The third time was the charm for the Harleysville Lakes State Insurance building, as a Leelanau resident Tuesday afternoon led an investment group in the purchase of the county's largest commercial building.

Working under the corporate name CenterPointe Unlimited, David Mathia emerged from the closing with accolades for the most recognizable building in Greilickville.

"We are excited to have this gorgeous building available again for commercial tenants," said Mathia. "As a Leelanau resident, I am pleased to have the opportunity to create a thriving commercial center within the county."

The purchase certainly continues a surge in economic health for Greilickville. It follows the purchase of the 23,000-square-foot Howard Energy Building last week by Oneupweb, an online marketing firm based in Lake Leelanau. The Howard Energy building, too, is located on the West Grand Traverse Bay side of M-22 and is familiar to motorists.
And Traverse City resident Ron Walter is leading a group of investors seeking to build a $10 million development featuring a luxury yacht club farther south in Greilickville. Plans are now before the Elmwood Township Planning Commission, and include construction of a tunnel under M-22.

The Harleysville building comes complete with tunnel, which helps to solve parking problems at the site. However, a restaurant had to be dropped for consideration because of the parking it required.

Not much else has changed from Mathia's original vision for use of the building, and even the restaurant plan will simply be modified into a smaller "cafe."

Mathia in announcing plans to buy the Harleysville building, which provides a panoramic view of West Grand Traverse Bay from its perch alongside an accompanying 45-slip marina, is seeking to "open up" the 64,000-square-foot building to the community. The building is occupied by its former owner, Lakes State Insurance, which put it up for sale to reduce overhead.

Many residents have never set foot in the handsome building, which is adorned with metal seagulls, as it has never been used for retail purposes.

"We do not plan to create a castle that is inaccessible," Mathia had told the Enterprise. "We want to optimize the community enjoyment and use of this beautiful facility."

The closing represented good news for Elmwood Township supervisor Derith Smith.

"Greilickville is the gateway to Leelanau County. I think it's wonderful that (the new owners) appreciate the aesthetics of the only signature building in northern Michigan, and quality of construction. They should be great neighbors; they have a long history of being civic minded."
The future looks strong for the community, she added.

"We're creating a whole new face for what had a history of being an industrial waterfront with just a few bright spots," Smith said.
Mathia announced that he had signed a purchase agreement for the 64,000-square-foot building in January. At least some of the delay in the actual purchase can be attributed to a long-forgotten oversight occurring right after its construction by an oil exploration company in 1981.

The head of the Leelanau County Building Inspections department, Robert VanDyke, said he issued a 60-day temporary occupancy permit for the Harleysville building that will expire on June 28, and that he expected the department to issue a permanent permit soon.

“Apparently, when the building was constructed, Elmwood Township did its own inspections and no record of an occupancy permit could be located,” VanDyke said.

He said county inspectors issued a temporary permit earlier this spring after conducting a “health and safety” inspection of the building.

CenterPointe Unlimited, led by Mathia, Tim Clement, Doug Tull, Tim Tull and Martha Dew, will provide property management services to the building's new tenants. Plans also call for a wellness center and conference facilities.

Mathia will be bringing more than his business venture to Leelanau County. Mathia and his wife, Faye, have bought a home in Elmwood Township. The couple lived for many years in Leelanau after moving north from the Detroit area in 1989. They remain members of Suttons Bay Congregational Church.