The office space at 20 South Main Street, currently marked as the Oakland University Anton/Frankel Center, was purchased by the Mount Clemens City Commission on Sept. 15 to serve as the future City Hall and fire station pending renovations.
By: Dean Vaglia | Mount Clemens-Clinton-Harrison Journal | Published September 28, 2025
MOUNT CLEMENS — City commissioners unanimously approved the $1.5 million purchase of a downtown office space for City Hall at the commission’s Sept. 15 meeting.
Formerly housing the Oakland University Anton/Frankel Center, the office space at 20 South Main in Mount Clemens is set to house both the city’s government as well as the Mount Clemens Fire Department once renovations are completed.
The city announced a purchase agreement for the building on June 27, about a month after the City Commission approved entering the agreement and placing a $25,000 deposit on the building. What followed were months of due diligence — conducting a feasibility study, full building assessment and an American Land Title Association survey to ensure the building matched its depiction in title documents — and an examination of other options for the city, such as conducting assessments of the current City Hall and fire station to compare the cost of the purchase with potential renovations.
City Commissioner Theresea McGarity inquired about the possibility of going with a different location around Groesbeck Highway, though City Manager Gregg Shipman stressed the importance of having City Hall downtown.
“I know this had been discussed prior to my coming on board, and it was important for commissions that had discussed this that (City Hall) be in the downtown for a lot of reasons,” Shipman said. “For one, it brings people to the downtown to help the shops and restaurants and businesses, as well as the proximity to … the county facilities. We all kind of work together. A lot of times when you’re going to City Hall it involves going to the county as well.”
The new City Hall would be located mere steps away from the county’s two skyscrapers. The current City Hall is separated from the county offices by the Clinton River.
The next step for the city is to secure an architectural firm for the necessary renovations to the building, which would include adding several bays for fire vehicles. Also moving forward following the sale are plans for what to do with the current City Hall and fire stations. Plans for a waterfront redevelopment project have been kicked around since June 2024, with city officials last stating in June their intentions for the site being a mix of publicly accessible land along with a mixed-use residential and commercial development. McGarity expressed a desire to maintain the current City Hall building due to its history as a former courthouse.
“The idea of redeveloping this site (City Hall at 1 Crocker Blvd.) has been in our master plan since at least 2010 and we have not been in a financial position to do that and we may not have had the maintenance issues to prompt us to move forward,” City Commissioner Erik Rick said. “I always appreciate long-term planning coming to fruition … I know not a lot of people read the plans that go on the shelf, but it’s nice to know that here they are being used as guiding documents for the direction that the city is going.”
The City Hall and the fire station are currently zoned for mixed use.
Bench debate
Following calls for action regarding aggressive behavior between homeless people in Rotary Park at the commission’s prior meeting, the city has removed the park’s benches. This move, said by Shipman to be “a test to see how things go,” has sparked much debate online and took up a good deal of the time at the Sept. 15 meeting. Macomb County Sheriff’s Office foot patrols have been increased downtown as well.
Marietta Russo, who is currently homeless in the city, spoke during public comment condemning the removal of the benches.
“I am not understanding why the benches were removed,” Russo said. “We sit there because we hear the birds and we see the people smile, maybe on days we can’t smile. But you gave us hope and so we believed in you, and so now you’re seeing a rebel(lion) against you guys. It’s not a rebel(lion), it’s just saying, ‘We miss you, where are you? Why are you turning us away?’”
Stephen Saph, Jr., a partner in the downtown-based Nickel & Saph Insurance Agency, spoke positively about the removal of the benches.
“The issue we’re confronting downtown is not one of homelessness, but of mental health and addiction,” Saph said. “Daily, our small business owners face a variety of evolving and ongoing challenges. The business owners and their staff are not equipped to deal with the problems associated with those suffering from addiction and mental health issues. Operating a small business, or attempting to do so, can often in itself be described as a mental health challenge. For those complaining about the city’s actions and the concerns of our small business owners, I would point out that in compassion to surrounding communities, Mount Clemens is home to a number of social service organizations … Instead of complaining and attacking the city and city leaders across social media, I would encourage those who are unhappy with the current state of affairs to reach out to any one of the local Mount Clemens-domiciled aid organizations and offer assistance.”
Commissioners again picked up the discussion during time set aside for commissioner comments with McGarity first broaching the subject by asking homeless residents of the city to meet with her at City Hall at 5 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 6 for information about county assistance for them.
Mayor Pro Tem Laura Fournier addressed the subject next by speaking about the city’s approach to the complaints regarding Rotary Park.
“I think everyone out there, especially on social media, have to be careful not to broad brush all homeless people as the same. We shouldn’t do it in any situation, and we certainly shouldn’t do it then,” Fournier said. “Our response to this situation was because were we having alleged criminal activity going on in that park, so we responded. I hope the benches can come back. I hope the situation dies down and the problem causers move on, and I hope Macomb County’s new program can help people that need help. (Removing the benches) is not directed at many of those people out there. It is directed at those that are causing serious problems for our businesses and for our residents.”
City Commissioner Barb Dempsey also wanted to have benches returned to the park, specifically asking to see if benches with a middle divider could replace the prior benches. This particular design of bench is commonly used to deter people from sleeping across them and are considered a form of hostile architecture. Commissioner Spencer Calhoun, who was once homeless, was against placing “hostile” benches in Rotary Park but was positive about other ideas discussed in a prior work session and the city’s immediate action on the matter.
Shipman expressed a desire for clear direction from the board on what to do regarding benches. Getting rid of the current benches entirely would require either digging out footings or cutting off support pipes for the benches, and as it stands the benches could be re-installed as is.
“I can pull the benches out and then we can fill in the pavers as best as we can, I can cut the benches off with a Sawzall or I can put the bench seats back on the way they were,” Shipman said. “Or we can look at a completely different option altogether … I’ve got seven opinions, so I want four opinions to match and then I’ll do what you (the commissioners want me to do.”
Shipman asked for the commission to hold a work session in order to determine a majority direction for city administration.