Albert Lea took a step toward their plan of revitalizing South Broadway Avenue Monday night at the Albert Lea City Council meeting, but only after some concern was expressed.

The City Council approved purchasing the building at 314 S. Broadway for $130,000 by a 6-1 vote. The building currently houses the Christian & Peterson law firm. The city is expected to close on the building in August.

Funding will come out of the city’s budget reserve, Albert Lea city manager Chad Adams said Monday night.

Third Ward Councilor George Marin was the lone dissenting vote.

“Historically, the city of Albert Lea hasn’t done well when it has ventured into real estate,” Marin said. Marin suggested letting the business community take care of the building.

“The purchase of this building would be a foolish decision,” Marin said. “There are other pressing needs in this community. There are people here who are struggling with flooding, and other things. It’s difficult for me to reconcile bricks and mortar over other, more pressing matters.

This is not a wise use of taxpayer dollars.”

Albert Lea Mayor Vern Rasmussen Jr. was in support of the purchase.

“We all know the block is in great need of improvement,” Rasmussen said. “It’s important for us to remember we have a comprehensive plan and we’re moving forward with that plan so we see success.”

He said it is important for the city to look for ways to improve the community.

“That’s why I support it,” Rasmussen said.

Under the agreement, the law firm can remain a tenant of the building until Nov. 30. The city will then look for other tenants to operate the space on a short-term basis until a larger redevelopment plan is in place for the whole avenue.

The city is looking at redeveloping the 300 block of South Broadway to add tax base, jobs and housing in the area.

“We’ve identified in our comprehensive plan there are different corridors, including South Broadway and downtown, that we wanted to be more pro-active in encouraging redevelopment,” City Manager Chad Adams said last week.

“This is a good idea,” Fifth Ward Councilor Larry Anderson said last week.

“Sometimes you have to be a leader,” Anderson said. “Some developers won’t come in unless you show them you have an idea of what you want to do.”

Anderson said last week the 300 block of South Broadway Avenue may be an ideal place for City Hall in the future because of the block’s close proximity to the Freeborn County Government Center.

Anderson said having a future development downtown for business and housing would increase the tax base and make the area more marketable because of its proximity to Fountain Lake, bike trails and the hospital.

“I’m OK with that,” Albert Lea Second Ward councilor Larry Baker said of the city purchasing the building. The city owns a building next door at 310 S. Broadway that had a fire and isn’t in a structural capacity to be used. The city is planning on the building remaining vacant then tearing it down.

Plans are also in the works for housing developments at both the Freeborn National Bank building and the Jacobson Apartments building, as part of the city’s revitalization plan.