06/29/2006

Owner offers to sell land to public

Arts center, nature trails, new home for zoo envisioned

By PATRICK SULLIVAN

psullivan@record-eagle.com

TRAVERSE CITY — A 230-acre property in Elmwood Township that's perched above Grand Traverse Bay has seen its share of suitors come and go.

Most recently, a large-scale indoor waterpark resort developer pulled out. A golf course developer's plans fell through. A "new urbanism" residential development sprung to life and then died.

Now, an owner of the M-72 property, Dr. John G. Milliken, says he wants to see the community take over the property in much the same way that a conservancy buys woodlands or farmland. He and his wife, Elnora, have a lot more in mind than a nature preserve, however.

They'd like to see a performing arts center, a home for the symphony, botanical gardens, a convention center, nature trails, and possibly a new home for the Traverse City zoo located on the property.

"This would be unique preservation, but with things that would function," Milliken said. "The idea of this would be, it would be so good that it would attract people from all over."

Milliken would not say what the sale price for the property would be, but he said the per-acre value is comparable to the $1.8 million the Leelanau Conservancy paid when it signed an option to purchase the 145-acre Louis DeYoung farm in Elmwood Township.

"This is something that would be a tremendous asset to the community," said township planning commission chair Jack Kelly, who met with the Millikens to discuss future possibilities at the property.

Planning commissioner Steve VanZoeren said the panel consulted the township's attorney before meeting individually with the Millikens, and avoided discussing any specifics about a potential development that might come before the planning commission for review.

No plans have been submitted to the township and how it could come to be has not been worked out. Kelly said it would likely take a conservancy or similar organization to make such a development happen.

In the meantime, Milliken said the property is still for sale, but he hopes this idea gains momentum.