City, Trinity Partners outline plan to market Washington Square and Bull and Taylor

Spencer, a Trinity Partners representative, told the City of Columbia Economic Development Committee that Trinity and city staff have developed a targeted marketing plan to sell two downtown, city-owned properties — Washington Square and Bull and Taylor — and aim to "go live" with listings Oct. 1 and complete a six-month discovery and underwriting period that would conclude around April 1.

The plan, presented to the committee during a scheduled meeting, would market the properties on commercial platforms including CoStar and LoopNet, use a combination of virtual tours and in-person site visits, and pursue a targeted outreach to buyers the presenters identify as aligned with the city’s growth strategy. "We're combining our expertise and our resources at the city and at Trinity Partners," Spencer said, describing a coordinated approach that includes marketing, financial modeling and professional underwriting.

The properties proposed for disposition are downtown Washington Square — which currently houses business licensing, planning and development offices among other city functions — and Bull and Taylor, which includes a police training facility and some fire department offices. Spencer said Bull and Taylor comprises about one full acre at a busy downtown…