Developer Pleads With Council for More Patience With Monroe Street Condominium Project

Minutes before Saline City Council went into executive session to discuss a legal opinion on the stalled condominium development at 207 S. Monroe St., the developer pleaded with council for more patience.

Damian Farrell is an executive with High Meadows Development LLC, the company that bought the South Monroe Street property from the City of Saline and then ran into a series of problems that left the city with a muddy hole in the ground. Fairdene, after years of back and forth with the city, agreed to build a 30-unit modular condominium development on the property. But the manufacturer of his units went out of business. And then COVID-19 struck.

Last May, the city granted a one-year extension on the site plan. At the time, City Councillor Janet Dillon said she didn't want to be back again in 12 months, considering another extension.

Monday night, just as council was about to go into closed session to discuss a legal opinion on the development, Farrell, who'd waited patiently for 2 1/2 hours, rose to address council.

"The project is moving forward. COVID has just wreaked havoc on the residential construction industry this past year. That's in addition to the rising costs you've all heard about," Farrell said.

Farrell said his firm is scheduled to have units on site by the fourth quarter of 2021. He said the company has signed contracts for those units. He said his company has a memorandum of understanding with City Manager Colleen O'Toole - but didn't elaborate on that. His firm is producing drawings for the state permitting process, he said.

Farrell pleaded with council to show more patience.

"I just beg you at this point, please don't make this harder or more expensive," Farrell said. "It has been so difficult getting here and such a challenge. I've not quit. I don't intend to quit. I believe in this project and I want to see it go up and I want to see that land converted to the vision that I had for it."

Mayor Brian Marl thanked Farrell for his comments. Nobody from the city addressed Farrell's comments publicly before going into closed session. On social media Wednesday, Marl said an official statement would be made at council's next meeting.

More News from Saline

• BASEBALL: Reeves, Klein Lead Help Hornets Close Out Sweep of Pioneer. Noah Reeves pitched five shutout innings and Nolan Klein drove in four runs as Saline beat Pioneer 13-0 in a mercy-rule-shortened game at Pioneer Thursday.
• SOFTBALL: Dorr Helps Saline Ace Pickney Saline senior Karli Dorr crunched four hits, drove in four runs and earned the victory with a complete game against Pinckney on Wednesday.