Drainage French Drain Servicesin Lake Orion MI
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About Drainage French Drain Services
Introduction
In the quaint town of Lake Orion, commercial property owners understand the unique challenges that come with maintaining their establishments. Among these vital responsibilities is effectively managing water runoff, one of the essential aspects for the longevity and efficiency of a commercial building. One solution that found wide acceptance due to its efficiency and cost-effectiveness is the Drainage French Drain or simply, a French drain.
A French drain is more than just a ditch. It is a specially constructed system designed to redirect water from areas where it is not needed or wanted. While there are other drainage solutions, a French drain system can be particularly effective and versatile, offering solutions for a variety of water-related issues.
Understanding a French Drain and its Construction
A French drain essentially operates under the power of gravity. It refers to a trench filled with gravel, or rock, containing a perforated pipe that redirects surface water and groundwater away from an area. The water percolates through the gravel and into the trench drain that has a slight slope. Finally, the water is taken away from the property, potentially into a drainage ditch or the street. Building a French drain often requires the expertise of a company experienced in laying a French drain, such as D&J Contracting.
The Benefits of a French Drain for Commercial Properties
Commercial properties benefit enormously from French drain installations, mainly when they are installed around the perimeter of the building, as a basement French drain, or as an exterior French drain. Properly functioning French drains positively impact the overall health of a building in several ways. Primarily, they protect the foundation from damage by eradicating excess water. Secondly, they prevent the basement from flooding. French drains efficiently solve standing water and soggy yard problems, improving landscaping and making the outdoor space of the property usable all year-round. Lastly, they significantly reduce mold and mildew build-up, essentially improving indoor air quality.
With prompt French drain maintenance, commercial properties achieve efficient drainage and avert potentially costly repairs caused by water-related damage. Companies such as D&J Contracting offer French drain service to maintain the drainage system’s optimal function.
Real-World Applications of French Drains for Commercial Properties
French drains are versatile and can be utilized in many ways across commercial properties. Here are some real-world applications of French drains:
Basement Waterproofing: French drains can be installed inside basements to redirect water and prevent the possibility of water damage. An interior French drain efficiently manages water seepage, keeping your basement dry and safe. Also, a French drain inside the basement can effectively decrease the hydrostatic pressure building up beneath the structure.
Foundation Protection: A French drain system around the house foundation or the building is extremely beneficial for safeguarding your building’s foundation and preventing its potential crumbling. French drains effectively channel water away from the foundation, preventing saturation and potential damage.
Driveway Drainage: Installing a French drain near the driveway or a driveway French drain can significantly prevent the adverse effects of water runoff from the driveway, especially after heavy rains or snow melt. Essentially, this may save you from expensive concrete repairs or resurfacing in the future.
Managing Roof Runoff: Installing a French drain for roof runoff is a savvy move. The runoff from roofs, especially for large commercial buildings, can be substantial. Using a French drain to manage and redirect this water safely away from the building can protect your property from potential water damage.
Yard Drainage: From installing a French drain in the yard to laying a lawn French drain, these drain systems prevent standing water accumulations, soggy yards, and waterlogged gardens. They help to maintain the aesthetic appeal and functionality of your outdoor spaces.
Companies like D&J Contracting, offering French drain installation and maintenance services ensure that commercial properties in Lake Orion enjoy all the benefits of having an efficiently functioning French drain system. However, it is essential to conduct proper French drain excavation and installation to avert future problems like French drain clogged with mud.
Investing in a French Drain System
The cost to put in a French drain varies, depending on its length, depth, and location. Companies offering French drain installation can provide an estimate after assessing the property. Despite the initial investment, the long-term benefits often far outweigh the cost: preventing foundation damage and basement flooding, mitigating mold and mildew problems, and enhancing landscaping and outdoor usability.
Commercial property owners in Lake Orion considering installing French drains in their property should seek a professional French drain company or French drain contractors to ensure a correct and efficient installation. Look for businesses offering French drains near you, such as the reputable D&J Contracting.
Final Thoughts
With its numerous benefits and practical applications, a well-constructed French drain is an efficient and cost-effective drainage solution for Lake Orion commercial property owners. Whether you need to prevent basement flooding, protect your foundation, manage water runoff from roofs or driveways, or maintain a dry and usable yard, a French drain could be the solution you need.
Remember, installing a French drain is an investment that could save you from costly repairs or renovations in the future. It is, therefore, highly advisable to enlist the help of professionals like D&J Contracting to effectively handle the nuances of installation and maintenance associated with French drain solutions. Their expertise will ensure you get the most out of your investment and protect your commercial property from potential water-related issues.
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Drainage French Drain in Lake Orion
Serving: Lake Orion, Michigan
About Lake Orion, Michigan
Judah Church and Moses (or Samuel) Munson were among the first settlers. Munson, who arrived in 1824, built a sawmill in 1825, and planted the first orchard. Jesse Decker arrived from upstate New York with his wife, Mary, in 1825. He was energetic and became “everything to everybody”, so that the place soon became known as “Decker’s Settlement” and the town “Canandaigua,” after Canandaigua, New York, where the settlers originated. The settlement grew into a bustling commercial center with a sawmill, tavern, post office, general store, blacksmith shop, school and cemetery. In 1828, a power dam was built uniting several small lakes and forming the mile-wide Lake Canandaigua, just west of the village.
In 1830, Decker raised the first frame barn in the area, with local Native Americans’ help. The first post office was opened in 1832, with Decker as postmaster. In 1835, the community’s name was changed from Canandaigua to Orion, and Lake Canandaigua was renamed Lake Orion. The new name was chosen by the village’s attorney, reportedly for the Orion Trees in the area. The same year, the Township of Orion was formally approved by the Michigan Territorial government. Decker became the first Supervisor of Orion, with a salary of $2 a year. By 1836, two persons were licensed to keep taverns in the town, one of whom was Decker. He was elected to the first Michigan House of Representatives in 1837 and also served as justice of the peace for the Orion area. By 1840 Decker owned 440 acres (1.8 km) of land.
In 1909 a Marine Postal Center was established, with mail delivered to over 300 cottages on the lake and islands by boat. Lake Orion was the first town in the United States to have this service.
In 1929, Amelia Earhart visited Lake Orion at the invitation of Orion resident and fellow aviator William Edmund Scripps. While visiting Scripps Mansion, she flew an experimental glider. Also in 1929, the village known as “Orion” was officially renamed “Lake Orion.”
The Village of Lake Orion was served by trains on the Michigan Central Railroad from 1872 to 1976, and the Detroit United Railway interurban system from 1899 to 1931. Each service had its own track and depot, although both were named “Orion” and in the village near the intersection of M-24 and Flint Street. Lake Orion also had a flag stop, Rudds Station, on the MCC line east of the village near Clarkston and Kern Roads. Rudds Station served Rudds Mill, a milling operation on Paint Creek that produced wheat. The MCR line ran from Detroit to Mackinaw City, and the Flint Division of the DUR line ran from Royal Oak to Flint. With the automobile’s increased popularity and the paving of M-24 in 1929, passenger service on the DUR ended in 1931, and track was scrapped during the 1940s for a World War II metal drive. Little remains of the corridor. The MCR line maintained passenger service until 1950, and freight service continued until the 1970s. The MCC track passed through New York Central and Penn Central and operated until 1976, when it was closed after acquisition by Conrail. The original MCR rails and track east of M-24 were completely removed, and the line from the village south toward Rochester, now serves as the recreational Paint Creek Trail. The line from the village north to Oxford exists now only as a narrow path, but still passes over the historic Indian Lake Road Stone Arch Bridge, a small limestone bridge constructed over Indian Lake Road in 1891.
Lake Orion was also served by trains on the Grand Trunk Western Railroad. The Polly Ann line ran from Pontiac to Caseville, passing through western Orion Township. Two flag stop stations served Lake Orion on the Polly Ann line. Eames Station was near the intersection of Joslyn and Silverbell Roads, and Cole Station was near the intersection of Joslyn and Clarkston Roads. A short section of the track was still in use as of 2014, operated by Canadian National Railway specifically to connect the General Motors Orion Assembly plant with the CN main line in Pontiac, but all track north of Orion Assembly was eliminated and removed by 1985. In 1993, a Rails to Trails federal grant was awarded and matched by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, providing more than $728,000 to purchase the right-of-way from Grand Trunk. The corridor now serves as the recreational Polly Ann Trail, connecting Lake Orion with Oxford, Addison Township, and Leonard.
Lake Orion was an amusement destination for residents of Metro Detroit in the first half of the century. The addition of the Michigan Central Railroad track in 1872 set the stage for Lake Orion as a major summertime resort for those traveling on the line, especially between Detroit and Flint. In 1874, several prominent citizens formed the Orion Park Association to capitalize on the growing number of travelers to the area. They developed a park on the shore of the lake (now Green’s Park) near the train depot and operated a steam-powered boat for lake excursions and delivery to Park Island. Over time, the Park Island Amusement Park grew to include a penny arcade, carousel, souvenir booths, refreshment booths, lunch stands, dining rooms, dance halls, and a wooden roller coaster named “The Thriller.”
The swimming beach on the north side of Park Island had both a men’s and ladies’ bathhouse, a waterslide, and numerous diving boards, the highest 42 feet above the water. Lake Orion was stocked annually with bass, pickerel, and pike, and fishing tournaments and contests were held seasonally. Several double-deck boats, including the “City of Orion,” offered lake excursions replete with bands and a dance floor on the upper deck. At night, Park Island was illuminated by strings of thousands of lights.
Once a premier destination among vacationers, the park suffered through the Great Depression and several fires, gradually losing business before closing in 1955. The park was owned by the Detroit Edison Company (via the purchase of a subsidiary, the Orion Power and Light company) from 1912 until closure. The island and park property were later purchased by a private real estate developer who built homes on the island in the 1960s. In many brochures and newspaper advertisements in the 1910s and 1920s, Lake Orion was advertised to potential travelers as the “Venice of the Middle West,” “Paris of Detroit,” and “Lake Orion, the One Best Resort”.
The story of the Lake Orion Dragon says that sometime in the 1800s, a group of local children played a prank by building a fake dragon and launching it on the lake. A number of people saw it and soon Lake Orion was known for its dragon. There are competing stories about who made it and how it was built, but most agreed that a Levi A. Wild was responsible.
“That same year the Lake Orion ‘dragon’ made its entrance into Orion history. First seen by two ladies near the present Robert’s Rondevoo cove, the animal grew in length as the story grew in listeners. What had started out as an average-sized lake monster was claimed by some to be at least eighty feet long. Detroit and other newspapers joshingly suggested, upon hearing of the behemoth, that Orion residents should ‘drink more well-water in the future.'” The nickname of Lake Orion High School’s sports teams (the Dragons) derives from this.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of 1.30 square miles (3.37 km), of which 0.79 square miles (2.05 km) is land and 0.51 square miles (1.32 km) is water.
| Lake Orion | |
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Lake Orion aka Orion Lake
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 Lake Orion
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| Location | Lake Orion, Michigan |
| Coordinates | 42°47′N 83°15′W / 42.783°N 83.250°W |
| Basin countries | United States |
| Surface area | 506 acres (205 ha) |
| Max. depth | 80 ft (24 m) |
| Settlements | Village of Lake Orion, Michigan |
Lake Orion (less commonly known as “Orion Lake”) is a medium-sized inland lake, with area of 506 acres. It has a maximum depth of 80 feet and an average depth of 16 feet. The lake is located within the Village of Lake Orion and Orion Township. It is the eighth largest lake by area in Oakland County.
The current area of the lake was formed by a collection of smaller lakes over time, beginning with the damming of Paint Creek in the 1830s. Canals have also been dredged to maximize lake frontage.
There is a public access boat launch on the northern side of the lake. It is administered by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources.
There are several islands in Lake Orion, some of which feature seasonal and year-round residences. The largest islands, Bellevue and Park, are connected to the mainland by two-lane bridges and are populated year-round. Most boats can pass under the Bellevue Bridge, which has a clearance of 9.6 feet. The Park Island bridge has a lower clearance that allows only canoes, kayaks and rowboats to pass underneath. The remaining islands are reachable only by watercraft. Victoria Island is the third largest island, and is home to several seasonal and year-round homes. A smaller island, Paint Island, was home to a single residence from the 1850s to the 1950s. Little remains of the island due to erosion save for a solitary tree, and the shallow waters can be a hazard to boaters. Sweet’s Island is home to the Lake Orion Boat Club, and features a private boathouse and docks for LOBC members. Romance Island is home to a single cottage, Preston Island to two seasonal cottages, Dot Island to one seasonal cottage and Armada Island to four seasonal cottages. The residences on all islands except for Bellevue and Park require the use of watercraft to travel to and from the mainland.
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1860 | 292 | — | |
| 1870 | 304 | 4.1% | |
| 1880 | 429 | 41.1% | |
| 1890 | 522 | 21.7% | |
| 1900 | 756 | 44.8% | |
| 1910 | 717 | −5.2% | |
| 1920 | 929 | 29.6% | |
| 1930 | 1,369 | 47.4% | |
| 1940 | 1,933 | 41.2% | |
| 1950 | 2,385 | 23.4% | |
| 1960 | 2,698 | 13.1% | |
| 1970 | 2,921 | 8.3% | |
| 1980 | 2,907 | −0.5% | |
| 1990 | 3,057 | 5.2% | |
| 2000 | 2,715 | −11.2% | |
| 2010 | 2,973 | 9.5% | |
| 2020 | 2,876 | −3.3% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
The demographics below are for the village only. Refer to Orion Township for the demographics of the entire township.
As of the census of 2010, there were 2,973 people, 1,304 households, and 709 families residing in the village. The population density was 3,763.3 inhabitants per square mile (1,453.0/km). There were 1,483 housing units at an average density of 1,877.2 units per square mile (724.8 units/km). The racial makeup of the village was 94.2% White, 1.6% African American, 0.2% Native American, 1.1% Asian, 0.9% from other races, and 2.0% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.5% of the population.
There were 1,304 households, of which 27.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.0% were married couples living together, 10.7% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.8% had a male householder with no wife present, and 45.6% were non-families. 38.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.19 and the average family size was 2.93.
The median age in the village was 41.2 years. 20.6% of residents were under the age of 18; 7.8% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 27.9% were from 25 to 44; 27.5% were from 45 to 64; and 16.2% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the village was 47.5% male and 52.5% female.
As a village, Lake Orion is provided assessing, counties and school districts tax collecting and elections administration for county, state and national by Orion Township. The Village of Lake Orion is a Michigan home rule village with a council-manager form of government. The village is governed by a local charter adopted by village electors. The village’s legislative body is its village council, comprising a President and six council members. The village council appoints a Village Manager to serve as the Chief Administrative Officer of the government responsible for the management of the village’s daily operations and oversight of all departments. Current Village Manager Darwin McClary was appointed in November 2022 after having previously served as Manager from 2013 to 2017.
Lake Orion is served by the Lake Orion Community Schools school district.
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