There was little comment from the City Council members, except for Mayor Keith Funk who praised city staff for “getting creative and securing funds” for the project.
The funds will be used for improvements at the city-owned strip center next to the police department, being called “Monroe Plaza South” as part of this grant agreement.
The city purchased the strip mall five years ago and this year leased it to Monroe Area Community Improvement Corporation (MACIC). The lease is for 30 years, starting June 1, and MACIC will pay $1 a year, according to the agreement.
When the property at 601-685 S. Main St. was purchased, the city planned to evaluate the site for future retail or office uses, according to city documents. But since 2019, the building has remained largely vacant despite interest from a variety of private businesses.
City Manager Larry Lester called the property important because it’s a “gateway into the downtown.”
The building is about 6,200 square feet, Lester said. Of that, Cassano’s is the only business in the property and occupies 2,200 square feet, he said.
In 2020, the police station was renovated in the former IGA grocery store.
City Council and the MACIC have considered the future of this property numerous times over the past five years, and staff believe there is a possibility of securing project funds if the building is under the control of the MACIC, Lester said
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