OTTUMWA — Since the little feet left a few years ago, the building has been vacant. Bigger feet have visited recently but didn’t stay.
This foot traffic pertains to 105 S. Vine St., a city-owned property that formerly housed Ottumwa Day Care Facility and later Tiny Treasures, a day care operated by Your Family Center.
This week, Planning Director Dave Shafer recommended the Ottumwa City Council approve an extension of the property’s original listing agreement with Real Estate Services.
The extension will place the property on the multiple-listing service and the placement allows all licensed real estate persons to show the property and receive offers, Shafer said.
The agreement will also extend the property’s listing by four months (Jan. 6-May 6, 2009) and reduce the listing price to $65,000.
Councilman Keith Caviness wondered how long the building had been vacant.
Shafer said “for a long time,” possibly since early 2007.
“I’ve walked through the building and it seems reasonable,” Caviness said. “If left to set much longer, the building will depreciate.”
Aistrope said the building had been vacant for three years in January, adding that he was “concerned” about the appraisal.
“In today’s market, it’s going to be hard to find a buyer and get financing,” he said. “I have no problem lowering the price.”
The council unanimously approved the extension.
In the second action related to the property, Shafer said the city did receive a bid recently. But, he recommended the council reject the $20,000 bid and make a counter offer of $65,000.
Shafer said Real Estate Services of Ottumwa has the listing for the former day care site and Seventh Day Adventist Church had offered $20,000. The city’s counter offer was $65,000 and Shafer said Wednesday the church is expected to respond to the counter offer by this Monday.
The council unanimously approved Shafer’s recommendation.
The former day care building has about 4,500 square feet and the property consists of five lots. On March 7, 2007, the Courier reported the city would be list the property at $127,000.
Shafer said the property is zoned OA-1, which is the office-apartment district. After the day care entities left the site, the city changed the zoning from R-3 multiple-family district to OA-1.
“That was a request from a previous offer,” he added.
The property could be used for professional offices, such as medical or government, or apartments.
“It has several types of uses and wouldn’t require a Main Street frontage,” Shafer said.
According to the 1978 city directory, 105 S. Vine St. was “under construction” and became Ottumwa Daycare Center by 1980. Later on, Tiny Treasures Child Care took over that location.
The building is 60 feet by 75 feet, which is 4,500 square feet, and has a steel frame. The one-story building also has a concrete foundation and there is “some parking there,” Shafer said.
For more information, contact Shafer at 683-0606.
Cindy Toopes can be reached at (641) 683-5376 or via e-mail at cindy@ottumwacourier.com.
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Longer listing for former day care building
Extension will place the property on the multiple-listing service
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