Saline Planning Commission Approves Rehabilitation of Neglected UAW Hall into Dental Practice

The Saline Planning Commission has unanimously approved a proposal to transform the long-neglected United Auto Workers' Union Hall into a state-of-the-art dental office. The decision came during the commission's meeting on February 28, 2024.

Dr. Colleen Bullard, DDS, explained the motivation for her request was her family's deep roots in Saline. "I started a dental practice in Ypsilanti almost 20 years ago," she told the commission. "And it's grown from a three op to a twelve op multi-doctor. But we live in the Saline community, and our kids grew up in the Saline community. My parents live in the Saline community."

Dr. Bullard's husband, Bill Bullard of Switchback One LLC, represented the project and sought combined site plan approval to establish a comprehensive dental practice at 601 Woodland Drive East. The property is a 9,380-square-foot building on a 6.48-acre parcel.

Ben Harrington, Saline's Director of Community Development, detailed the application, noting the former UAW Hall's current zoning as Office Service (OS) and outlining the proposed modifications. "The proposal includes beautifying the exterior, new plantings, and parking lot improvements without expanding the building's footprint," Harrington explained.

"If approved, the applicant must make changes based on the conditions the planning commission sets as well as modifications in the event of conflicts with the state building code or now during our construction review process," Harrington added.

Dr. Bullard shared the vision behind the old UAW Hall project, describing it as fulfilling a long-held dream. "I thought if that ever went for sale, that'd be a really cool place to start a dental practice in this community," she explained. "So, that's what happened this summer, and that's kind of where this all came about."

Bill Bullard added, " This is a passion and a dream for us, and not just plunk down another one for business growth."

The commission raised questions about the size of the practice, parking adequacy, and the preservation of an outbuilding on the property. In response, the Bullards detailed their operational plans, including extended hours to accommodate patients' schedules and a thoughtful approach to parking and space utilization to avoid future constraints.

Bill Bullard outlined a timeline for the project, anticipating the start of construction within a month, pending bank financing, with hopes of opening the practice by fall of 2024. He projected the practice would reach its growth capacity in five to six years.

The commissioners' unanimous approval came with 18 conditions, including providing a pedestrian-accessible route, a sanitary sewer easement, corrections to parking space numbers, and additional landscaping requirements to ensure compatibility with the neighborhood's character.

More information on the project can be found on the city's website and heard on the February 26, 2024, Saline Planning Commission meeting found on YouTube.

Photo by Doug Marrin