Ypsilanti Township officials want the former Ypsi-Arbor Bowl brought up to code. It has sat vacant for more than two years.
Tom Perkins | For AnnArbor.com
The owner of the former Ypsi-Arbor Bowl property says the building will soon be torn down.
Ypsilanti Township officials received notification of Troy-based Frankel Associates' intent this week. The property is at the intersection of Washtenaw Avenue and Golfside Drive.
Paneling on the side of the alley has been broken and is now boarded.
Tom Perkins | For AnnArbor.com
On June 6, the township sent Frankel notice of a litany of code violations on the property and asked that it respond to a request to bring the 3.3- acre property up to code or demolish the building within 30 days.
Hard economic times forced the 38,000-square-foot alley to close after 40 years in business in May of 2011 and it has sat vacant since.
Issues range from cosmetic to potentially serious. Cracks are appearing in the masonry and the township asked Frankel for an assessment from a structural engineer.
The windows have been boarded for more than 30 days, which is the limit per township ordinance, and many of those boards are serving as a canvas for graffiti artists. Tall weeds are growing out of the growing number of cracks and potholes in the parking lot, and broken paneling on the building’s exterior have been covered with boards.
Officials are not pleased that a boarded up bowling alley has greeted motorists entering the township at the intersection of Golfside Drive and Washtenaw Avenue for the last two years.
Tom Perkins | For AnnArbor.com
“The building is classified as blight and the blight has to be abated,” Fulton said.
A Frankel representative declined to comment.
The property is being marketed for sale or lease by the Mid America Realty Group. No price is available on the company's website and it's vice president, Adam Goodman, declined to comment.
In June 2012, Frankel told the township a national retailer would present redevelopment plans to the Ypsilanti Township Planning Commission, but the retailer chose a different location.
"We want to see the property brought into code compliance by repairing or demolishing the building and cleaning up the grounds," Radzik said. "If the owner chooses demolition, I hope the property will be well positioned for redevelopment. It is an important gateway to the community with extremely high traffic counts and visibility."
Tom Perkins is a freelance reporter. Contact the AnnArbor.com news desk at news@annarbor.com.