The lots outlined in red are owned by the city. The council voted Wednesday to declare them as surplus. Blue lots are owned by Helping Hands.
Three small vacant lots in central Albany and owned by the city will soon come up for sale. What eventually happens there, if anything, seems very much up in the air.
The lots are at 503 and 519 Ninth Ave. and 817 Jackson St. S.E., near the corner of Ninth and Jackon below the Pacific Boulevard overpass. (See the image above.)
The Helping Hands homeless shelter would like to purchase the properties. The organization already owns five old houses west of the homeless shelter on Ninth and has dreams of replacing the houses with a 70-unit apartment complex.
But the whole block is zoned light industrial. Any apartment construction would require changes in zoning and the city comprehensive plan.
The Van Vleet meat company, based across Jackson Street, has expressed an interest in at least two of the lots too. The company would like to expand.
On Wednesday the Albany City Council voted 5-1 to declare the three lots as surplus, with Councilwoman Marilyn Smith opposed. She said later in the meeting that the lots are so small she could not reconcile in her head how someone could use them.
Council members spent some time discussing next steps, and the consensus was to have the city staff advertise the properties for sale. An appraisal put the value of the three lots together at $145,000.
On another vacant city property, nearly one acre at 205 Madison St. N.E., the council held off voting on declaring it surplus. Instead, the city staff will prepare a request for proposals on how to use the land. (hh)
The story has been edited to add Councilor Smith’s comment on her vote.
I took this shot of the Madison Street lot on a bike ride along the riverfront in February. The city will prepare a request for proposals for how to use the land before the council decides whether to dispose of it.
Hasso, what do you think that the best use for those lots is? Affordable housing? Industrial?
Linn County Assessor values the properties at $69, 000, $69,000 & $28, 260. That’s $166, 260. Probably worth more to someone that wants it.
Go Van Vleet! I hope they swoop up on those properties.
Yes, sell to Van Vleet. Hopefully the expansion will produce another job or two.
“Councilwoman Marilyn Smith opposed. She said later in the meeting that the lots are so small she could not reconcile in her head how someone could use them.”
Why would she have to? If some one else can reconcile it in their head is what matters.
Van Vleet is a great company and will utilize the property for our local economy.
Can anyone offer to buy them when advertised by the city? That area is not large enough for 70 units and where would they park. Even if they built multiple stories most people that need affordable housing are disabled and/or elderly needing single floor apartments as handicap requirements. Using them for other industrial zoned uses would be feasible. They should be made available to anyone that could use them. It would be good to see something that would discourage people from hanging out around that area to keep it clean and safe.
i find it to be very good news there are plans for 70 units there, great news. where is plan b to put those 70 units if this does not work out?
seems to me the funds must be available to build the 70 units. or was that just a buncha hot air to obtain the property? im wondering if the low income folks go without the 70 units if they can not be built there.