Bedford in deal for Fire Creek property

2/27/2008

TEMPERANCE - Bedford Township trustees have struck a deal to sell the former Fire Creek Golf Course property on Lewis Avenue to Monroe Community Ambulance.

An offer of $385,000 for the buildings and three-acre parcel from the ambulance company was accepted by trustees at a meeting last week. The deal is contingent on the solving of several issues, including having frontage on Lewis Avenue divided from the parcel for future sale.

The property would give the company a permanent location to provide emergency medical transport services in the township.

It has been leasing the buildings on the land from the township for $1,100 a month since May, 2006.

"The building works out great for us because we need a building and a garage for our operations," said Joyce Williams, a spokesman for Ypsilanti's Huron Valley Ambulance, a managing partner of Monroe Community Ambulance.

The township bought the pro shop building and outbuildings on the 5.3-acre parcel nearly five years ago for $300,000 with the intention of it becoming the township's third fire station.

However, when a former auto dealership across the street at 7016 Lewis went on the market in 2005, the trustees bought the property and transformed it into the fire station.

The township bought the former golf course property, including a 2,700-square-foot building, the land, and a large paved parking lot for $535,000. Officials said the auto dealership property saved the township hundreds of thousands of dollars in development costs over the previously purchased property.

"We realized more savings by going across the street. It was a better deal for the community," said Township Clerk Robert Schockman. To complete the purchase, the ambulance authority will need zoning approval to operate the medical transportation service. The property is currently zoned for agricultural use.

Monroe Community Ambulance has four sites. It is a partnership among Mercy Memorial Hospital System of Monroe; ProMedica Medical Transportation Network and Mercy Health Partners' LifeStar Ambulance, and Huron Valley Ambulance.

Contact Mark Reiter at: markreiter@theblade.com or 734-241-3610.