Lake Orion DDA Transforming Former Lumberyard into Community Space
(Orion ONTV and Crystal Proxmire, Sept. 15, 2025)
Lake Orion, MI – What started out as a piece of property with overgrown vegetation and collapsed old buildings is finally taking shape as the Lake Orion Downtown Development Authority moves forward with repurposing the former Lake Orion Lumber Property.
The DDA, which is an organization created to reinvest a portion of property tax growth that would otherwise be passed on to other entities, like the state and county, in making improvements and maintaining the vibrancy of downtown areas. Downtown organizations manage those funds for the collective benefit of the areas they serve, providing support for local businesses, placemaking features, promotions and events to attract shoppers and diners to the area, development support for attracting new businesses, and strategic investments such as those being made at the lumberyard property. Without this community-driven purchasing power, the property would likely have been sold to a private developer.
The property was purchased in 2022, with the intent that community members would take time to consider possibilities for what might be done there. $5 million in bonds were issued for the project, which the DDA is repaying through their tax capture process. After multiple meetings and charettes for public input, the lumberyard space is finally starting to take shape. The name selected for the project pays homage to the trail which runs along the back of the property – Lumberyard at Paint Creek.
DDA Director Matt Gibb gave Oakland County Times a tour of the property earlier this year. He also did a video tour with Orion Township Treasurer Matt Pfeiffer, produced by Orion ONTV. There is also a page on the DDA’s website that shares documents related to the project, including updates along the way.
“This is the gateway to Downtown Lake Orion, and we really waned it to be a space that the community can use and enjoy,” Gibb told Oakland County Times.
The most prominent feature is the large barn that was used by the lumberyard. The barn is being transformed into an event space. There will be free public events as well as the opportunity to rent out the space for weddings and other gatherings.
Because the property housed a lumberyard, many of the materials needed to repair the barn are already onsite. Beautifully aged slabs are being used to fix gaps in the most prominent places, preserving the rustic look of the space. Local art will fill the walls as well.
It took months to clean out the barn and access the necessary repairs. One main wall at the back of the barn has many gaps, leading Gibb and his team to consider how it might look with large windows. Architects are currently working on how best to accomplish that.
Several giant barn doors are being restored, so that a section of the barn can have an open-air feel to it when the weather is right. There’s also expected to be a small coffee shop and a place to get craft beer open during events inside the barn.
Next to the barn is a long pavilion which once housed varying lengths and types of lumber. The structure is divided into sections, which soon will mark sections for vendor booths setting up in the space for special events, and possibly a farmer’s market.
A path through the center of the property will provide access to a playground, with equipment donated by Clawson Schools. The path also connects with the Paint Creek Trail at the back of the property. An old storage building will provide a scenic, and practical, place for bicyclists to rest and to repair their rides.
Closer to Broadway, there will be businesses coming in, including a bakery that is expected to occupy one building that’s being restored at the main entrance to the property. The façade has been restored to 1920s charm, with a fresh coat of soft green paint and new windows, the work is coming along. In front of the building an historical feature has been preserved – a giant scale that was once used to weigh coal.
And of course an important part of the plan is parking. A section of the property will be used to add over 100 spaces as well as a loading area for vendors and those using the barn and market stalls.
Much of the past year has been spent getting required testing and permits for the site, removing dilapidated buildings, and clearing out rubbish. Over 113 commercial-sized dumpsters have been filled so far. Six semi truck trailers were removed. And 2,500 gallons of paint in containers of all sizes had to be properly disposed of.
But they’ve not just been hauling everything out; they’ve been carefully looking at what could be saved and re-used. This includes carefully looking at the 14 structures that needed to be removed, and using materials from them strategically. Four additional buildings were able to be saved and repurposed.
“We salvaged material,” Gibb said in the ONTV tour. “Instead of bringing in a bulldozer and bulldozing this whole site like most developers would, we said ‘what can we save that’s 100 years old and repurpose it into the history of the site.”
Treasurer Pfeiffer added “This is a historic project. This is really where Lake Orion starts and the idea of saving every piece that can be saved and re-utilized, I think is super cool. I think the residents really appreciate that extra level of effort and detail.”
Now that the property is cleared and the buildings that will remain have been determined, the DDA is going through the site planning process which must be approved by the Village. They continue to be open to public input and ideas. “The more input we get, the better the results will be,” Pfeiffer said.
Comprehensive information and contact info is available on the Lake Orion DDA website.
