SPRING LAKE, Mich. -- The Lilley Mansion has stood in Spring Lake for over a century now. Come the evening of August 6, it will set off on a nearly one mile journey into town.
The mansion is already off the ground and on a truck, waiting to inch down M-104 at a speed of just over a mile per hour. Its new location will be at the intersection of Division and Exchange streets, moving it closer to a gorgeous view of the Grand River.
It will also be in the heart of Spring Lake, alongside several other up-and-coming businesses and residences.
The Lilley Mansion started as a family home in 1876. It was then passed along to other families through the years before becoming an apartment building. Since being renovated into apartments, it mainly sat empty and was close to possibly being torn down.
Before that happened, Patrick Roggenbau and Robert Lopez bought the property in hopes to convert it into a bed and breakfast. The choice to move it was to help develop businesses downtown.
According to Spring Lake DDA Director Angela Stanford-Butler, the move will cost the village and its residents absolutely nothing. The owners will cover any cost. She also says that the development is also receiving help from Kim Van Kampen, who has been working with the village for months. Van Kampen has been leading the charge to bring Spring Lake back to life while also keeping its historic charm intact.
The move will shut down M-104, or W. Savidge Street in Spring Lake, from 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. on Tuesday, August 6. Detours will be posted during the move. A watch party will also be held at several Spring Lake businesses while the mansion is on the move.
When the mansion hits the ground at its new location, restoration will begin immediately. The plan is to keep the original look, with help from the Tri-Cities Historical Museum.
They hope to have the bed and breakfast up and running in the spring of 2020.
