By Jessica Mathews / news@whmi.com


The Fenton Downtown Development Authority Board met virtually Tuesday night and approved the sale of the Fenton Fire Hall Restaurant.

The City and DDA have been working with CHAR BAR Fenton LLC on a lease with option to purchase agreement. The Downtown Development Authority is selling two parcels known as the Fenton Fire Hall Restaurant and Pumphouse Custard, both off South LeRoy Street. The Pumphouse is the restaurant’s ice-cream operation. The DDA and the buyer entered into a lease agreement in August of 2012 in which the buyer acted as a tenant to the DDA, with the option to purchase the Fenton Firehall prior to the lease expiring. Another lease with the same stipulations was worked out for the Pumphouse parcel.

The DDA is selling the remaining portion of the land at 201 South LeRoy Street to the City, which includes the parking lot area. It was originally one parcel but split into three so there are three sales deeds and the remaining parcel is being sold back to the City.

It was stated during the meeting that the DDA has been working with CHAR BAR – which is the entity under Union Joints. Years ago there was a process for vetting developers or investors that would take the old Fire Station and turn it into something of worth and value and create an attraction- which Assistant City Manager/Economic Development Director Michael Hart commented the current owners have done that and then some. Per initial documents, they had an option to acquire the property if they performed after so many years. Hart said they’ve been working their tails off the last two years with various entities to put everything together and a lot of time and energy has gone into getting everything wrapped up and to the point of closing.

It was a journey that started 8 or 9 years ago at a time when the downtown wasn’t nearly as busy as it is today according to City Manager Lynn Markland. He said the old fire hall had been sitting empty for a number of years and the City was looking for someone to come in and put in a restaurant to create a bridge between Dibbleville and the other part of downtown. Markland says they put together a proposal and several people presented opportunities. He says they originally picked a different company, Michigan Brewing Company, that never really did anything and eventually went out of business so they rebooted and held more presentations – adding he thinks the DDA and selection committee made a great choice.

Markland noted the vote wasn’t unanimous for Union Joints but they ended up doing a great job and invested around $3 (m) million into the facility and created at least 100 jobs. In meantime, he says the City completed the Streetscape project and Cornerstone building along with other restaurants and projects in the downtown but the Fire Hall was one of the first they were able to get off the ground. Markland said thinks it’s been a great project and continues to be an asset to the downtown area, noting he’s very happy way its progressed and worked out for both the DDA and City and for the company. He added it helped create more tax base for the DDA, jobs in the community and the bridge they were looking for.

DDA Board Chairman Craig Schmidt commented it was a true catalyst to be the jump start for the vision of downtown and it really worked out so well – both with what they did with the building and how they run their business.

The DDA approved a resolution and documents related to the sale and authorized the DDA Director to sign any documents related to the closing and transfer of the title and deed for the property. Documents will before the Fenton City Council next week for final approvals. Further, there were said to be restrictive covenants on the property that will continue but additional covenants are being added to restrict the use and consumption of marijuana products, which will also be subject to Council approval. Facebook photos.