The Merrill Redevelopment Authority will meet Tuesday, Nov. 1, to consider the city purchasing the former Merrill Pavers property at 2101 Logan Ave. The property is located in TID No. 9 and is eligible for 30% Idle Site grant funding.
The city would purchase the property for $30,000 from its current owners, American Asphalt. Another $20,000 would be budgeted for demolition of the existing structure on the site.
The property is located directly east of the former Anson-Gilkey site, which is owned by the city. Potential acquisition and demolition of this property was included in an Idle Sites grant that the city was awarded by the Wisconsin Economic Development Corp. That award help fund demolition work on the former Page Milk and Anson-Gilkey properties.
The grant would fund $15,000 of the Merrill Pavers acquisition and demolition costs, with the remaining $35,000 charged to TID No. 9.
According to city administrator Dave Johnson, the city had made an offer on the property two years ago. That offer was rejected. However, the owner has recently expressed interest in selling to the city at that same offered price. Acquiring the property would add to the city’s buildable acreage, along with the Anson-Gilkey land, and eliminate a blighted building, Johnson noted.