Clarkston Planning Commission will consider rezoning 59 S. Main Street from multi-residential to commercial, March 2.
Dave Carter owns the at 59 S. Main Street property with two other investors at CBC Investments in Waterford.
Dubbed the ‘Sutherland Building” and located at the south end of downtown, the building was constructed in 1903.
Carter said owners of Da Eduardos, an up-scale Italian restaurant with locations in Grand Blanc , Detroit and Grosse Pointe, approached CBC with an offer to purchase the building.
Da Eduardos shared several ideas for the building which included adding a decked dining area to the rear of the building.
The restaurant’s offer to purchase was contingent upon re-zoning approval.
However, CBC rejected Da Eduardos? initial purchase offer and issued a counter proposal. So far, the group has not received a response to the offer from the Italian eatery.
Re-zoning the property to commercial use would greatly increase its value, Carter said.
The owner said they will get more offers to purchase if re-zoning is approved, but to sell the property, the price and future theme of the building must be right.
Several factors make the property valuable, including parking, he said.
Realtor Ron Seraphina said re-zoing a property from residential to commercial in a downtown area increases value tremendously, especially in a community like Clarkston where prime real-estate with great parking is a rare commodity.
‘When you think about how the building relates to downtown Clarkston, it is worth more for its charm, the location, the historical draw and the parking. All of those factors make the property worth more,? said Carter. ‘Whatever comes to this building in the future will be a nice. It is a tri-level building with almost over 4,500 square feet of space ? we have kept the building up since we bought it in the 70s, and when we bought it as a restaurant and bar. It was very rundown.”
The Sutherland building was later transformed into its current use of five apartment units.
Experiencing changes to the building and downtown has been a journey for Carter.
‘We have had fun, and enjoyed the building,? he said, remembering the Sutherland building’s past.
The building’s namesake is Dr. Sutherland, the only doctor around for miles. Carter said back in the day, seeing a doctor meant a trip to Flint or Pontiac, so Clarkston was lucky to have him.
As time passed, like many things, he witnessed the area as it changed.
When he was just a boy, the happening thing to do during a visit downtown was a trip to Clarkston State Bank, or the hardware and drug store.
Whatever comes to the building will be a nice addition to the community, Carter assured.
‘Remembering memories from a town you grew up in makes such an investment extra special,? he said.
Thinking of changes through the years, Carter concludes downtown has kept something truly special.
‘Downtown has retained its historic charm and poise even while the area grew so much,? he said. ‘We love the building and care about what happens here.?