This image provided by the City of Parkersburg shows updated renderings of the proposed recreation center to be built on the site of the Pavilion in City Park. (File photo)
PARKERSBURG – A public hearing will be held during Tuesday’s Parkersburg City Council meeting on the city’s plan to finance the construction of a recreation center and new fire station using a bond issue of up to $15 million.
The City Council will then meet as the Urban Renewal Authority to review half a dozen proposals for a former hotel site on Seventh Street.
The council meeting will take place on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. in the council chamber on the second floor of the town hall. The URA meeting will then take place at the same location.
The public hearing would be held before a vote on the final reading of an ordinance authorizing the city to transfer land for the recreation center and fire station to the city’s Planning Commission, which would issue up to $15 million in municipal bonds to finance the projects. The city would then lease the land from the commission, with payments applied toward the bonds’ principal, premium and interest.
The City Council has allocated more than $4.4 million for the recreation center. The remaining money for the center and fire station will come from the city’s debt service fund.
The ordinance does not specify the location of the two properties, but bond advisor John Stump said that could be added in a supplemental resolution along with the amount of municipal bonds once bids for the projects are received.
The recreation center was proposed last year as a replacement for the nearly 100-year-old pavilion in City Park. While some residents and city councilors opposed the facility’s placement there, others were in favor, and Mayor Tom Joyce said that remains his intention.
The council recently approved the purchase of a property in the 700 block of Briant Street, behind the Seventh Street United Methodist Church, for $50,000 to serve as the site for the replacement of Fire Station 3 at the corner of 13th and Liberty Streets.
An ordinance on first reading would rezone two properties at the corner of Andrew and Liberty streets from residential to commercial. The change was requested by the property owner, who also owns two adjacent properties zoned for commercial, said city planner Connor LaVelle.
The Urban Renewal Authority has six offers ranging from $50,000 to $200,000 on the docket for 1954 Seventh Street. Last year, the authority spent more than $800,000 to purchase the Economy Inn and demolish it to address the slum and blight.
It had once been discussed as a possible site for Fire Station 3. The authority received several offers for the property and asked the Development Department to submit a development and marketing proposal for it.
Members have decided not to offer it for auction online at this time, said Development Director Ryan Barber.
“We want them to choose one of the six proposals – or none.” he said.
The first offer for the property came from Clayton Workman, owner of Monsters Bent Barbell. He proposed buying the property for $75,000 and expanding his gym there and creating space for activities such as cornhole tournaments.
The following offers came from:
* Aaron Read, owner of Strong Tower Contracting and Read Properties, proposed purchasing the property for $125,000 and investing a total of $1.35 million to expand his construction business and build townhomes and storage units.
* Don and Sherry West of West Development LLC offered $125,000 and planned to market the site as a commercial property with a focus on national restaurant chains.
* John Bosley Jr., co-owner of several area companies including JC Bosley Construction Inc., offered $150,000 and said he would market the property for a restaurant, gas station or commercial property.
Since the authority’s request for a marketing proposal, two further offers have been received.
* Paul Astorg of Astorg Auto Dealership offered $200,000 to purchase the property and said he would spend $4.25 million to build a new facility for Hyundai sales, service and parts sales.
* Joel Wells of J&W Private Investment offered $50,000 for the property and proposed mixed-use residential-commercial development for $3.9 million.
Evan Bevins can be reached at [email protected].
