Thursday, November 21, 2013

DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION APPROVES PROPERTY TRANSFER TO COLUMBIA RIVER MARITIME MUSEUM



Changes of ownership of several downtown Astoria properties moved a step forward Monday night when the Astoria Downtown Development Commission approved transfer of a small, approximately 118 by 116 square foot parcel of land to the Columbia River Maritime Museum.  As part of the transfer, the City of Astoria will retain utilities and access easement to the property, located just east of the Museum’s Barbey Maritime Center, also known as the former Train Depot.  

 
Astoria City Council members serve concurrently as members of the Development Commission.  Before approving the transfer, Commissioner Russ Warr asked for clarification the transfer would be contingent on the rest of the property transactions going through.  

The City is poised to take temporary possession of the downtown Armory Building, in order to sell it to a non-profit preservation group.  City Manager Paul Benoit described the proposed property transactions in a nutshell:

“The Historic Development Commission will acquire the Astoria Armory Building now owned by the Maritime Museum, together with the parking lot that is dedicated for Coast Guard usage that’s the parking lot that fronts on Leif Erikson or Marine Drive.  In return, as part of the acquisition, we are purchasing the Armory, there’s $250,000 in cash involved, together with transfer of this real estate and the vacation of Duane Street, which runs between 17th and 18th Street between the historic Builder’s Supply property”. 

The described property transactions are expected to be concluded early in December.


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