Southfield school district sells three properties, denies offer on former Bussey Center

SOUTHFIELD — Since the Bussey Center for Early Childhood Education relocated from 19080 W. 12 Mile Road to 24501 Fredrick St. in 2020, the building has sat vacant.

According to Alexandra Cash, Southfield Public Schools’ director of communications, the 54,000-square-foot building, built in 1957 and updated in 1961, still stands on the property, which comprises 20 acres of land. Recently it was among three other parcels up for sale by the district. It was the only one not eventually sold, and nearby residents are wondering about its fate.

Harmen Guenther is a resident who lives near the former Bussey Center and is the previous president of Cranbrook Village, which is the neighborhood surrounding the former Bussey Center.  Guenther is concerned for the fate of the building.

“A lot of our residents walk their pets through that area, pick up after them and take care of it,” Guenther said. “It’s almost like a dog park, unofficially, and we’d like to keep it that way. There are a lot of empty schools in the city that the school board decided to eliminate. Since the school’s been on the market, we’re afraid that they’re looking for somebody with deep pockets to turn it into a residential area or condos and something like that. We would rather have it stay as a school.”

Guenther added that the vacant building has attracted vandalism and trespassing teenagers climbing on the roof, attempting to gain entry.

Guenther said some had hoped that an offer by a local rabbi would be accepted, but it was not.

“We want to help Rabbi (Tzvi) Jacobson fulfill his ambition for the property to remain as a school,” Guenther said.

Rabbi Tzvi Jacobson, the director of development at Yeshivas Darchei Torah, at 21550 W. 12 Mile Road, approached the Southfield Public School District in July 2022 about purchasing the former Fred D. Leonhard Elementary School, 20900 Independence Drive, which closed in 2011.

“We have 545 students ranging from preschool to high school. We are in one building on 12 Mile, a block east of Lahser. We don’t fit. We must get another location so we can split our school into two buildings, just for the children. The special needs we don’t have room for, the resource room we don’t have room for. We’re running out of room to grow,” said Jacobson.

“I personally have 27 children in my class. So, we found out the Southfield school board, when they were making their bond, the $350 million bond, it seems part of the deal was they had to get rid of properties that were no longer usable and were just a burden on them because they’re paying to upkeep it and mow the lawns, and plowing and insurance. So they put up four properties for sale.”

Yeshivas Darchei Torah initially made an offer on the former Leonhard School building for $400,000, but the offer was rejected. Jacobson said he then learned that the former Bussey Center was for sale, and he said he heard that the school board wanted $700,000 for it. Jacobson sent a letter offering the school board $700,000 for it and shared Yeshivas Darchei Torah’s intentions of demolishing and rebuilding the building, due to the asbestos at the site.

On May 1, 2023, Jennifer Martin-Green, the superintendent of Southfield Public Schools, stated in a letter to the prospective purchasers that, after analyzing all the proposals, administrators recommended that the Board of Education move forward with the sale of three of the properties:

• The former Brace-Lederle Elementary School to Yeshiva Beth Yehudah, for a purchase price of $2,500,000.

• The former Leonhard Elementary School to the Fodeia Group for a purchase price of $585,000.

• and the Magnolia Center to Yeshiva Beth Yehudah, for a purchase price of $400,000.

Those three were approved, but the recommended sale of the former Bussey Early Childhood Center to Yeshivas Darchei Torah for a purchase price of $700,000 was not approved.

“This decision was based on a number of factors including, but not limited to, the amount of the final and best offers,” Martin-Green stated in the letter.

Jacobson explained that since the offer was rejected, he has made multiple attempts to communicate with the Board of Education to determine the next steps for Yeshivas Darchei Torah but has not received any explanation.

“They all said, ‘We’re not interested.’ And we can’t even speak to them to get them to explain. If it’s good for the neighborhood and they have no use for it, and we offered the money they asked for it, we just don’t understand why. … We’re just trying to figure out a way to move forward.”

He said that his congregation is happy to share the space with their neighbors and allow HOA meetings to be held in the building.

Alexandra Cash, Southfield Public Schools’ director of communications, said in an email to the Southfield Sun that they “appreciate the opportunity to provide clarity on this matter. The decision regarding the former Bussey Early Childhood Center was made with careful consideration, aligning with our district’s long-term strategic plans and the best interests of our scholars and community. While it is true that Yeshiva Darchei Torah expressed interest in the property last spring, after a thorough evaluation, the offer was respectfully declined. This decision was made in the context of broader district considerations, not solely on the merits of the offer itself.”

“Currently, the School Board is actively exploring a range of options for the Bussey property. These include evaluating its potential incorporation into our capital facilities bond projects, which aim to enhance our district’s educational infrastructure and support environments conducive to learning and development.”

Cash added that the fate of the Bussey property is “a significant agenda item, reflecting our commitment to thoughtful stewardship of district resources.”

She explained that though the other properties were sold, each decision concerning district-owned real estate is based on “specific strategic, financial, and community considerations.”

“The nature of the Bussey property necessitates a tailored approach, one that ensures its use or disposition aligns with our overarching goals of educational excellence and community service. We are committed to transparent and ongoing communication with our stakeholders as plans for the Bussey property evolve. Please be assured any developments or decisions will be shared with the community in a timely and open manner,” Cash stated.

For more information on the Southfield Board of Education, visit southfieldk12.org/board-of-ed.

For more information on Yeshivas Darchei Torah, visit http://ydtdetroit.org.

For more information on Cranbrook Village Homeowners Association, visit cvhoa.org.