Cascade looks into relocating office
Cascade Township officials are exploring the use of a vacant manufacturing headquarters as a potential site for a consolidated township office.
The township board signed an agreement with an option to purchase the property at 5920 Tahoe Drive SE from Tahoe Associates LLC after the successful completion of a due-diligence period ending Dec. 12. If the property does not meet agreed-upon specifications, the township can end the agreement.
The building, which was previously occupied by ADAC Automotive, features 12,930 square feet on 1.23 acres in Centennial Park — enough space to allow all departments to be under the same roof. Cascade’s offer of $1.4 million was accepted and below the asking price of $1.495 million.
“The former ADAC Automotive space checks a lot of the boxes for us,” Township Manager Ben Swayze said. “It is an existing facility in good shape that will require some remodeling. It could provide us with enough space to consolidate all our departments, including the building department, and save the additional rent and utility costs we are currently paying at that location.”
Swayze added the location is convenient and offers easy and plentiful parking for residents and other visitors to the township hall.
“Facilities of this caliber are rare in this market, so the purchase agreement secured this property as a viable option for the future,” Swayze said. “An extensive due-diligence period will give us the time we need to do a thorough review and to hear from residents.”
The decision comes as the Cascade Fire Department works to complete its study of potential new spaces to expand or relocate. The study is the result of a separate facilities and services study, which identified repairs and upgrades to the township’s fire stations as the top priority of residents. One of the top locations identified in March is the current location of Fire Station 1, which shares space with township offices at 2865 Thornhills Ave. SE.
The recent offer is the next step in the process where the township has sought input from residents and business owners on the services and facilities that are most used and important to them. Working with architectural and engineering firm Progressive AE, township officials conducted a six-month study, which sought input via an online survey, community visioning sessions and social media engagement.
Residents indicated the township’s fire services were their top concern. The township hired Progressive AE to seek a fire station design specialist to conduct a detailed fire study to explore options for the future of Fire Station 1.
The fire study is comparing moving to a new location or expanding on its existing space. The fire study will help the board make an informed decision at the end of the due-diligence period in December.
The township will host a public engagement meeting to present more details, collect feedback from residents and business owners, and suggest next steps. Residents and business owners will be invited to the engagement meeting via the website, mail and social media when a date is finalized.
Posted By: Grand Rapids Business Journal on November 1, 2019. For more information, please click here to read the source article.
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