GARDEN GROVE PLAZA building at Euclid Street and Garden Grove Boulevard (CBRE).

The City of Garden Grove will be going into the landlord business as the city council approved the purchase Tuesday night of the largest office building  in the downtown-civic center area.

On a 6-1 vote, the council voted in favor of a purchase and sale agreement for the Garden Grove Plaza building, located at 12966 Euclid St. (at Garden Grove Boulevard) for $12,189,000, from LT Properties LP.

The five-story building was built in 1985 and – according to a staff report – and would be maintained as rental property.

Mayor Steve Jones lauded the purchase as a wise “strategic move” to control the building at the entrance to the civic center area.

The lone dissenting vote came from Mayor Pro Tem George Brietigam (District 1), who assured the council that he was in favor of the project but was concerned that “we don’t have the information, we don’t have the inspections” completed before the agreement was voted on.

The council was told that the building was being sold “as is” but the landowner would make assurances and warrantees about the condition of the building, which is about 38 years old.

The next meeting of the council is set for Tuesday, Aug. 22.