Any of you that have visited VanDerZee Motorplex has experienced the frustration of trying to find a way in to our parking lot! We have attempted to work with the Van Buren County Road Commission for over 3 years in an effort to get what should be a simple task: a driveway off of Phoenix Street, the 4 lane that runs in front of the Motorplex! Before we started construction in 2006, we followed the rules and applied for a driveway. Just a formality, right? After all, we are located on one of the main commercial arteries to South Haven on a 4 lane road. Our property has an EXISTING curb cut but we wanted to relocate it to a better location, further away from an intersection just to the east. Recent new construction included: Hampton Inn, Consumer's Credit Union, Wendy's, Locker Plaza, Holiday Inn Express, and Comfort Suites all of which were constructed just prior to our Motorplex. The Phoenix Road / I-196 corridor is the true gateway to South Haven. While the traffic count doesn't come close to congested retail areas like Westnedge in Kalamazoo; Pipestone in Benton Harbor; or Washington Avenue in Holland, it is the major retail center for South Haven with Wal-Mart, Menards and Lake Michigan College all choosing to locate in the area.
Just when you would think that something will be a simple task, politics enters in and the whole works gets complicated! As our completion date approached, the drive had not yet been approved. I wasn't too concerned since the existing drive could be utilized temporarily until the better location was approved. The very day we opened in September of 2006, the VanBuren County Road Commission, without any warning or discussion whatsoever, placed 3 large 2,000 pound BARRICADES across the existing driveway! Three years later, the barricades remain. At the VanBuren County Road Commissions request, we contracted for a $9,000 traffic study by Wade-Trim Engineering which substantiated our request! The Road Commission's response? NO. This is my reward for investing in my home town with an award winning facility that has been recognized nationally as one of the top 100 powersports dealerships in North America!
In future blogs I'll take you on an unbelievable journey of frustration, expense and economic damage done to our business. I've tried to go by the book, do the right thing, etc. You know what? It boils down to politics and it's truly an ugly experience. Distrust isn't limited to Washington DC. It's happening right here in VanBuren County. It is time to reveal just who, what, where, when and why this continues to go on. We're going to ask you to rally with us. Nearly 600 folks sent letters of support to the Road Commission and not one letter was ever acknowledged! The problems go deep and I owe it to my family, the employees of VanDerZee Motorplex and to anyone contemplating on investing in South Haven to make sure that this never happens to someones dream ever again. Stay tuned, winter may be coming but it's going to get real hot around here! I'm Ray VanDerZee. Call me directly at 269 637 8788 or email (sales@vanderzeemotorplex.com) with your questions or ideas on how you can help us. We're asking for your support! Thank you.
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