Parcel to become long-term home of city’s Public Works Operations Center
RIDGEFIELD — Members of the Ridgefield City Council unanimously approved the purchase of a 4.39-acre parcel and building at a cost of $3.8 million that will eventually become the home of the city’s Public Works Operations Center.
The decision came during Thursday’s virtual meeting of the council. The purchase will address needs determined in a 2013 study approved by then-council members of the city’s needs for an operations center that will serve as home not only for public works staff members but those in the engineering department as well.
“This has been one of the main priorities of the council,’’ said Ridgefield Finance Director Kirk Johnson when presenting the purchase and sale agreement to the council members Thursday.
Johnson said city staff became aware of the commercial property that was listed for sale in December 2019 by Nanken, LLC. The property is located at 487 S. 56th Place in Ridgefield. In addition to the 4.39-acre parcel, the property includes a 23,000-square-foot warehouse/shop and a 5,000-square-foot, two-story office building.
City documents state, “the facility meets or exceeds the space requirements, identified in the 2013 study, conducted to determine what was needed over a future 20-year horizon for a public works operations facility.’’
The city toured the facility and placed an offer for the property contingent on due diligence; including an appraisal, environmental assessment, commercial building inspection, property survey and final approval of a purchase and sale agreement by council.
Council members were informed Thursday that the city has completed its diligence on the purchase, which included an appraisal, commercial building inspection, roof inspection, environmental assessment and an Alta survey.
Closing on the purchase is scheduled to be on or before July 20, 2020.
The current ownership has a lease with a commercial tenant through August of 2020. The city is expected to work with the tenant to extend the lease to facilitate an orderly transition and move before Ridgefield Public Works staff and engineering would all relocate to the new facility.
