KALAMAZOO, MI (WKZO AM/FM) – Western Michigan University plans to buy back a building it sold in 2013 in the Western Business Technology Park 1.0.
The university originally sold what is now the Newell Rubbermaid site to Southwest Michigan First, who then sold it to Newell. With each sale, Western retained the right to purchase with the same terms and conditions negotiated with the intended buyer.
Newell Brands, which owns Rubbermaid, Sharpie, Graco, Coleman, Paper Mate, Yankee Candle, and FoodSaver among others, announced last July their design center facility in Kalamazoo would move to their global headquarters in Atlanta
Newell is asking $6 million for the 62,000 square foot facility, and the university has already provided a $100,000 deposit on the building.
School officials say their intent is to use the building to house their facilities team currently located in the Physical Plant, as well as the design team located in the Campus Services Buildings. With the additional space, they say they plan to explore if the building can address some of the needs of our soccer teams, with parking availability will helping on game days.
If the WMU Board of Trustee approves the purchase at a special meeting Tuesday, closing would occur either April 2 or 3.
The current Physical Plant that houses the university facilities team was built in 1921 and its last significant renovation occurred in 1954 and is 48,352 square feet. The university master campus plan identified the building to be decommissioned and demolished. It’s located at the juncture of Oakland and Stadium and “is an unattractive gateway to campus” according to school officials.
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