The future of Redford Township's oldest home remains uncertain as township officials consider whether to preserve, sell or demolish the historic property.
The Wait House, built in 1824 by Luther Wait, has stood in the community for more than two centuries. The home now sits at the corner of Five Mile and Gaylord roads, though members of the Redford Township Historical Commission say it spent its first 100 years across the street before being moved to its current location.
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The township acquired the property in 2008 after a relative of the home's last owners sold it to cover back taxes. Since then, the house has remained vacant and fallen into disrepair.
"Everybody looks at it and they're like, 'Oh, it's a dump,'" said Amanda Flesher, a member of the Redford Township Historical Commission. "And it's like, 'No, if you look, there's little hidden features.'"
Among those features are distinctive eyebrow windows and architectural details that Flesher believes help tell the story of early Redford Township.
Some artifacts connected to the home's former owners are now displayed at the Redford Township History Center. Others remain inside the house, including a grand piano and musical instruments that belonged to lounge singer Sunny West.
Flesher said the Historical Commission has hoped to acquire and preserve the property since the 1960s, with plans to ultimately convert it into a museum.
"It's been on our radar since the '60s," she said.
That vision has yet to become reality.
The township's community development director said officials are evaluating three possible paths forward: transforming the house into a museum, renovating it for sale or demolishing it.
Some nearby residents say action is needed regardless of which option township leaders choose.
"It would be nice if they did something with it," resident Nicole Valin said. "It's been sitting vacant for quite a while."
Neighbor Martie Swek said complaints often center on animals getting in and out of the deteriorating structure.
Flesher said one challenge is that the home does not qualify for a historical marker because it was moved from its original location. That limits some preservation funding opportunities.
Still, she hopes the home can be saved.
"Certain fixtures that you know are historic, you could get funding just to protect those items," Flesher said. "But we can't do any of that until we know it's going to be standing here."
Township officials are awaiting estimates tied to the three options before presenting them to the township board, which will ultimately decide the historic home's future.
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