Zippy Auto Wash, Second Dispensary, 50+ new homes, among new Milan construction

Milan residents should see new businesses constructed in Milan over the coming months, a financial boon to a city that leaders say relies too much on private taxpayers to fund city services. In addition, more than 50 homes are going into Uptown Village on the north end of town.

Zippy Auto Wash

At the top of the Dexter Corridor a Zippy Auto Wash is going in, adjacent to CVS. 

Corey Weaver, who owns the business along with his wife, Michelle, said they have finished the stormwater detention and are now starting to come out of the ground with cement foundations.

“It’s starting to look interesting,” Weaver said.

Corey and Michelle Weaver started Zippy Auto Wash in 2007 with the opening of their location on Ellsworth in Ann Arbor. The Milan location will be their 8^th site. Their 7^th site, located in Belleville, will open in a few weeks.

Weaver said they liked Milan’s location with two freeway entrances, including one just north of his business allowing people to stop by his carwash on the way to or from work. Many of his customers have a membership for unlimited carwashes and the Weavers are working to expand the number of locations in the Washtenaw County area.

Dispensaries

Milan developed a point system to choose which businesses to award the two licenses to sell cannabis in Milan, prioritizing those that would construct multiple buildings to provide more retail locations in the community, Mayor Ed Kolar previously told The Sun Times News. Both of the businesses the city chose committed to build additional structures, adding value to the city’s tax base.

Milan City Manager Jim Lancaster said that the second dispensary is working with building, zoning and engineering to move the project forward. The company referred to as Green Ink 420, proposed building its new location, plus room for 1-2 other businesses with several apartments on top. It is building by Love’s gas station, near the Plank Road Exit.

In addition, JARS Milan Cannabis opened Feb. 20 where the Coin Clean Center laundromat was, near Milan Coney Island, Subway, and just south of the US-23 Carpenter Road Exit, along Dexter Corridor. It committed to build another building behind its current location for itself and two other businesses. Lancaster said JARS has not started phase 2 of the project yet.

“We are working with them to get it moving,” Lancaster said. 

Dunkin’ & Jimmy John’s

In addition, work continues on remodeling the old JR’s building, which will become a Dunkin’ and Jimmy John’s, each with their own drive through.

“Dunkin [and Jimmy John’s] is going through building review as we speak,” Lancaster said, when The Sun Times News reached out to him.

Residential Homes

There are 53 new homes going into Uptown Village, after which the property will be fully built out, said HOA President Tom Faro. When they are complete there will be 148 homes in the community.

This phase is being built by multiple builders. Century Complete Homes is currently building on 36 lots located at Truman Loop, Eisenhower, McKinley and E. Roosevelt. Several families have moved in and several homes are pending, Faro said. That part of the community was previously owned by Healy Homes, which recently built and sold two homes on East Roosevelt before selling the remaining lots after the retirement of the owner, Faro said.

Blake Anthony Homes is building 15 lots along Jackson, Jefferson and Reagan Lanes. Two families have already moved in and a few new homes are pending, Faro said. Blake Anthony purchased the lot from J&V Holdings.

“I think Blake Anthony Homes and Century Complete Homes really did their homework. Milan has a lot to offer, and buyers want good schools,” said Faro, who also serves on the Milan Area Schools Board of Education. “From my perspective, both builders have been great partners, and they are building beautiful and affordable homes.”

Future Growth Potential

Lancaster and City Councilmember Mary Kerkes both said they were not aware of additional growth in the city’s industrial areas of town or in remaining spaces along the Dexter Corridor. The main street area is probably more than 95 percent occupied and has extremely limited availability, according to DDA director Jess Meingasner, but there are still empty buildings in other areas of the city.

“It’s exciting to look at what potentially could come to Milan,” said Kolar. “We get calls all the time—Ann Arbor Spark, all these groups that want to talk to us, working on bigger plans for Washtenaw County or Monroe County, manufacturing and commercial growth.”

“We still have room to grow and that is nice,” Kolar said.