YPSILANTI, MI – Two Ypsilanti buildings are set to be demolished within the near future, including a fire-damaged former ice cream stand at a major gateway point into the city that has sat rotting for at least ten years.
The Ypsilanti City Council voted unanimously to uphold the City’s Dangerous Buildings Hearing Officer ruling that the properties at 539 S. Huron Street and 601 E Michigan Avenue be demolished within the next 60 days. Meanwhile, the council modified orders for two residential properties, giving their owners additional time to secure financing, complete sales or pull permits.
The 601 East Michigan Avenue property, which the city council said is highly visible to people entering Ypsilanti from Michigan Avenue, has accumulated over 100 enforcement actions since its last business occupancy in 1987. Despite the owner’s consistent payment of fines and taxes, no progress was made on building repairs, according to city staffers. It was placed on the dangerous buildings list in 2014…