Demolition of the former Allen Park City Hall and Police Department is expected to begin Monday. The City Council voted Feb. 14 to sell the property to Affinity 8 Investments, LLC, for $1.2 million.
By TEREASA NIMS
Sunday Times Newspapers
ALLEN PARK – Asbestos removal of the former police department and city hall wrapped up Friday and demolition of the building is scheduled to begin Monday, readying the property to sell for $1.2 million.
“That building should have been condemned years ago,” resident Allen Wojczynski said, citing the dilapidated state of the building at 16580 Southfield Road.
Salenbien Trucking and Excavating of Dundee spent about a week removing the toxic product and is prepared to begin tearing down the building that the city has used as its headquarters for 35 years. City offices were moved from that building in 2016 next door to the Southfield Lease Properties (formerly Unity Studios), 16630 Southfield Road.
Mayor William Matakas cited leaky pipes, black mold as some of the reasons for exiting.
“It will be nice to see it gone,” resident Rachel Adams said. “I remember going to a (city council) meeting there and the broken clock, water-stained ceiling tiles and buckets collecting dripping water … made me feel like I was not living in the right city.”
During its regular meeting Feb. 14, the City Council voted to sell the almost two-acre location to Affinity 8 Investments, LLC, based in Sunnyvale Calif., for $1.2 million. The city is paying the $180,000 demolition costs of the building.
The buyer has 120 days to investigate the property and obtain approvals before closing the deal.
A special meeting has been scheduled for 6 p.m. Feb. 22 to discuss the new City Hall/Police Department proposed to move to their permanent location, the former Oakwood Clinic, 15401 Southfield Road. The meeting will be in the upstairs conference room in city hall, or downstairs if conference room is overcrowded.
The council voted 5-2 to purchase the 23,468-square-foot site in December at the cost of about $2 million. Councilmen Harry Sisko and Kevin Rourke opposed the purchase.
“We are running out of time,” Financial Administrator Bob Cady said. “Our lease expires in April 2018.”
(Tereasa Nims can be reached at [email protected].)