Joint Meeting of Neillsville Committees Discuss Former Christie Property
Monday, December 31st, 2018 -- 8:53 AM
-The Neillsville City Council, Property Committee and Historic Preservation Commission held a join meeting on December 20th to discuss the former Christie property on Main Street.The city has finally come into possession of the property and, due to the importance of keeping the building and finding someone who’s willing to put the time and effort into it, they held this joint meeting so multiple parties could have their say. The group toured the facility. The building was built in the 1890’s and includes two upstairs apartments, a main floor retail business area and a basement area. The rooftop is accessible from a trap door entry. It was also mentioned there is a leaking ceiling in one of the back apartments and there’s a buckling floor and ceiling damage on the main floor. It was stated that the property assessment included $13,300 for land, $39,200 for improvements with a total of $52,500. The Fair Market Value is $58,400. Those present discussed what could be done to attract a buyer long term that’s willing to rehabilitate the building.
The group discussed the importance of keeping the building up, keeping the façade historic and keeping the storefront commercial. They also discussed putting together information for a potential buyer that includes tax credits, loan programs and more. A legally binding agreement with a potential buyer was also discussed. One member suggested the city fix the building and then try to sell it. However, it was stated that in order to do it right, the cost could be anywhere from $100,000 to $120,000. The group discussed the advertising for the building and they also discussed options if no one wants to purchase it.
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