ONSTED, Mich. — The threat of demolition has loomed over the historic Irish Hills Towers for two years, but with a recent move by the Cambridge Township Board, the wrecking ball swings closer than ever.

On July 8, five members of the Cambridge Township Board unanimously voted to use a Dangerous Building Ordinance to pursue orders by Lewanee County Circuit Court for the demolition of the towers, said Bruce Nickel, building inspector for the township.

Historically, the towers have attracted sightseers by the busloads.

After their construction in 1924, the area surrounding the towers boasted of inns, campgrounds, restaurants, dance halls, a picnic grove, a small zoo, carnival rides, and more.

 About 60 miles northwest of Toledo, the towers sit among rolling green slopes and beautiful lakes, which  earned the area the “Irish Hills” nickname. 

The spectacular view from the towers’ observation decks, as well as their location along U.S. 12 between Chicago and Detroit, made them a hot spot for visitors.

More recently, however, they’ve been a hot topic at township meetings.

Cambridge Township has been racking up evidence of the towers’ poor condition since 2008, when conversations with towers’ owner Donna Boglarsky began, Mr. Nickel said. The issue continued in 2013, he said, when a Dangerous Building Ordinance hearing officer investigated the property. In July, 2013, the township set a deadline for Mrs. Boglarsky to make improvements or razing would be pursued.

Mrs. Boglarsky and her late husband bought the towers in 1976, but when her husband’s health deteriorated, the towers started to fall into disrepair and were closed to the public in 2000.

Mrs. Boglarsky said the original observation decks near the tops of the towers slanted slightly toward the building, causing rain to inundate the structures and cause water damage. In 2010, she started the nonprofit Irish Hills Historical Society with her daughters to raise money to restore the towers, and she remains the society’s president today.

When the township first threatened demolition in 2013, the society dismantled the tops of the towers to try to stabilize the structures and reduce the overall risk. The society also planned to repair holes in the building, secure windows to make the structures water-tight, and spot-fix a few support beams.

The plans for top removal and repairs were enough to buy the towers more time, but not enough has been done since then to avoid the township board’s action on July 8, Mr. Nickel said. 

“We’ve given extension after extension trying to avoid the inevitable,” he added.

Otis Garrison, a trustee on the Cambridge Township Board, and Rick Richardson, the clerk of the board, visited the towers in early spring to assess the damage. 

Mr. Garrison said that noticeable decay was found in the west tower, as well as standing water and obvious structural insecurities.

“At times, it’s looked like there might be hope for the towers,” Mr. Richardson said, “but they have kind of reached a standstill on fund-raising.”

Demolishing the towers will cost about $50,000, according to Mr. Nickel. The costs of razing the towers will be the responsibility of the property owner, though the expenses initially will fall to the township, he said.

Mrs. Boglarsky estimated that a full restoration of the towers would cost $300,000. Just dismantling the tops of the towers cost $25,000, all but $5,000 of which Mrs. Boglarsky paid, she said.

“What we really need now are finances,” she said. “We are not giving up the fight; we still have plenty of time to get something going.”

As of July 8, the society has 20 days to appeal to the circuit court, and Mrs. Boglarsky hopes that people will act swiftly to donate money so that demolition can be avoided.

Since the Irish Hills Historical Society’s start, it has tried many fund-raising strategies, such as setting up a Facebook page, making DVD documentaries about the towers, hosting golf outings and restaurant nights, manning festival booths, and selling “steps” of the towers to be dedicated and marked with sponsor’s names. 

They’ve only raised about $10,000, however, not nearly enough to make any serious improvements to the tower property.

The historical society’s board will meet in the coming weeks to talk about new fund-raising strategies to try to save the towers.

“Yes, there are issues, and there are things that need to be redone, but it still could be a viable building,” Mrs. Boglarsky said. “We need to preserve history.”

Contact Jillian Kravatz at: jkravatz@theblade.com or 419-724-6050.

First Published July 13, 2015, 4:00 a.m.