwin should look and function, to help make Gingellville a ‘walkable community.?
Walkability has been something developers in the area are trying to cater more to, she said.
‘There’s a boulevard option, that kind of softens the look of the area,? said Dorris. ‘Engineering (studies) will help determine if that is possible.?
At the same time as some of the traffic woes are solved, Dorris said many residents want to be able to maintain the historic character of Gingellville.
‘Like Proper School…can we keep part of it?? she said. ‘And the area of Gregory and Baldwin…that’s the heart of Gingellville. That’s where the Gingellville brothers had their store.?
Dorris uses her own time and resources to maintain a website, www.gingellville.com, chronicling the history, present and future of the area.
Having lived in Gingellville since 2000, Dorris and her husband were drawn to the area both for the space and the history.
‘The history and character is what attracted us,? she said. ‘But we knew this area was going to develop.?
Great Lakes Crossing Mall, between Joslyn and Baldwin Roads near I-75, paved the way and now the Gingellville area is to receive four of the 14 proposed developments currently in the works in Orion Township.
On the township’s list are: Village Square Planned Unit Development at the southwest corner of Baldwin and Maybee (62 attached residential units with retail/mixed use space); and Gingell Towne Square Planned Unit Development at the east side of Baldwin and north of Judah (114 units of one and two story condos, as well as retail).
Also in Gingellville: Orion Ridge Planned Unit Development at northwest corner of Baldwin and Maybee (51 attached two-bedroom condos); and Orion Village Crossing at the southeast corner of Baldwin and Maybee (retail mix with 74 multiple family units).
Township zoning/planning administrator Beth McGuire said the Master Plan gives Gingellville a ‘village center designation.?
‘From Judah to Maybee,? she said. ‘Orion Village Crossing was originally zoned to be a big shopping center.?
Instead, the township has worked with the developer to get a mixed use at the site.
‘Instead of having the big box (stores), you have more residential and commercial places that are more friendly to residents,? McGuire said.
‘I kind of think of it as a second downtown area,? Orion Township Supervisor Jerry Dywasuk said. ‘It’s not convenient for everyone to go to the village.?
Long-time residents of Gingellville are choosing to stay, working to keep the area unique.
‘It’s important to them,? Dorris said. ‘That’s why we had the visioning sessions…I thought it was important that if it’s going to develop, they get feedback. It becomes a win-win situation.?
Although Dorris would like to see the area stay as it is, she knows development in Gingellville is inevitable.
‘It’s what we refer to in Oakland County as ‘smart growth,?? she said. ‘We want to make the community walkable and maintain the history.
‘When the IGA closed, that’s what got me started,? Dorris said. ‘That was the focal point. You’d meet your neighbor there…there needs to be more of that.?
Dorris would also like to see a park in Gingellville.
‘That residents here can walk to,? she said. ‘So you have some kind of focal point to draw people. We need to retain that open space, and right now not all of the park areas in the township are accessible to all the residents here.?
A market study of the area would reveal what types of businesses residents would support.
‘We need some type of ‘green grocer,?? Dorris said, ‘With fresh fruit and meat/deli and flowers…that would serve as a meeting place.
Although Great Lakes Athletic Club (on Baldwin Road) has been a great addition, Dorris wishes it was a little more accessible to all the residents.
‘But it’s a for-profit business,? she said.
Increasing numbers of condominiums and single-family homes will attract more residents to Gingellville in the near future, adding to the already serious traffic problems.
‘It adds to the roads,? Dorris said. ‘Troy went through this back in the 1970s. There were two-lane roads and then the businesses came.?
Developers have been listening to the residents, and the township has ‘bent over backwards? to work with them, Dorris said.
Township planning commission chairman Robert Pote lives in Gingellville, which she said has given the residents a presence on that board.
‘They want to work with us,? she said. ‘Maybe we could apply some of the principles of the Main Street Program here…We get a lot of pass-through traffic from Baldwin, we need places they’ll stop off and frequent.?
Now that the township has a plan for Gingellville, the next step will be to keep working with the developers, Dorris said.
‘There are some zoning issues left,? she said. ‘Businesses should fit the zoning…Gingellville is not just a widening in the road, it’s a community.?