Purpose Meets Preservation: Transforming a Main Street Bank into a Thriving Civic Center

The renovation and expansion of the Blissfield Village Hall and Police Station repurposed a former bank building located on Main Street in the heart of the village center. This $850,000 project reimagined the 5,400-square-foot main level and 3,200-square-foot lower level, along with the addition of a 1,020-square-foot police facility garage. The main floor was reconfigured to include a 60-person Village Council Chamber, administrative offices, a police service lobby, waiting areas, meeting rooms, interview room, and record storage spaces. The lower level now features updated locker facilities, secure evidence and weapons storage for the police department, and mechanical and storage rooms for village operations.

The newly constructed police facility garage connects directly to the police office and makes use of the site’s former bank drive-thru lanes. It includes three designated parking spaces for police vehicles, offering convenient entry from the municipal parking lot and direct egress to adjacent streets. The garage’s decorative block construction with a matching brick lower band complements the updated building exterior, which features a limestone-accented front entry and a cornice panel system to enhance its municipal presence. A trio of flagpoles was seamlessly integrated into the brick-paved area at the main entrance.

Mechanical and electrical upgrades were key to the project’s success. An additional rooftop HVAC unit provides supplemental climate control during council meetings, while a new gas-fired emergency generator ensures uninterrupted operations for both village and police services during power outages. This thoughtful renovation blends historic character with modern functionality, creating a vital civic hub for Blissfield.