Residents push back against direct sale and demolition of downtown city property

Several residents and neighborhood representatives addressed council Nov. 18 to oppose a proposed transaction that would transfer city-owned downtown parcels to the Blanchard Valley Port Authority and a private purchaser for redevelopment.

Robin Welly, president of the Westpark block watch, questioned whether there had been more than one appraisal, whether appraisals considered buildings present, who selected the appraiser, and why city crews would demolish buildings rather than hiring private contractors. Tim Powell and Andrew Mulry raised concerns that demolition and remediation by city crews could be seen as favoring a particular buyer and questioned the appraisal values cited by staff and the mayor’s negotiation approach.

Chelsea Steinman, a real-estate agent, urged a public auction process as the most transparent way to ensure fair market value and to avoid the appearance of favoritism. She said auctions encourage competition and typically bring a higher price for taxpayers.

Mayor Murren and staff responded that environmental factors (past underground storage tanks and soil contamination) reduced market value, that the city planned demolition and environmental work as part of the sale terms and that some properties had constraints affecting price. Staff said demolition labor costs would be covered as part of the purchase price and that port-authority involvement can be an option municipalities use in redevelopment.

No final sale action was concluded at the Nov. 18 meeting; the item remained at second reading for related ordinances and will return to council as it moves through readings.

What to watch: council will continue deliberations on the real-estate purchase agreements and the extent of city-funded demolition/cleanup. Residents asked for clear documentation of appraisals, bidding options and environmental-cost estimates before any final conveyance.