Bidders lacking for some city lots
By Joseph Dits, South Bend Tribune, Ind. | |
McClatchy-Tribune Information Services |
But the city's
Bidders did make offers on four other vacant lots.
Now city officials must devise a strategy to finally sell off or otherwise dispose of the vacant lots. Aside from the firehouse, they are all remnants of the
The commission, which owns the properties, met in closed session Monday to go over the bids so far, said
At the commission's next public meeting on
Also at that meeting, he said commissioners could discuss their strategy for the lots that saw no bids.
This bidding process ended
Thomas said letters had been sent to the owners of properties that neighbor the ones that were up for bid -- to invite their bids. All bids so far came from neighbors.
Merritt, a lifelong
Inside, he hopes to move the office for his consulting business, Professional Permits, that he now runs downtown. He advises residents and businesses on municipal zoning and permit processes. He said it would mean seldom a visitor on the lot off
He also proposes to convert the rest of the firehouse into a home, possibly for his own family, though he hasn't decided that yet.
He bid
Officials have said they didn't want to see the building torn down or to have an investor turn it into apartments. That's why the commission required bidders to also submit plans for how they'd use the site.
The firehouse appears in solid shape, but it clearly will take a lot of work to convert it to a home or office, given that it's a large space that lacks insulation and that the largest room on the main is fronted by a garage door.
Merritt has some experience in urban renewal. He'd worked several years ago as a
According to Thomas, the other bids were:
--
--
--Two bids for the lot northwest of Main and McKinley --
--
There were no bids on the following lots:
--Southwest corner of Russ and Main, zoned R-1 residential.
--Southeast corner of Jefferson and Main, along
--Southeast corner of
--Southeast corner of
--Southeast corner of
574-235-6158
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