National retailer chooses not to move into the former Ypsi-Arbor Bowl
Plans for a national retailer to move into the former Ypsi-Arbor Bowl have fallen through.
Steve Robinson, president at Southfield-based Versa Real Estate, confirmed that the national retailer had backed out of the deal.
Tom Perkins | For AnnArbor.com
"We’re not working on it anymore," Robinson said.
Robinson declined to name the retailer and said the company chose another location in Ypsilanti, though he wasn't sure if it was the City of Ypsilanti or Ypsilanti Township.
Township planning coordinator Joe Lawson said Lumber Liquidators is planning to open a store in a building in front of the Ellsworth Road Wal-Mart, but he didn't know if that was the national retailer that had been considering Ypsi-Arbor.
The Ypsi-Arbor property at 2985 Washtenaw, just east of Golfside, is owned by Frankel Associates, based in Troy, and it’s registered to Samuel Frankel.
The Washtenaw Avenue bowling alley closed in May 2011 after 40 years in business.
"It's primed and ready for renovation so were hopeful it's redevelopment will move forward soon," said Mike Radzik, director of the township's office of community standards.
The 38,000-square-foot building on 3.3 acres is listed for sale or lease by Brad Rosenberg of Landmark Commercial Real Estate in Farmington Hills. The asking rates are not disclosed.
Comments
Duc d'Escargot
Sun, Sep 30, 2012 : 7:54 p.m.
Amateur journalism strikes again! "We weren't sure of the difference between the possessive 'its' and the contraction 'it's' in the next-to-last paragraph, so we used the same punctuation for both! And while we were at it, we left out the punctuation for the contraction 'we're'."
javajolt1
Sun, Sep 30, 2012 : 4:49 p.m.
Ypsil-Arbor and K-mart.......now that would make for some nice green space!
Basic Bob
Sun, Sep 30, 2012 : 7:30 p.m.
They can rezone it for the moat and the checkpoint.
lefty48197
Sun, Sep 30, 2012 : 12:22 a.m.
That area has gone downhill ever since McKinley slumlords bought the apartments behind kmart and turned them into another McKinley ghetto.
Basic Bob
Sun, Sep 30, 2012 : 7:26 p.m.
Many factors are at play other than the condition of the property (slum) and the tenants (ghetto). Who will live in a place with a high cost of living, few good jobs and failed schools? Only if the rent is in your budget.
4 Fingers
Sun, Sep 30, 2012 : 11:52 a.m.
And that is exactly what happened to that part of town.
Ron Granger
Sat, Sep 29, 2012 : 11:10 p.m.
That would be a great location for a gun store and shooting range. They already have lanes.
Ron Granger
Sun, Sep 30, 2012 : 9:52 p.m.
I am dead serious.
tdw
Sun, Sep 30, 2012 : 10:28 a.m.
Ron...I'm thinking that may be a shot ( no pun intended ) at Yps i.BUT I think that is a great idea and it would do quite well.
bunnyabbot
Sat, Sep 29, 2012 : 8:36 p.m.
what would make more sense in that area, of the bowling alley and across the street for the Kmart/Farmer Jack property 1. an AATA transit center 2. an additional parking structure for WCC and St Joe workers. (thereby they could expand the campus for school use as opposed to building a structure closer to the school. 3. Ann Arbors pet project...affordable housing. with property on either side utilized they could build a pedestrian overpass. Just saying
Angry Moderate
Sat, Sep 29, 2012 : 10:10 p.m.
But affordable housing residents deserve to live in an up-scale downtown district where they can walk to fine restaurants and art galleries.
treetowncartel
Sat, Sep 29, 2012 : 4:26 p.m.
That KMart will close eventually. I have to think Wal-Mart might by that corner eventuall and put the shudders on the Elsworth location.
dexterreader
Sat, Sep 29, 2012 : 2:22 p.m.
I lived in Golfside Lake apartments 30 years ago when that area used to be considered the "elite" section of Ypsilanti. The K-Mart was busy, there was a Kroger you could walk to, and the area was generally very safe. It's sad to see how much things have changed at that corner over the years.
dexterreader
Sun, Sep 30, 2012 : 9:18 p.m.
I was a young, single girl living by myself then and felt very safe there. Used to "slip through" the fence to walk to Kroger. I lived on Twin Lakes Drive ..... I think the address was 2379.
tdw
Sat, Sep 29, 2012 : 6:13 p.m.
Me too.Maybe we were neighbors.Don't forget about the 24hrs Perry's
Billy
Sat, Sep 29, 2012 : 12:12 p.m.
That part of town has slid a lot in 30 years. My grandparents lived on Ainsley St. back then, back when westside theater was still there. It really wasn't that bad back then. That part of town had some some good stores. Charlie's was still there. Putt putt was still popular. Red Barons Collectables was one of THE best in the county. It seems everything over there just slowly got worse as businesses died off.
dading dont delete me bro
Sat, Sep 29, 2012 : 1:31 p.m.
wayside theater...
hermhawk
Sat, Sep 29, 2012 : 11:13 a.m.
Let this not be another eyesore like the former Farmer Jack across the street.
Cash
Sat, Sep 29, 2012 : 11:46 p.m.
I think the Farmer Jack's bankruptcy had something to do with the holdup of the sale. Busch's just bought the one on Canton Center Rd, I believe, and is going to open a store there.
tdw
Sat, Sep 29, 2012 : 12:21 p.m.
I wouldn't quite call Farmer Jack's a " eyesore " other than being empty It's not Bad.If anything K-Mart is the eyesore.Not sure why no one has done something with Farmer Jack's ( a decent grocery store would do good I think as that area needs one ) if anything,K-Mart might be keeping someone away.( if K-Mart would improve the 48 yr building I think it would do better ).Personally, I'm not holding my breath for something to be done with the alley anytime in the near future.
Craig Lounsbury
Sat, Sep 29, 2012 : 11:35 a.m.
exactly. I hate to say it but if I was looking for a "prime location" to open my "national retail" store the across the street factor would be worrisome to me. I would wonder why that farmer Jack building has sat empty for so long. I would wonder why there seems so few cars in the K Mart parking lot.