Columbia City officials consider RFP, possible police lease for former county jail site

Columbia City Redevelopment Commission members discussed issuing a request for proposals for redevelopment of a large downtown parcel that formerly housed the county jail and is near the courthouse, a city staff member told the commission.

The city was also asked to consider adding a caveat to any RFP that would allow the police department to lease roughly one-third of the site if a private developer is selected, the staff member said. The county recently declined to exercise a first right of refusal on the property, the staff member said, and is transferring title to the city or commission.

Why it matters: the parcel’s size and courthouse-side location make it attractive for private development, but earlier plans for a roughly $7,000,000 project exceeded available funding. The county is currently paying the utility bills for the building, the staff member said, “they are paying, a little over $7,000 a month for these buildings,” a cost the city could inherit once the county vacates.

At the meeting the staff member summarized the situation and options: revisit the large-scale $7,000,000 redevelopment plan, issue an RFP to solicit private development proposals, or pursue a smaller conversion. A potential alternative discussed was adapting the existing building for a municipal call center or police functions; the staff member said a call-center or similar conversion could cost “a little over, a little over $2,000,000.”

The staff member described the building as structurally sound but noted substantial interior demolition and retrofit costs. He said developer interest exists but that no sale agreements are finalized: “they said that they have a pin sold buyer on this property but nothing is solidified. They've not signed documents or anything like that,” the staff member said.

The staff member recommended the commission consider forming a subcommittee to help shape an RFP and negotiate possible terms that could include a reserved lease area for the police department. He framed that as a recommendation rather than a formal action: “my recommendation to you would be that maybe create a subcommittee.”

No formal motion or vote on an RFP or subcommittee was recorded in the provided transcript. Commissioners and staff discussed next steps and the possibility of returning with more details at a future Redevelopment Commission meeting.

The discussion also referenced a prior review of options and recent conversations with county and redevelopment stakeholders. The staff member said the county had been holding title during a period of limbo and that a transfer to city control was imminent.

What’s next: the commission may direct staff to draft an RFP or form a subcommittee at a subsequent meeting; the transcript does not record any formal direction or vote on those items.