With the hiring of an architectural firm in October, the long-awaited community center for Eastern Washtenaw County moved closer to a projected 2028 completion date.
In an 8-0 vote with two members absent Oct. 22, 2025, the county Parks and Recreation Commission chose Neumann/Smith Architecture, based in Southfield, Michigan, to design the facility and create the necessary building documents. The vote authorized a contract with the firm of up to $2 million for architecture and engineering services.
The decision signals the project’s move beyond the planning stage, which has been in the works since at least 2022, when the county identified the site of the former Cheney Elementary School at 1500 Stamford Road as an ideal location for the recreation center.
While not officially acquired until 2024, the property was purchased from the Ypsilanti school district. That land, combined with $30 million in committed funding from local, state and federal sources, set the stage for the county to seek an architect to turn schematic designs into construction documents for the Eastern Washtenaw Community Recreation Center.
Ann Ziolkowski, the communications manager for the Washtenaw County Parks and Recreation Department, said the new center will prioritize energy efficiency, something the current Meri Lou Murray Recreation Center on Washtenaw Avenue does not have.
The proposals include creating an all-electric facility that includes solarized rooftops and parking lots, as well as a zero-waste design and operation.
While a recreation center on the east side has been discussed for years, 2025 included work that advanced the project from an idea to being deliverable. The county demolished the old school site this past February. By September, county officials were sharing schematic designs with the public, two presentations of the plans were held in public forums, and a request was issued for architectural and engineering services.
Fifteen firms filed bids on the project.
Ziolkowski said the county chose Neumann/Smith in part because of its experience. All of the proposals were evaluated based on cost; experience with similar recreation centers, especially those with natatoriums; technical qualifications; proposed timeline; and their work plan.
“Our parks team conducted a robust interview process and ranked the various firms," Ziolkowski said. "In addition to their ranking, Neumann/Smith has worked on several similar projects. Examples of their related resume can be seen with Greater Midland Community Center, City of Livonia Community Recreation Center, City of Romeoville Aquatic Center, City of West Lafayette Wellness and Aquatic Center and Van Buren Charter Township Community Center."
Neumann/Smith will next focus on translating the county’s proposed design and the public's feedback into a series of project documents. That work includes creating blueprints, site planning, coordination of mechanical and structural engineering, cost analysis, budget planning and more detailed community engagement to ensure the design serves local needs.
Drawings of the proposed center on the county's website outline plans that include a natatorium, a wellness floor, studios, a gym and locker rooms. The projected size of the facility is 50,000 to 65,000 square feet, with an adjacent 200 to 250 parking spaces on the 30-acre site. County officials said they expect design completion and permitting work to occupy the next 12 to 18 months.
When complete, the center’s goal is to serve as an all-age group facility offering affordable programming and accessible spaces for communities that have lacked a large county-run recreation hub on the east side. The goal, presentation documents on the county's website state, is to include areas for a community meeting room, a teen center, youth zones for toddlers and for children ages 5 to 8, a gymnasium, fitness studios and pools.
Outside the facility, the county plans to add sports fields and courts, a playground, a walking trail, community gardens and a dog park.
“Our goal is to build a vibrant, affordable community recreation center that addresses the needs in that area," Ziolkowski said. "The biggest goal is to meet the unmet needs of residents in the community by providing robust programs for all ages and abilities."
Short-term milestones for the project include new design renderings, completion of construction documents, permitting approvals and the county’s selection of a construction manager or general contractor.
County residents can follow the process of the project on the Eastern Washtenaw Community Recreation Center Updates page on the Parks and Recreation website.
