Cass Defers Sale of AGC 3

Cass to defer decision on sale of AGC property until county's space needs are known Posted: Wednesday, February 13, 2013...

1 downloads 78 Views 579KB Size
Cass to defer decision on sale of AGC property until county's space needs are known Posted: Wednesday, February 13, 2013 8:04 am by Gail DeBoer Staff writer gdeboer(5)pilotindependent.com

After receiving two proposals in January from developers interested in buying acreage at the old Ah-Gwah-Ching (AGCC) state hospital campus, now owned by Cass County, the county board decided Feb. 5 to delay any sale until it decides what its own space needs are. "We haven't identified [that]," stated Commissioner Jim Dowson. "This board needs to decide what we want to do with AGC. Initially we told the state it'd be developed into a medical campus and a government center. "... But the numbers didn't work out for a medical center. My recommendation is for the Economic Development Commission (EDC) to take [marketing the campus] off the table until we decide..." At the Jan. 8 board meeting, EDC Director Gail Leverson had presented a proposal from Russ Wood of Walker, who was interested in purchasing three parcels to build "pre-assisted" senior housing (mostly duplexes and quadplexes) with services on 4.5, 4 and 5 acre parcels. Boser Construction, Inc., of Sauk Rapids, was interested in buying up to five acres to build market rate multi-family housing and proposed a single-story, 12-unit apartment complex. Commissioners Dowson and Jeff Peterson, County Administrator Bob Yochum and Chief Financial Officer Larry Wolfe met Jan. 29 with representatives from the EDC and city of Walker to discuss future plans from their respective perspectives. Four outstanding issues need to be resolved before any type of reuse can begin: • Road right-of-way issues involving the ring road on the campus and the County State Aid 50 connection road between Highways 371 and 34; • Record regulated materials covenants; • Modify easements across DNR land from bluff to lakeshore on Pumphouse Bay; and • Clarify the state's role in accepting valuation of the property; confirm the method and appraiser's qualifications. Cass County's earlier plans to develop an urgent care hospital and medical campus at AGC stalled after several health care providers, including Essentia Health of Brainerd and Sanford Medical of Bemidji, withdrew or were not interested. With the courthouse in Walker unable to expand beyond its current footprint, Cass may have to look to the AGC site for future growth. Most pressing needs are in the county attorney's office and court system. Currently Cass's jail space needs can be handled locally or through Cass's contract for beds at the Crow Wing County Law Enforcement Center, which is up for renewal.