LANSING, Mich. — Meridian Township officials are weighing five proposals for a new facility that could serve as a senior center or a combined senior and community center, with a potential price tag reaching up to $40 million. The Township Board is scheduled to vote on the options during its meeting on Thursday, May 8.
The outcome of that vote will determine what proposal—if any—is presented to voters on the August 2025 ballot. If approved, the funding would come from a combination of a millage and bonds.
The push for a new facility follows the board’s rejection in August 2024 of a plan to convert the former Yonkers department store at Meridian Mall into a dual-purpose community and senior center. That decision spurred renewed discussion and the formation of a township task force, which has since developed a set of proposals.
According to Township Supervisor Scott Hendrickson, the five options currently under consideration include a stand-alone senior center estimated to cost between $10 million and $12 million, the original large-scale senior and community center proposal developed by the task force, and three scaled-down versions of that combined model.
“The board wanted more flexibility,” Hendrickson told WLNS 6 News. “So now, on May 8, we have five options before us. One that is the senior center only, one that is the task force’s full senior and community center recommendation, and three variations that scale back from the full plan.”
The more comprehensive proposals include amenities such as multiple gymnasiums, space for youth programs, and indoor courts for sports like basketball, volleyball, and pickleball.
An important financial consideration is the $5 million already allocated to the township in the state budget. That money must be used by October 1, 2026, or it will be forfeited. If voters approve the project in August, those funds will be committed to the new facility.
Township officials say the upcoming board vote and subsequent public referendum could be a turning point for how Meridian invests in services for seniors and the broader community.
