County to remove flooring at former beauty school
“The Empire Beauty School moved out of the city in November 2012 after renovations were completed at the Empire Education Group headquarters near Fairlane Village mall in East Norwegian Township.
Under the eminent domain law, the county had to pay the fair market value of the property as determined by an independent appraiser. That cost was $740,000, which consisted of $455,000 for the building, $200,000 for the Second Street lot and $85,000 for the adjacent lot. The 21,000-square-foot building has three floors, including a basement.
The commissioners issued a $21 million bond in October 2012 to fund various infrastructure projects. About $2.6 million of that was set aside for the purchase and renovations to the former beauty school.
The current plan is to move Children & Youth Services and the Election Bureau from its current location across the street at 420 N. Centre St. to the new building. Then the Drug and Alcohol and Mental Health and Developmental Services departments, which currently lease space at 108 S. Claude A. Lord Boulevard, will move into 420 N. Centre St.”
Gilger, Mark. Republican Herald 2 October 2014.