Saugatuck Township Hall redesign aims to spark development of walkable corridor 

Saugatuck Township Hall will have a major exterior transformation this spring.

The dated building will become a more accessible, welcoming, and pedestrian-focused community space along the Blue Star Highway Corridor.

The project is intended to go beyond aesthetics. The goal is to illustrate an approach that uses public investment, community input, and thoughtful design to guide future development.

“We really see the opportunity to be part of the vehicle for change,” says Township Manager Daniel DeFranco. “We need to activate this space. We need to be the leader for that change.”

The 4,000-square-foot building, at 3461 Blue Star Highway, will receive a clearly defined accessible entrance, a resurfaced façade, updated lighting, and new signage.

 A covered walkway canopy wrapping around the building will anchor the design, while the front parking lot will be converted into a pedestrian plaza.

Parking will shift to the rear, making room for a rain garden, native landscaping, and new trees.

‘Started from scratch’

The redesign builds on an interior renovation completed in 2023, which DeFranco says also followed a community-driven process.

“We approached the architect and essentially asked them to start the project from scratch,” he says. “I established a steering committee. We had board members and people from the public with architecture and design experience, and we started from scratch with the whole thing.”

The process began by listening to those who use the building.

“We interviewed the staff, we interviewed the board of trustees to figure out what the actual needs were, and then worked with the architect to redesign the interior,” DeFranco says.

The feedback gathered led to a redesigned interior focused on accessibility, functionality, and user experience. This includes a conference room that replaces more formal public meeting setups.

“You come into our conference room and you have a conversation at the same table,” he says. “It’s more of a human connection, a human touch.”

The exterior project extends that approach outdoors while also addressing broader community challenges such as walkability, housing, and corridor safety.

“It’s about beautifying the space and maintaining that asset for the future and creating kind of an identity for the township,” DeFranco says. “But it’s also part of a bigger story: the transformation and revitalization of the Blue Star Highway corridor.”

Serving aesthetics, function

Built in 1976 and shared with the Michigan State Police, Township Hall has seen little exterior improvement in nearly 50 years. The redesign reimagines how the space functions, replacing what DeFranco describes as “a big, ugly parking lot in front” with a plaza designed for gathering and everyday use.

The project also includes practical features. The covered walkway, for example, was designed with elections in mind.

“We wanted to be functional as well,” DeFranco says. “Why not create this really cool covered walkway so that when we do have elections … there’s actually a place for people to stand under.”

Landscaping will feature native, drought-resistant plants and organic design elements that can serve as an example for future development.

“The organic shapes were very important to us, and all the landscape is native planting,” he says. “We can showcase for developers the kind of landscape aesthetic that we have.”

The township’s capital improvement fund and a $185,000 rehabilitation and placemaking grant from the Michigan Economic Development Corporation paid for the project.

“These upgrades build on community input and the township’s vision for creating a pedestrian-friendly space that is inclusive, resilient, and environmentally conscious,” DeFranco says. “By prioritizing accessibility and sustainability, we are creating a public gathering space that reflects our stewardship to both the community and environment.”

Renovations began this week and are expected to be completed in July. Progressive Companies is the architect and general contractor.

DeFranco says the project goes beyond a single building and points to how the corridor can evolve.

“It’s also part of a bigger story of the transformation and revitalization of the Blue Star Highway corridor,” he says. “We really see the opportunity to be part of the vehicle for change.”