[nfbmi-talk] a history lesson of convulated deal

[joe harcz Comcast]

Academy set to buy School for the Blind property

 

>From the

Lansing City Pulse,

 

Academy set to buy School for the Blind property

Written by GRETCHEN COCHRAN

Wednesday, 27 September 2006

 

Lender backed out 2 weeks ago, delaying contentious land deal

 

After more than a year of political maneuvering and months of inaction, the controversial School for the Blind land deal on Lansing’s north side is expected

to be finalized this week.

 

The 35-acre former campus at West Willow and North Pine streets is set for purchase in a convoluted deal involving several state and city departments, the

Lansing Housing Commission and the Mid-Michigan Leadership Academy, the charter school that has operated on the state-owned property for 10 years.

 

Mark Eitrem, superintendent for the charter school, said he expects to close the deal this week.

 

Initially, Eitrem wanted to purchase the entire site from the state for $960,000. Legislation introduced last October by state Rep. Michael Murphy, D-Lansing,

would have allowed him to do just that.

 

Then-State Sen. Virg Bernero, meanwhile, wanted the site to be used for private development. At the end of last year, Bernero, who had just won the Lansing

mayor’s race, was successful in stalling Murphy’s bill.

 

For most of the spring, Eitrem and Bernero haggled over control of the property. Bernero offered to sell Eitrem 3.5 acres for $1, but Eitrem refused that

deal because it would have left him little room for the K-8 charter school, which has 183 students. Eitrem instead wanted at least 9.6 acres.

 

In April, the city and Eitrem struck a deal: The academy would buy 8.5 acres for $211,000, and the city would develop the remaining property, installing

housing units and converting the main administration building into senior housing.

 

Murphy’s bill was amended to reflect the changes and passed both chambers of the Legislature. Gov. Jennifer Granholm signed the legislation on June 6, and

the state administrative board approved the sale on Aug. 6.

 

See more by clicking on the link at the top of the article.

 

Develop Metro Lansing - School for Blind

 

http://develop.metrolansing.com/forum/comments.php?DiscussionID=22