Plymouth Loses Landmark: Daisy Wall Scheduled for Demolition

For years the only remnant of The Daisy Air Rifle Factory, once Plymouth's manufacturing showpiece, has been one desolate wall, propped up by steal beams in an empty field.

Now that wall is finally coming down.

On Monday, the Plymouth City Commission approved an agreement with Daisy Plymouth LLC for the demolition of the wall. The deal includes the construction of a park as well as the condition that the wall must come down before building permits will be issued, according to Plymouth Community Development Director John Buzuvis.

The agreement also allows the city to hold $25,000 of the developer's money to insure that the wall is removed and the park is developed in a timely manner.

Buzuvis said the developer hopes to have the wall down and the foundation for one condominium building finished before winter weather hits. The final development of the park will most likely wait until spring. 

Although the City Commission was told demolition was expected to begin this past week, Buzuvis said all the rain has likely delayed those plans and the demolition will most likely begin next week, though there was no finalized date as of Thursday. 

When the Daisy Square condominiums were built at the site in the 2000s, the wall was planned to be part of Daisy Square condominium units, but the developer, Daisy at Plymouth LLC — part of Chicago-based Joseph Freed and Associates — went bankrupt before that became a reality.

The City of Plymouth changed the planned unit development of the site last year and removed the historical preservation requirement, much to the disappointment of The Plymouth Preservation Network (PPN), who led the charge to save the wall.  

"We're pretty disappointed about it, but I feel like we did everything we could," said Wendy Harless, president of the PPN.

Harless said the PPN had people who were willing to donate the $250,000 needed to create a park and make the wall part of a pavillion, but wanted to hold the developer responsible for paying back half the money over a five year period of time.

The City Commission rejected the plan and chose to change the planned unit development instead.

Monies already donated to save the wall instead went towards purchasing and installing historical markers around downtown Plymouth.

Daisy Plymouth LLC agreed to donate 200 bricks as well as the decorative window lintels to the PPN at last month's Planning Commission meeting.

Harless said the PPN plans to sell the 200 bricks for $20 a piece to raise the money for five more historical markers. As for the lintels, if any survive the demolition, Harless said they have another project planned for public display, but could not reveal the details yet.

Watch for more information about buying bricks on the PPN website at plymouthpreservation.org.