At Ann Arbor Builders, we're celebrating more than the start of the new year. We're celebrating our 50th anniversary! And we can't help reminiscing about how far we've come in all these years.
Says owner Alex de Parry, "We've certainly seen trends in housing change, but more importantly, we think back with great appreciation on all the wonderful people who have helped us to grow."
Today, Glazier Woods is an idyllic setting for new homes, but the site – located just off Glazier Way - was once a welcome refuge for weary travelers who were escaping the tyranny of slavery.
It’s no wonder, then, that while we were building the homes, I often stood there and thought, “If only this land could talk,” for few building sites have such an historically significant story to tell.
It began in 1833 when Richard Glazier moved his family from New York to Ann Arbor which was incorporated as a village that same year.
When it came to naming the street in Ayrshire Woods, a subdivision we developed off Ayrshire Road in Ann Arbor, we had only one thought.
It would be named Lillie Lane in honor of Gary Lillie, a well-respected and well-liked commercial real estate broker whom we had known for years.
But Gary’s real passion was helping fellow veterans. He served in the U.S. Navy, fought in Vietnam, and was a strong advocate for veterans. For several years, he hosted a weekly broadcast program called Veterans Radio, a program he helped launch.