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By Rob Alway, Editor-in-Chief
FREE SOIL — The long-vacant Free Soil School building is expected to be demolished later this year as part of an expanded Mason County Land Bank Authority blight elimination effort funded through the Michigan State Land Bank Authority.
Mason County Treasurer Andrew Kmetz IV said the project became possible after plans shifted from stabilizing the former Scottville schoolhouse to demolishing it, freeing up grant dollars that could be used for additional blight removal projects.
“When the MCLBA began to pursue the acquisition and demolition of the Scottville Schoolhouse under a Blight Elimination Grant from the State Land Bank Authority, the change from stabilization to demolition freed up some of our approved $700,000 grant for other projects,” Kmetz said.
Kmetz said discussions with the State Land Bank Authority led officials to pursue demolition projects that could be completed before the grant expires in September 2026.
“The Free Soil School demolition was discussed as a potential project due to a prior demolition attempt that was halted due to issues with asbestos leaving the building without windows and doors and exposed to the elements,” Kmetz said.
Free Soil school opening dedication in 1913.
The former school complex, located on North Democrat Street, opened in 1913 and served generations of students in northern Mason County before its final graduating class completed school in 2007.
A previous demolition effort began in 2024, but the project stalled. At the time, Village President Dave Morley said interior work had begun with plans for demolition to follow.
Kmetz said local officials toured the deteriorating structure earlier this year before moving forward with the grant-funded project.
“Village President Dave Morley, Land Bank member Janet Andersen (chair of the Mason County Board of Commissioners), and I met and toured the school last winter before the MCLBA applied for this project to be covered under the grant,” he said. “Once approved, the MCLBA began the required environmental assessments to develop the scope for the demolition along with being allowed to use a pre-demolition survey completed on behalf of the Village back in 2024.”
On May 11, the Mason County Land Bank Authority reviewed bids from five Michigan contractors. Kmetz said Pitsch Companies submitted the lowest bid and was awarded the project.
Building Free Soil school 1912
“Pitsch Companies was selected as the lowest bidder and will begin the work following the completion of the Scottville Schoolhouse project,” Kmetz said. “Abatement activities will be completed prior to demolition activities similar to the Scottville project.”
The Mason County Land Bank Authority was created to return blighted and tax-reverted properties to productive use through remediation, redevelopment and grant-funded projects.
The Free Soil project follows the land bank’s recent work involving the former Scottville High School property, where demolition began earlier this month after officials determined rehabilitation costs were prohibitive.
Kmetz said ownership of the Free Soil property will remain with the village after demolition is completed.
“The MCLBA is grateful to be able to assist the Village of Free Soil in this endeavor,” he said. “The property will remain under ownership of the Village and will be a build-ready site for any future development.”
Some portions of the historic structure will be preserved for community use.
“Some remnants of the building such as bricks will be retained to be made available to the community to honor the long history of the building,” Kmetz said.
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