The city accepted the higher of two bids received for the auction of a Lawrence Street property.

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City Council approved a resolution (AR-179-24) at its meeting on Aug. 12 accepting the higher of two bids for the vacant strip of about 25 x 150 feet that is listed on city tax maps as Block 331, Lot 28.

Two bids from adjacent property owners were received and opened on May 25: $25,000 from Tarig Abbo of Block 331, Lot 27, and $19,275.99 from Antoinette D. Wallace of Block 304.01, Lot 18.01. The fair market value of the property had been appraised by McNerney & Associates as $18,500, which was the minimum bid at auction.

The governing body adopted an ordinance in March to sell Block 331, Lot 28, which is essentially a right-of-way between two properties. It is located about midway on the block between Hancock Street and East Milton Avenue and backs up to the 86-unit Riverwalk development. Per the ordinance that was adopted, as a condition of the sale, the property will be merged with the contiguous property and be deed restricted from further subdivision.

Under state law, the city may sell property not needed for public use as long as the property is less than the minimum size required for development. The city can sell to the highest bidder from among the owners of contiguous properties. In this case, there were three contiguous property owners: Block 304.01, Lot 18.01; Block 331, Lot 27 (1466 Lawrence St.), and Block 331, Lot 29 (1456-58 Lawrence St.).

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