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The Wayne Junction

There are some big changes that
are going to be happening along the
NE corner of Wayne Road and Michi-
gan Ave. EB with the demolition of
the peace memorial and parking
garage, but what’s the history?
The peace memorial was put in
motion around 1968 when a commit-
tee was formed to create a new me-
morial, with a budget of $50,000 36 to 45 feet. The tower would cost
and the idea that it should be a clock $90,000 and was designed by archi-
or a fountain. A site was chosen on tect Karl Nelson, who also designed
the mid-block cul de sac of the for- the Wayne Federal Savings and Loan
mer Main Street, then renamed Vet- building, as well as Northville Downs
erans Plaza. and the Inkster Civic Complex. The
Main Street had been eliminated final design was made of Vermont
during urban renewal, and some of marble on a steel frame, sitting in a
the urban renewal dollars would be reflecting pool with two fountains,
used to build the peace memorial. had a bronze eagle statue and an The Farmer Jack’s Country Hoe Down on the corner of E. Michigan Avenue and
Several rounds of concept sketches electronic carillon bell system at the Wayne Road in 1990.
were gone through, with the final de- top to play chimes. Construction easy choice. The city applied for and HF Campbell and was designed by
sign chosen by 1974. Before con- took 8 months, and it was completed received a 1.9 million dollar federal William Kessler Associates. Con-
struction began, and at Mayor and dedicated for Memorial Day grant to build the 5-story structure. struction started in 1977 and was
Patrick Norton’s insistence, the 1975. At the time many city officials were completed by summer 1979. The
structure location was moved 200 Around the same time the park- still hopeful that the urban renewal land on the corner was vacant since
feet closer to Wayne Road so that it ing garage was starting. Around program would bring a business urban renewal in the late 60s and
could be better seen. 1973 the idea of a parking structure boom to Wayne, which unfortunately was used for several yearly festivals
Construction started, and it was pops up, and with an abundance of never panned out. The structure was up until 2003 when Fountain Place
decided to increase the height from cleared urban renewal land it was an built by Hoetger Construction and Condos were built.

10 · June 2025 · The Wayne Dispatch