Panel OKs Building Purchase

STRUCTURE TO BE DEMOLISHED FOR GREENWAY

SPRINGDALE - The City Council took its first step toward clearing more downtown space for a trailhead on the Razorback Greenway.

The council voted Tuesday to buy the Wilson building at 100 E. Emma Ave. Plans for the trailhead call for two buildings to be demolished and a section of Mill Street to be closed for the Shiloh Square Trailhead, said Mayor Doug Sprouse. The two buildings are on the east side of the section of Mill that would be closed.

“We will remove the building in coordination with the construction with the building of the trail,” Sprouse said.

The building purchased was appraised at $250,000but Metropolitan Bank agreed to sell it for $195,000, Sprouse said. The building was appraised for property tax purposes by Washington County at $234,500, according to property records.

Money from the city’s Capital Improvement Program will pay for the building, he said. Plans also call for buying the building at 125 Mill St. which also would be razed. Mill Street between Emma and Johnson avenues would be closed to create a park-like setting for the greenway.

The greenway is a 36-mile trail from Fayetteville to Bentonville that will run parallel to Spring Creek through downtown Springdale. Spring Creek

used as a water feature for the development.

A $15 million Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery grant is helping to pay for the greenway. Matching money is coming from $15 million pledged by the Walton Family Foundation for area trails.

The building at 125 Mill St. is owned by Mario and Celia Villa, according to records. Also known as the orange building because of its color, the property’s appraised value is $119,800.

The Downtown Springdale Alliance recommended the street closing and demolishing the two buildings on its east side as the first phase in revitalizing downtown. The city’s plan was approved by the council on July 9.

The council tabled aproposal to pay $1.37 million for a ladder truck and fire engine in advance to save $40,000 was tabled until the purchase contract was received.

Front page, Pages 1 on 08/28/2013

Upcoming Events