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Chapter XE: COMMUNITY FACILITIES

 

E. GENERAL GOVERNMENT FACILITIES
 

The City of Kalamazoo houses most of its 905 employees in City Hall, located at 241 West South Street. In addition to City Hall, other municipal offices are located throughout the City, as listed below:

  • City Hall South - 234 W. Cedar Street
  • Metro Transportation - 530 N. Rose Street
  • Public Services - 911 Hatfield Street
  • Waste Water - 1415 N. Harrison Street
  • Water Reclamation Plant - 415 Stockbridge Street
  • Public Safety Training Center - 116 W. Cedar Street
  • Public Safety Department - 215 Lovell Street

The City of Kalamazoo owns and operates two cemeteries, three golf courses, a municipal pool, and a youth center. These facilities and their locations are listed below:

  • Mountain Home Cemetery - 1402 West Main Avenue
  • Riverside Cemetery - 1015 Gull Road
  • Eastern Hills Golf Course - 6075 East G Avenue
  • Milham Golf Course - 4200 Lovers Lane
  • Red Arrow Golf Course - 1041 Kings Highway
  • Municipal Pool - 1018 Walter Street
  • Eastside Youth Center - 1616 East Main Street
  • Douglas Community Center - 1000 W. Patterson

As discussed under "Cultural Facilities" above, the main branch of the Kalamazoo Public Library, which is owned and operated by the Kalamazoo Public Schools, will have major renovations completed by 1998. These renovations have begun subsequent to the expansion and relocation of the Kalamazoo Valley Museum, which opened in February of 1996. No significant other deficiencies were identified, nor improvements are planned for City Hall or other municipal facilities over the next ten years.
 

 Due to the location and small size of facilities, the City's Recreation, Culture and Leisure Department envisions a consolidation of the Eastside Youth Center, the Douglas Community Center and other smaller facilities into a City-wide community recreation center. The ideal location for such a facility is on Crosstown Parkway in the Bronson Hospital office building, which will vacated within the next several years. This site is adjacent to the Municipal Pool and Upjohn Park.
 

As discussed in more detail above under the "Public Protection" section, the City is also in the initial planning stages of a proposal to consolidate the Public Safety Training Center and City Hall South on W. Cedar Street with a new Public Safety Department. Refer to the "Public Protection" section for a description of municipal public safety facilities, including fire and police stations.
 

Another City facility proposal includes the consolidation of the Water Department on Stockbridge Avenue and the Public Works and Fleet facility on Hatfield Street. The consolidation of these facilities would bring about increased efficiency and cost savings. The proposal would involve the sale of the Hatfield Street facility and the expansion of the Stockbridge facility. If implemented, the two City departments would occupy the land bounded by Portage Creek on the east, John Street on the west, Lake Street on the north and Stockbridge Street on the south.
 

 In addition to municipal buildings, cemeteries, and recreational facilities, the City operates the 9-I District Court, which is located at 416 S. Rose Street and employs approximately 40 people. It has been proposed that the 9-I District Court, the 9-II District Court in Portage, and the 8th District Court located on 227 W. Michigan Avenue consolidate at one location in downtown Kalamazoo. The consolidation proposal would relocate approximately 40 employees from the 9-II and 8th District Courts, with the existing 40 employees working for the 9-I District Court. In order to accommodate the consolidation, a new court facility would be added onto the existing 9-I District Court on South Rose Street. The Court Administrator has indicated that the expansion would eliminate an existing parking lot. The plans for the District Court consolidation will be finalized by the end of 1997.
 

Finally, other government entities, such as Kalamazoo County and the Federal Government, have significant facilities within the City of Kalamazoo. The main offices of the government agencies are illustrated on the community facilities map (Figure X-1) and are listed below:
(Figure X-1)

Kalamazoo County Building - 201 W. Kalamazoo Avenue

Kalamazoo County Mental Health - 3299 Gull Road and 230 N. Burdick Street

Kalamazoo County Juvenile Division - 1400 Gull Road

Kalamazoo County Courts - 227 W. Michigan Avenue

Federal Building - 410 W. Michigan Avenue
 

The State of Michigan also has Court offices at 227 W. Michigan Avenue, 416 S. Rose Street, and a large Michigan Department of Transportation facility at 1501 East Kilgore Avenue. Several other smaller State offices are scattered throughout the City.

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