Graves Estate Action Nearer

Purchase of up to 114 acres of the Graves estate is one more step toward being reality today following last night's working committee meeting of the City Council. The council informally agreed to buy at least a portion of the land, and directed the city administration to obtain appraisals and seek matching federal funds for the purchase. Located along Huron River Dr. south of Bird Rd., the land is being offered the city at a cost of $2,500 per acre. If the entire 114 acres is purchased, it would cost $285,000. Ann Arbor has been granted $708,500 in matching funds by the federal government for park land purchases, these funds matching those approved by voters in April, 1966, for acquisition. City Administrator Guy C. Larcom Jr. noted last iiight that the Graves estáte vas not ! included in the federal application but said he is hope:'ul that funds could be switchel from ofner low-priority pareéis . .-' Listed as 1 o w-prioritj areas were 120-acre pareéis lo the northeast and southwest of the city, $240,000 having been se aside for these two purchases. The land being offere d t h e city is broken down into three pareéis, the largest totaling 88 acres with the other pareéis be ing 20 acres and 6 acres. Councilmen generally agreec ihey were" interested iñ buying the 88-acre parcel, but there was some debate on whether ■ the city should acquire the er two. Douglas Fulton, chairman of the city's Committee on Natural Resources, urged the . ' chase of the entire 114 acres. He said this would enable the city to have access from Beechwood and Newport Rd. "You have the opportunity here to design a major park without equal in Ann Arbor," Fulton said, terming the price "rock-bottom."