UI site heading to open market

SANDPOINT — A year ago, the city had high hopes it could buy the University of Idaho’s property on Boyer Avenue, pursuing public involvement to create a vision for the land.

That vision included open space, trail connectivity and a recreation center among other aspects. Subsequent events, however, have left city officials with no choice but to hope for a voice when the 77-acre property goes through a public bidding process, said City Administrator Jennifer Stapleton.

“To the extent possible, the city hopes to partner with anyone looking at submitting a bid through that public solicitation process, to try to achieve those priorities of the public,” Stapleton said.

UI officials met with the city more than a year ago, agreeing to give Sandpoint time to come up with funding to purchase the property before putting it on the open market. The city was able to secure some grant funding, though it fell short of the undisclosed amount UI officials were willing to sell it for. The LOR Foundation, in particular, had agreed to a conditional grant of $400,000, however, the main condition was that a recreation center be in development within a year. The city had hoped to partner with a private group, such as YMCA, to put a recreation center on a portion of the property. Then the YMCA found a home in Sandpoint, taking over Sandpoint West Athletic Club.

“So that kind of changed things for us with the potential of our grant funding,” Stapleton said.

The Blue Cross of Idaho Foundation had also agreed to the city using up to $150,000 of its High Five grant, with similar conditions of building a recreation center.

This past summer, when city officials realized they would not be able to fund the property fully through grants, they sent out a request for proposal seeking a private partner for the purchase, knowing it “most certainly” meant development of the property, Stapleton said. One developer, Ralph Sletager, submitted a response to the RFP, she said. After completing a feasibility study, Stapleton said Sletager found the amount being asked by UI was “not something that would work for him.”

Stapleton said UI officials indicated they were looking to put the property on the open market by the end of the year.

“Mr. Sletager has indicated his interest in continuing to follow this, and likely submit a bid when this comes through on the open market,” Stapleton said. “He is aware of the priorities that we have that has come through the visioning process … We are still hopeful that there will be an opportunity through this process, but we suspect that what we will be seeing is this property go through a public process to highest bidder.”

Mary Malone can be reached by email at mmalone@bonnercountydailybee.com and follow her on Twitter @MaryDailyBee.