Board of Regents approves purchase of Concordia parcel in Ann Arbor, with $32 million for city improvements

The University of Michigan Board of Regents voted to approve the purchase of about 140 acres from Concordia University in Ann Arbor, moving forward on a property the university says has served students for more than six decades.

The acquisition, described to the board as an unexpected opportunity offered by Concordia officials, includes the university’s intention to preserve signature historic structures and to emphasize community uses. The board was told the university plans to preserve the campus chapel and Erhardt Manor and has proposed providing $32 million to the city toward capital improvements, public safety and transportation upgrades.

“Concordia reached out to us and expressed their interest in making a requirement to sell it to another institute of education, and that was a reality we were happy to take advantage of,” Regent Brown said in remarks supporting the purchase. Brown, who said she lives in the surrounding community, also highlighted short‑term possibilities such as making fields and facilities available to local school and sports teams and preserving river access along the Huron River.

Board discussion did not include detailed redevelopment plans; university leaders told the regents that specific uses are still to be determined and that they will work closely with city and community representatives to shape long‑term uses. The board called and passed the motion to approve the purchase; the transcript records the motion as carried but does not list a roll‑call tally.

The university also framed the acquisition as part of a long history of land purchases made to serve future institutional and public needs, and noted broader local economic impacts: presenters said the university supports the local economy through hundreds of millions of dollars in spending on goods and services.

Next steps described to the board include further study of development options and collaboration with city officials and neighborhood stakeholders on preservation, access and community uses.