Lea Center decision is tonight

Published 12:00 am Monday, July 22, 2002

With time running out and a serious decision to make, tonight will be a big night for the Albert Lea City Council.

Councilors will vote on whether the city should buy the Lea Center building at William Street and Newton Avenue in downtown Albert Lea. The city would not own the building for more than a few minutes; at the same meeting, the council would vote to sell it to a St. Paul development company for $1.

The city would pay $350,000 for the largely vacant Lea Center building, which is on the verge of being seized by debtors from its private owner.

Email newsletter signup

With the help of housing grants, historical tax credits and other assistance, Metro Plains would turn Lea Center into five floors of housing and one floor of commercial space. Most of the housing would likely be restricted to those with incomes below a certain level, but the specifics depend upon what kind of grants and tax credits the company uses, representatives said last week.

The final contract with Metro Plains, which would require the company to complete the project to a certain set of standards, is not finished, so the council will look at a preliminary draft and consider giving Mayor Bob Haukoos and City Manager Paul Sparks the authority to sign the final contract once it is completed. The city can’t wait until its next council meeting because Aug. 1 is the deadline for state and federal grants Metro Plains wants, and the company needs control of the building to get the assistance.

The Lea Center transactions are part of an overall plan to revitalize a two-square-block area of downtown, including the foundering Lea Center and the vacant Freeborn Bank/Vault buildings.

&uot;The redevelopment of the two blocks involving the Lea Center building and the Vault/Freeborn Bank building are important if we are to create opportunities for redevelopment as well as (to) entice the necessary private investment into the area so that it will have a positive impact and actually work,&uot; Sparks wrote in his council agenda notes to city council members.

The council will also consider:

– A contract for biosolids removal for the paving of the New Hills Condominium roads for $222,000; the budgeted construction of a new building for impounded cars for $169,240; and a budgeted new roof for the animal control building for $43,000.

– A hardship vacation-donation policy, which would allow city employees to donate their extra sick time or vacation leave to other employees experiencing catastrophic circumstances, under certain conditions.

– Setting a workshop for July 29 with representatives of Greater Jobs, Inc. to discuss the future of the Farmland site and lakeshore development.

The council meets at 7:30 p.m. in the council chambers at Albert Lea City Hall.