Former Bentley’s Roadhouse Could Become City Property

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A vacant former night club on Ouellette Avenue could come under city ownership.

The former Bentley’s Roadhouse located at 747-757 Ouellette owes the city $194,716 in unpaid taxes and penalties.  The city was not successful in selling it in a past tax sale and administration is now recommending the city vest the property and it become under their control.

The city has received many complaints over the past five years from an unsecure building, debris on the flat roof blocking the rain water leaders to debris left on the property by the homeless and drug addicted.

The city says the owner has been unresponsive to enforcement actions,  so the Building Department had to undertake several clean ups and roof drain repairs to ensure the roof does not collapse endangering persons illegally in the building or outside in the vicinity of the building.

The Building Department recently did work under an ‘unsafe order’ and secured all the openings and built a wall at the rear of the building off Pelissier Street to prevent the homeless using an alcove area of the building for shelter and drug use.

As of January 1st, 2018, this property is assessed by MPAC as commercial in the amount of $316,000.

It is being recommended that upon vesting that the services of a professional engineer consultant be retained to assess the roof and structure to determine what steps can be taken to avoid further deterioration of the building so it can be sold for future reuse.