<html><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; "><div>Bill,</div><div><br></div><div><br></div>Just curious, why should it matter, as long as the tax payers of the city and county don't get stuck with it.<div>It's a white elephant with more problems than it's worth.<br><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div>Wayne<br><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br><div><div>On Jul 19, 2012, at 3:05 PM, Bill London wrote:</div><br class="Apple-interchange-newline"><blockquote type="cite"> <div dir="ltr"> <div dir="ltr"> <div style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Calibri'; COLOR: #000000; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"> <h1><font face="Times New Roman"><font style="FONT-SIZE: 18pt">The issue of the ownership of the Federal Building is a big deal for downtown Moscow. What are the chances Doug Wilson will grab it? </font></font></h1> <h1><font face="Times New Roman"><font style="FONT-SIZE: 18pt">BL</font></font></h1> <div><font face="Times New Roman"><font style="FONT-SIZE: 18pt"></font></font> </div> <div><font face="Times New Roman"><font style="FONT-SIZE: 18pt">----------------------------------- </font></font></div> <h1><font face="Times New Roman"><font style="FONT-SIZE: 18pt">Federal Building going to auction block</font></font></h1><p><strong><font face="Times New Roman">By Brandon Macz, Daily News staff writer | Posted: Thursday, July 19, 2012 1:00 am </font></strong></p><div> <br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><hr><div><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div> <div class="encrypted-content"><p><font face="Times New Roman">Whether Latah County or a private interest will acquire Moscow's surplused Federal Building is uncertain, but the gauge will be set next month when the General Services Administration places the property up for public auction.</font></p></div> <div class="encrypted-content"><p><font face="Times New Roman">A banner advertising the online public auction will be attached to the roof of the Federal Building Friday, said Andrew Schwartz, a realty specialist with GSA's disposal division heading up the property's sale.</font></p></div> <div class="encrypted-content"><p><font face="Times New Roman">GSA declared the building surplus in November, citing limited revenue, a lack of tenants and $3 million in needed improvements.</font></p></div> <div class="encrypted-content"><p><font face="Times New Roman">Latah County commissioners had attempted to negotiate with GSA to purchase the building, but were unsuccessful in persuading the federal agency to significantly lower its $1.9-million price tag and take a $300,000 offer.</font></p></div> <div class="encrypted-content"><p><font face="Times New Roman">The county leases more than 4,000 square feet of office space there.</font></p></div> <div class="encrypted-content"><p><font face="Times New Roman">Commissioners decided May 30 - a day before the deadline set by GSA for the county to up its offer - to attempt to acquire the building at auction.</font></p></div> <div class="encrypted-content"><p><font face="Times New Roman">Schwartz said the 60-day online auction starts Aug. 7, and could be extended depending on bid activity.</font></p></div> <div class="encrypted-content"><p><font face="Times New Roman">"The bidding is sort of the driver for when the auction will actually close," he said. "There's a great deal of potential bidder interest."</font></p></div> <div class="encrypted-content"><p><font face="Times New Roman">Prospective bidders will have to pay a refundable deposit to participate and a starting bid amount will be set, however, Schwartz said these costs likely won't be set until next week.</font></p></div> <div class="encrypted-content"><p><font face="Times New Roman">"If the opening bid's $1.9 million, I'm going fishing," said Latah County Commissioner Tom Stroschein during Wednesday's commission meeting.</font></p></div> <div class="encrypted-content"><p><font face="Times New Roman">Commissioner Dave McGraw said the commission is focusing first on setting the 2012-13 budget and trying to provide a salary increase for county employees.</font></p></div> <div class="encrypted-content"><p><font face="Times New Roman">B.J. Swanson, who had been brokering negotiations with GSA for the county, said she believes the federal agency will set its minimum bid at 10 percent of the property's valuation - also set by GSA - based on researching other government auctions.</font></p></div> <div class="encrypted-content"><p><font face="Times New Roman">"I know there have been other people in the building looking around," she said, "but whether they'll bid, I have no idea."</font></p></div> <div class="encrypted-content"><p><font face="Times New Roman">Once GSA closes the auction, the winning bidder must provide 10 percent of the bid amount within 10 days with an average 90-day closing date, said Schwartz.</font></p></div> <div class="encrypted-content"><p><font face="Times New Roman">Schwartz will be giving prospective bidders tours of the Federal Building at noon, 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. on Aug. 2 and Aug. 9 starting at the entrance.</font></p></div> <div class="encrypted-content"><p><font face="Times New Roman">To follow the auction once it opens, go to </font><a href="http://realestatesales.gov"><font face="Times New Roman">realestatesales.gov</font></a><font face="Times New Roman">.</font></p></div> <div class="encrypted-content"> <hr> </div></div></div></div> =======================================================<br> List services made available by First Step Internet,<br> serving the communities of the Palouse since 1994.<br> <a href="http://www.fsr.net">http://www.fsr.net</a><br> <a href="mailto:Vision2020@moscow.com">mailto:Vision2020@moscow.com</a><br>=======================================================</blockquote></div><br></div></div></div></body></html>