MOUNT VERNON — Finding the highest and best use for a historical building is the catalyst behind creating an urban renewal area in downtown Mount Vernon.
The urban renewal area (URA) includes:
• Taugher Building (46-51 Public Square)
• 1-7 E. High St.
• 9 E. High St.
• 3 N. Gay St. (city’s water and tax office)
• 5 N. Gay St. (Plaza Building)
The city owns all the buildings. It bought the Taugher Building and the two buildings at 1-9 E. High St. for $700,000 in 2022, intending to demolish them to make way for a new courthouse.
“What we heard from the community … was, ‘Please don’t. Stop that,’” Safety-Service Director Tanner Salyers said. “So we listened.”
Salyers said community members wanted the city to preserve the buildings for downtown shopping or living. However, they are in poor condition.
Salyers acknowledged the city would not recover its purchase price if it sold the property.
“We are more interested … in seeing this site redeveloped for the best use of the community, not sitting on this and letting it continue to deteriorate for the best sale for this administration,” he said.
Salyers said as city officials discussed what to do with the property, they focused on “highest and best use.”
Under a traditional sale, Mount Vernon would have to accept the highest bid, regardless of the buyer’s intentions.
“We would have no say. We would have to take the highest bid and hope for the best,” Salyers said.
A URA enables the city to have a say in what happens to the site.
‘Highest and best use’
City council members approved legislation on Monday to create the URA. It also authorizes the administration to contract with a company to draft an urban renewal plan for the URA.
An urban renewal plan defines the scope, goals, and standards for redevelopment. For example, preserving the Taugher site and ensuring a historic look while considering downtown retail and living space, parking, and utilities.
By having a plan in place, the city can choose a developer with the experience and capital to carry it out, rather than selling to the highest bidder and hoping for the best.
Law Director Rob Broeren said community members and city officials will have input into the plan.
“Once we have the plan, we will then be able to approach a developer to engage them to execute the plan. So yes, we’re going to have lots of opportunities to affect what happens here on this block,” Broeren said.
Councilman Taylor Jacklin said, “I think that makes me, and hopefully a lot of other people, more comfortable with the idea of selling it at a possible loss if it’s going to preserve the way that downtown was.”
A vision similar to Founders Food Hall
Salyers cited Founders Food Hall at 18 E. Vine St. as an example of turning a potential eyesore into something viable.
“We see the problems that are in this building and this corner, and we would much rather see it flourish like Founders Hall has done. And we’re not going to let a couple hundred thousand dollars of sale stand in the way of that,” he said.
“It means more to us to take a loss on this and see it developed into something.”
Safety-Service Director Tanner Salyers
Mayor Matt Starr said the city is interested in seeing the site generate revenue for the community, but form and function have to match.
“We want to see a bustling downtown. This is a prime location for some huge economic activity that is very meaningful to the community, and that’s what we would like to see come back,” he said.
“So a little bit of loss on the sale of it should be offset in the long-term revenue streams that come back to the city.”
Below is a PDF of the legislation.
