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Macomb proposes buying south half of Randolph House for $150,000 to spur downtown redevelopment
Summary
City staff presented a plan to purchase the south half of the Randolph House for $150,000, including a potential $50,000 relocation stipend and a proposed five-year lease to the current tenant; staff and aldermen said the city intends to acquire and transfer the property to a developer and may use TIF or business-district funding to incentivize rehab.
City staff told the Macomb council committee that the city is proposing to purchase the south half of the Randolph House at 1 Eastside Square for $150,000 and to pair that acquisition with a five-year lease for the current tenant as part of a downtown redevelopment strategy.
Staff (Scott) said the purchase would let the city own both halves of the historic building and then work to attract a developer to renovate the property. The purchase terms cited in the packet include a proposed $150,000 purchase price, a possible $50,000 relocation/compensation stipend payable within three years if tenants must be moved for redevelopment, and a rent-waiver for the current tenant during the immediate lease period.
Scott said an initial architectural analysis for historic restoration estimated total development costs around $7.5 million, and staff noted the project could use tax-incentive tools such as TIF or business-district funds to make a redevelopment feasible. "So that's why we wanna proceed with this," Scott said, describing the buy-and-transfer approach rather than long-term municipal ownership: staff and the chair both emphasized the city does not intend to act as the long-term developer but rather to acquire the property and place it in the hands of a developer whose work the city can encourage through incentives.
Alderman Dorsett cautioned that historic downtown redevelopment can be costly and cited examples of nearby towns where poorly maintained structures later imposed demolition and remediation costs on municipalities. Staff said an internal inspection showed the roof is a built-up tar/asphalt roof that needs recoating and that, while some repairs are necessary, the building did not appear to be in immediate danger of collapse.
Staff said they would present the purchase and related lease ordinance for council consideration at the Feb. 2 council meeting and that prior executive sessions had addressed the acquisition.
No final purchase vote was taken at the Committee of the Whole; staff and aldermen supported moving the item forward for formal action at the next council meeting.
