FERNDALE, Mich. (WXYZ) — The Gerry Kulick Community Center in Ferndale has sat empty for five years, but a grassroots coalition and city officials are working together to bring the historic building back to life.
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The community center, which served as Washington Elementary School from 1923 to 2000, has been vacant since the COVID-19 pandemic forced its closure. Storm damage also contributed to the building's abandonment, according to Ferndale Mayor Pro Tem Laura Mikulski.
"Unfortunately, COVID became a real issue, so the building was shut down, everything put on pause," Mikulski said.
Now, there's renewed hope for the century-old brick structure. Last week, Ferndale Public Schools announced it's working with the city to transfer ownership of the property.
"The district is working with the city to transfer ownership of the property to the city. We believe this will help preserve the center's role in the community," the district said in a statement.
The announcement represents a major breakthrough for advocates who have been pushing for the building's revival. Eddie Sabitini, who lives just feet away from the community center, recently launched the Kulick Coalition with his wife and gathered hundreds of signatures on a petition to reopen the facility.
"It's almost demolition by neglect — we can't let that happen," Sabitini said.
The building served as a vital community resource for decades after its conversion from a school. The school district leased it to the city for just $1 per year, and it became known as the Gerry Kulick Community Center.
"It served as a place people could meet when there were power outages, when we had heat waves, cold snaps. Right now, we can't send people there. Instead, we have to send them to Oak Park, Hazel Park," Mikulski said.
Mikulski, who has made reopening the community center a priority since her election to city council in 2019, expressed excitement about the district's willingness to transfer ownership.
"I'm incredibly excited about it. I wasn't expecting them to make an announcement, but I was so appreciative of them actually coming to the table," Mikulski said.
For Sabitini, whose family frequently used the community center when it was operational, the building represents untapped potential.
"It just feels like such a waste of a beautiful building. It was built in 1922. It's a solid brick structure," Sabitini said.
The transfer of ownership would give the city more control over the building's future and allow for greater investment in its restoration.
"Once this property is in the hands of the city, we have a lot more say in what happens to it, invest more money into it," Sabitini said.
Mikulski envisions a practical approach to getting the building operational again.
"My vision for the building is getting it back open. So minimal viable investment options to get us back into that building," Mikulski said.
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