The University of Michigan board of regents has approved the purchase of two parcels of land in Ypsilanti Township for up to $8.1 million for a future computing center.

The “strategically located” property at 10455 and 10635 Textile Road totals about 124.68 acres, according to board documents.

UM announced in December that it is teaming with Los Alamos National Laboratory on a $1.2 billion plan to bring a high-performance computing lab to a 20-acre site at 10221 Textile Road in Ypsilanti Township near Ford Lake.

The UM board approved that property purchase for $1.5 million in October.

The “state-of-the-art facility for high-performance computing and AI research” will house two computing centers, including one for Los Alamos scientists and engineers to conduct research and development on critical national security AI challenges.

An adjacent center would be open to UM faculty and students as well as university partners, with opportunities for joint workforce development and education programs.

Thursday, the regents approved the purchase of the two additional land parcels on Textile Road for $65,000 per developable acre. But the university did not immediately comment on how many acres of the property would be developable.

A closing date for the latest property purchase is yet to be determined, subject to environmental studies and due diligence, Geoffrey Chatas, executive vice president and CFO, said in the board document.

Bond proceeds or central reserves will be used to complete the purchase.

In separate actions, the regents also approved the purchase of three Ann Arbor properties, each with houses on them, to further UM’s development options in a strategic area on campus next to historically significant architecture at UM. They include:

• 415 Church St. on 0.153 acres across from the Alexander G. Ruthven Building and contiguous to other university property for $1.95 million.
• 1206 and 1210 Washtenaw Court on a total of 0.104 acres for $4.35 million.