cgallant@medicinehatnews.com@CollinGallant
The asking price for the vacant Maple Avenue fire station will be $1.5 million, according to a marketing strategy endorsed by council on Monday night.
That’s about three times what the Dunmore Road station sold for two years ago following a protracted sales process, but will be thrown open to the private sector realtors with the goal of moving the property quickly.
Mayor Ted Clugston said the city has recently asked for developers to dove-tail their plans to municipal requirements for land use, but in this case will “take all offers” for the lot on the high-traffic artery.
“We’ve put out expression of interest for properties, and this way is more traditional, and we’ll take all offers … we’re excited about what might happen,” he said, saying the use of Multiple Listing Services of real estate sector could drum up more interest.”
“I think the best, highest use is a commercial development.”
Located on one of Medicine Hat’s busiest roads, the building has been vacant for just over a year since crews moved to the new Station No. 1, north of the Maple Avenue Bridge, and administrators were previously relocated to the three-year-old station on Trans-Canada Way.
Corporate services committee chair, Coun. Robert Dumanowski, said realtors would be asked to list the property, then negotiate the deal with the city’s land department, but would earn a commission if the deal is closed.
“It’s a departure, but we have operated that way in the past,” he said.
The Dunmore Road facility, which is smaller, sold in 2017 for $590,000 – a price arrived at after the land office held several rounds of calling for proposals, then was negotiated down further to account for the need for extensive renovations. It later opened as a three-bay commercial outlet including a jewelry store and barbershop.
The potential for Maple Avenue, which is on a larger piece of land and is located on one of the city’s busiest roadways, could be substantial according to administrators. Monday’s item states that a multi-storey development in a priority redevelopment zone could provide a significant mixed-use development.
The price was arrived at by an independent appraiser, the item states, there is no ground contamination, although somewhat typical asbestos use in the 1970s era structure.
Veiner Centre debate postponed
A council decision on potentially spinning senior services operations to a non-profit group will take place at Oct. 21’s council meeting, after council took the unusual step of approving a committee item on the subject “for information,” on Tuesday, then “adoption” later this month.
“A decision on senior services will be made (at council’s meeting on) Oct. 21,” Mayor Ted Clugston stated before council accepted the minutes by a 7-0 count.
City clerk Angela Cruickshank told the News the distinction was included in the “post-meeting notes” in the committee meetings minutes by chair Coun. Julie Friesen, who was not in attendance at council on Monday.
Coun. Phil Turnbull was also absent.
Last week the public services committee discussed a staff recommendation to perform a community survey about the expectations surrounding seniors’ services then potentially ask for non-profit groups to submit proposals to take over the operation.
