Deal advances as state seeks to sell ex-state police post to Ypsilanti Township for $1

The township contracts its police services through the Washtenaw County Sheriff's Department, and officials have said the building purchase would let the department move from the Township Hall to the 8,769 square-foot building on Whittaker Road.

The post — which sits on 3.7 acres — may eventually house about 45 county deputies and supervisors.

State Sen. Rebekah Warren, who introduced the bill in May, said the space will allow the township and deputies the opportunity to expand their services to include training deputies.

"The township has already looked at what it will take to renovate the building structurally and aesthetically," Warren said. "It’s a big piece of property and it's kind of an exciting opportunity to do more there."

The State Police moved out of the post last October to save money. Troopers are now based out of the Brighton Post, though there are outposts in Sylvan Township and Saline.

Although the legislation passed the senate, the state House must vote and Gov. Rick Snyder must sign it into law. Warren said she is hopeful it goes before the house within the next two months.

"We really have between now and Dec. 31 to get this finished first or we’ll have to start all over," she said.

If it passes in the house and is signed by the governor, the township must complete the purchase within 180 days. If the property isn't purchased by the township, it faces sale by a competitive bid or public auction

Warren said the property has a deed restriction, which would prevent it from being used for a residential or mixed purpose facility. It can only be used for public services.

When a property is in a state of disrepair or has a deed restriction, the state can offer it for sale for $1.

"It's stll on the state rolls and we're still paying for basic maintenance, but it's a property we're not using," she said. "The Department of Technology, Management and Budget sent their real estate people out to do an evaluation and because of the deed, they supported conveying it for a dollar."

Warren said the possible sell is a "win-win" for the state and local community.

"For the township it's wonderful for them to have a building they can use for public safety and for the state, it gets a piece of property out of our fleet that we really weren't really using," Warren said.

State Rep. David Rutledge, D-Superior Township, said the sale is something the entire Washtenaw County delegation has supported.

"The townships continued pursuit of the use of that property and putting it to a use that would be police service-related is a good thing," Rutledge said. "Not just the Ypsilanti community will benefit for that old post.

"The whole region will benefit and it's just an expanded opportunity for coverage for police services."