HOLLAND — Representatives for LG Energy Solution said the company intends to create a task force, of sorts, to evaluate what comes next for Holland’s Old Wing Mission.

The property was purchased by the company last year, along with several other homes along 147th Avenue. The topic sparked intense concern from locals, who want to see the mission preserved.

Old Wing Mission is the oldest surviving house in Holland. The home was built in 1844 by Isaac Fairbanks, a government agricultural agent to Native Americans.

Three of the parcels in question are located within city limits, including the mission. The other three are located in Fillmore Township. Representatives appeared before the Holland Planning Commission on Tuesday, Jan. 9, during a study session to discuss the future of the city’s parcels.

Scott Dienes, attorney for Barnes and Thornburg said, following public feedback, LG has decided to “take a long look” and determine how best to preserve the mission.

“We’ve put some thought into this and, from a process standpoint, the company is going to create some sort of a task force comprised of people from the local museum, members of the public and people from the company to make a recommendation about what to do with the building and whether it should stay on that site,” Dienes said.

Our past coverage: LG Energy Solution officially acquires historic Old Wing Mission

“The starting point of the discussion is the company intends to preserve the building. It will be protected during the construction process.”

In the meantime, the company is working to rezone the six parcels from residential to industrial. The mission will be protected with fencing, they said, as construction begins.

LG Holland, located off 146th Avenue near I-196, opened in 2010. In early 2022, the company announced a $1.7 billion expansion meant to create 1,000 skilled, well-paying jobs by 2025 over 1 million square feet of new space.

As construction on that phase neared completion, LG announced a $3 billion partnership with Toyota, marking the beginnings of a “third phase.” Officials said that expansion, if approved, will mean another building for LG, but not more positions. That’s where the new properties come into play.

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Our past coverage: LG has ‘zero plans’ to demolish Old Wing Mission, reps tell Holland City Council

Suzanne Schulz of Progressive AE said LG plans to first move forward with rezoning, then submit site plans. There is no timetable for when those requests will come before planners.

Old Wing Mission was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1986, but the listing of a property on the register “places no restrictions on what a non-federal owner may do with their property up to and including destruction, unless the property is involved in a project that receives federal assistance,” according to guidelines.

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The property is not located in the city’s historic district, which offers other protections.

Old Wing Mission is also part of the State Register of Historic Sites, which lists properties approved for the Michigan Historical Marker Program. Property owners are expected to show a commitment to preserving the resource, according to state documentation, and must follow national preservation standards for any exterior modifications, if they wish to remain in the program.

— Contact reporter Austin Metz at ametz@hollandsentinel.com.

This article originally appeared on The Holland Sentinel: LG to form ‘task force’ on how best to preserve Old Wing Mission