Give Old Barns a New Life
If an old barn is no longer needed or suitable for agricultural use, it can be repurposed.
If it’s in the way of development, it can be moved.
The Michigan Barn Preservation Network is committed to the rehabilitation of barns not only for agricultural purposes, but also for commercial, public and residential uses. Adaptive reuse is a significant strategy for barn preservation. There are many potential uses:
Wedding and Event Venues
Top row: Stahl Event Barn in Missaukee County hosts weddings and other celebrations.
Bottom row: Legacy Barn for up to 300 guests at Heritage Wedding Barns in Oceana County has 7 large sliding doors that open up for the breezes off Lake Michigan.
Wedding Venues – See how property owners have converted their barns into event spaces. Story: From Dairy to ‘I Do’
Museums
Left: Making a Museum – Learn how the City of Rochester Hills in Oakland County made a commitment to reuse and repurpose the Van Hoosen Farm as a local history museum and community space. Story: Van Hoosen Farm – A Model for Adaptive Reuse and Public-Private Partnerships
Right: Campania Barn stands nearly five stories tall and was built in 1897 for the A.M. Todd Company’s mint farm near Fennville in western Allegan County. It was dismantled, moved 45 miles and reassembled at the Gilmore Car Museum in Hickory Corners.
Farm Markets
Left: AJs Berry Farm near Alpena includes a farm market with a commercial kitchen.
Right: Coveyou Scenic Market in Petoskey has a view of Walloon Lake through the barn door.
Retail Space
Residential
