Site of iconic Plymouth Township eateries, farmland on verge of multi-unit development

Those who strolled into Plymouth Township's Hillside Inn during its heyday were likely consumed by the building's festive atmosphere.

Known far and wide for its mouth-watering food and mood-raising spirits, the former farmhouse — adopting the names Ernesto's and The Courthouse Grille during its later years — hosted everything from baby showers, board meetings and intimate meals for high school prom dates.

If they were lucky, visitors may have joined the company of automobile legends and regular customers Lee Iacocca, Bob Lutz and Jack Roush; University of Michigan football coach Bo Schembechler or Hollywood icons like Paul Newman, who was spotted enjoying a meal at least once at the restaurant located at 41661 Plymouth Road.

The Plymouth Township Board of Trustees' unanimous approval of a Planned Unit Development option consideration for the Hillside Overlook Apartments on Dec. 14 paved the way for the memories-saturated structure to be replaced by a 120-unit residential development. Demolition of the building was green-lighted earlier this year.

Carol Sawyer, whose grandparents opened the first dining establishment on the site —the Hillside Barbeque — said her family is "heartbroken" about the demise of the building, "not just because a landmark would be lost, but also because it's an intrinsic part of my family's history."

Sawyer shared a story describing how her grandfather, Jacob Stremich, taught his nephew, Ralph Lorenz, invaluable lessons (both life- and business-related) when Lorenz worked and spent time at the Hillside.

"The skills young Ralph learned at his uncle’s knee helped him build the Mayflower Hotel into a centerpiece of this great city," Sawyer said. "Unfortunately, (the Hillside Inn structure), like the Mayflower, will soon be replaced. 

"While it saddens us that the physical remnants of our family’s impact on Plymouth are disappearing, we know that their legacy will live on. When the building my grandmother was born in, and later turned into a thriving business, is torn down, she’ll be looking down from the heavens, beer in hand, toasting progress and the city she loved."

The planned apartment complex will include several state-of-the-art features, explained Alexander Bogaerts & Associates representative Mark Abanatha — most notably a podium-style design that allows for two tiers of parking beneath the residential units.

"This style not only reduces the building's footprint, but it cuts down on the taking up of trees and green space," Abanatha explained.

The complex will offer mainly one- and two-bedroom apartments, with the smaller units covering 736 to 840 square feet and the two-bedroom units providing square footage of 1,100. Abanatha said the rent is expected to be approximately $2 per square foot.

"This is a class A project from a standpoint of the amenities it will offer," said Abanatha, who added the complex will appeal mostly to "empty nesters and younger millennials", but not exclusively to those subgroups.

Some of the amenities will be onsite car and dog washes, two rooftop gathering spaces and modern fitness facilities. The complex will be equipped with three elevators.

Mixed emotions

The site will serve as an ongoing example of progress — bittersweet for those who fondly recall their visits to the Hillside Inn.

An historic marker will be placed at the site to educate visitors about its iconic past, the developers promised.

Sawyer recounted that what started as a 38-seat restaurant grew into a multi-faceted hospitality center that employed 80 people and was capable of serving 550 guests.

"As we recall those wonderful years, we can’t help but reflect on the hundreds of employees who contributed so much to our success," Sawyer said. "Many of them went on to work in other restaurants, opened restaurants of their own, or used their job at the Hillside to finance their college education.

"I can only imagine the number of professionals working in Plymouth and the surrounding region who got their start at the Hillside, and the economic impact they’ve had on the area."

Contact reporter Ed Wright at eawright@hometownlife.com or 517-375-1113.