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May 25, 2023 ASSOCIATED NEWSPAPERS OF MICHIGAN PAGE 3

PLYMOUTH
PLYMOUTH

Luxury restaurant proposed at former Station 885

Don Soenen has proven his He said he felt the demograph-
respect for historic preservation ics of the area could support his
in Plymouth. Soenen was instru- plans. The liquor license from
mental, along with businessman the former operators has
Mark Malcolm, in preserving already been transferred to
Central Middle School which Soenen.
has become the fully occupied The plans include a 500-
Plymouth Arts and Recreation square-foot dining room and a
Complex in downtown 745-square-foot event space,
Plymouth. along with coolers, kitchens and
Soenen has now turned his storage rooms. While some
sights on the former Station 885 parts of the historic structure
restaurant next to the railroad will be removed, architect
tracks in Old Village. He pre- Robert Miller of M Architects,
sented plans to the Plymouth Inc. said elements of the former
Planning Commission this train-themed operation will be
month outlining his concept of a maintained in the much more
new fine dining restaurant in contemporary design plan.
the Starkweather Street build- Miller said the outdoor seating
ing. The building was a main- area in front of the building will
stay of the Plymouth community become part of the restaurant
for more than 30 years when it interior and outdoor seating
was known as Station 885. moved to the rear of the restau-
Soenen has owned the 90- rant. The former Station 885 on Starkweather Street in Plymouth Old Village may soon become a high-end
year-old building for more than City Planning Consultant restaurant with entertainment if plans are approved by city officials.
three years, he said, and told Sally Elmiger of Carlisle
planning commissioners that he Wortman Associates Inc., had She said the impact on neigh- responded that the current sin- incorporating the concerns of
has plans to convert the site into questions about that portion of borhood residents would need gle access to the parking lot the commissioners, including
a "somewhat pricey" restaurant the plan along with the proposal to be considered along with the could impact or delay emer- more islands in the parking lot.
featuring entertainment "appro- to allow entrance to the building compatibility of the modern gency vehicles. He added that He said he hopes to open the
priate for fine dining clientele." parking lot from Davis Street. design in Old Village. Soenen he would return revised plans new restaurant early in 2024.

Repairs to Mayflower Building could stall downtown traffic

Travelers on Main Street in trucks and scissor lifts are utilized
downtown Plymouth will have in the area.
another area of traffic snarls and The project is expected to take
land closures with the ongoing approximately six weeks, but
repairs to the Mayflower Building. schedules may vary due to weath-
Work began on the balconies of er conditions, materials and other
the building at the intersection of factors, Plymale said.
Main Street and Ann Arbor Trail He cautioned drivers to
last week, according to Sam reduce speesd and pedestrians to
Plymale of the Downtown exercise caution around the work
Development Authority. zone.
Crews will be removing and The Mayflower project is in
replacing all of the balconies on addition to ongoing major work of
the building, he said, and drivers Consumers Power which has
can expect lane closures and side- reduced Main Street to two lanes
walk closures during work hours and the city funded reconstruc-
from 7 a.m. through 3 p.m. tion of sections of the public park-
Monday through Friday as boom ing deck in downtown.