Moose Lodge gets up to date on land contract, now building for sale

After an Aug. 18 judgment by consent was entered at 34th District Court, the Belleville Lodge No. 934 Loyal Order of the Moose got current with its land contract with Sumpter Township. Now it is able to sell its building and 4.2 acres of property at 45476 Harris Rd., at the corner of Sumpter Road.
District Court Judge Lisa Martin signed the judgment and Moose International paid the $11,813.89 owed to the township. Now it is free to sell the property.
Robert Coutts, attorney for the Belleville Moose, said once it is sold, the Moose will pay the $120,000 owed to Sumpter Township on the land contract and Sumpter Township will be made whole.
He said when Moose entered into the land contract in 2014, it put a substantial amount down on the property.
Coutts said the Moose ran out of money and after the COVID shutdown couldn’t start back up again. He said some people said on social media that they didn’t really try, but they did.
“Sumpter Township really has been really gracious … and really tried to work with us,” Coutts said, referring to the last two administrations.
Sumpter attorney Rob Young reminded the board at its Sept. 14 meeting that the township had a hold-steady agreement with the Moose. When they shut down and couldn’t make it, Young said he filed at 34th District Court.
The land contract agreement spelled out the procedure for forfeiture or foreclosure, Young said, and then the court has rules. The Moose had 90 days to get current and it did.
Realtor Jessica Jones of Coldwell Banker in Belleville is listing the property at $299,000. It is zoned residential, but commercial will comply with the master plan, the listing says. The building, which used to be the PNA Hall, has a bar/lounge, commercial kitchen, open recreation / meeting spaces, an office, and rest rooms.