By SUE SUCHYTA
Sunday Times Newspapers
ALLEN PARK – The purchase of Buhl Field from Baker College, which includes acreage in Melvindale, was unanimously approved at the Jan. 8 City Council meeting to consolidate Department of Public Services facilities.
City Attorney Joseph Courveur said the contract includes a provision which states if the city sells the land at a profit, it will split the proceeds with Baker College, which is selling the land to the city for less than it originally paid for it.
Mayor William Matakas said the sale of city land now used for DPS sites will help to fund the purchase. He also said that some city equipment cannot be stored indoors to protect it from the elements because of the equipment height.
Matakas also said there are few parcels of land in the city that can be obtained without going through a condemnation procedure.
Councilman Angelo DeGuilio said he was apprehensive about a real estate purchase, hinting at the disastrous results of the past building purchase for the ill-fated movie studio, which forced the city into state emergency management control.
Councilwoman Gail McLeod said the vote was to acquire the property, and that building and improvements on it would occur gradually over a period of time.
Matakas agreed, and said the land purchase and timing was a good investment for the city.
“It’s a good time to acquire it,” Matakas said.
(Sue Suchyta can be reached at [email protected].)