AATA will buy 6-foot strip of land from city of Ann Arbor for $90K

The land is immediately adjacent to the Blake Transit Center, which the AATA hopes to demolish and rebuild later this year, and would straighten out the southern property line.

"For us to move forward with the Blake Transit Center, we need this piece," AATA CEO Michael Ford told board members at Thursday's meeting.

The city hired the real estate appraisal firm Alcock & Williams LLC, which determined the market value of the property is about $90,000.

The AATA's governing board voted to purchase the land for $90,000 plus closing costs. Board member Eli Cooper, who works for the city, abstained.

The Ann Arbor City Council already approved the deal to sell the small portion of city-owned property at 350 S. Fifth Ave. to the AATA last September.

Ford said recently he hopes to break ground on the Blake Transit Center project in August. The AATA is working to submit plans to the city for site plan approval this month.