There was no discussion among the council members before they voted.
Bidding was done through the Equallis Group, which meets the requirements of the ORC, so the city did not have to advertise for this project bid, according to city documents.
The total size of the project is 37,522 square feet. The project is expected to begin in late April and be completed by the end of July, according to city documents.
Throughout the work, the police station must remain operational, the city said.
Last spring, five years after the city purchased a strip mall next to the police station, council unanimously approved an emergency ordinance authorizing City Manager Larry Lester to enter into a master lease with the Monroe Area Community Improvement Corporation (MACIC).
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.
Credit: Nick Graham
Credit: Nick Graham
But since 2019, the building has remained largely vacant despite interest from a variety of private businesses.
Last year, 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.
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