Whitmer Signed Legislation Transferring State Land

The law moves 93 acres of former school property to the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs.

Updated on Oct. 8, 2026 in Military

Whitmer Signed Legislation Transferring State Land

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Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed Senate Bill 478 to transfer 93 acres of land in Green Oak Township to the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs. This site, which housed the former W.J. Maxey Boys Training School, is intended for potential development as a Michigan National Guard training center.

Why it matters

The transfer of administrative control from the Department of Corrections to the DMVA is a necessary step to secure federal funding for the proposed facility. This move repurposes vacant state-owned land to support military readiness operations in Livingston County.

Senate Bill 478 officially transfers 93 acres of property located off M-36 near Lemen Road. This legislative action covers the entirety of the former W.J. Maxey Boys Training School site, including all remaining surplus property and equipment.

The players

Gretchen Whitmer

She is the Governor of Michigan who signed Senate Bill 478 into law.

Sue Shink

She is a State Senator who introduced the legislation to facilitate the land transfer.

Department of Military and Veterans Affairs

This state department is the new recipient of the 93-acre property in Green Oak Township.

Department of Corrections

This agency held administrative control of the former training school site since 2017.

The details

The property has been under the jurisdiction of the Department of Corrections since its 2017 purchase following the school's 2015 closure. By shifting ownership, the state aims to meet federal requirements to unlock funding for a new National Guard readiness facility.

The W.J. Maxey Boys Training School closed in 2015.
The Department of Corrections purchased the property in 2017.
State Senator Sue Shink introduced the bill in July 2025.
Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed the bill into law on October 5, 2026.

Political Context

This land transfer follows the standard state procedures outlined in the Michigan National Guard readiness center deployment protocol. Some fiscal conservatives have questioned the long-term maintenance costs associated with repurposing former correctional facilities for military use.

The transition of this land is expected to have a minimal financial impact on the state budget, meaning taxpayers should not see an immediate change in tax obligations. Residents in Green Oak Township may notice increased activity at the site as it is evaluated for future military use.

The takeaway

Repurposing state-owned property allows the government to utilize existing assets to meet modern infrastructure needs. This project underscores a broader shift toward optimizing state real estate portfolios to support agency-specific facility requirements.