City opening bids to sell downtown Columbus property (with audio)

Columbus Mayor Kristen Brown is moving ahead with plans to sell the city’s property at 2nd and Lafayette streets downtown.

The majority of the property was originally acquired as part of a land swap with Bartholomew County REMC, during Mayor Fred Armstrong’s administration. Back then, the city had planned a sports complex for the site.

The Columbus Redevelopment Commission has decided that the best use of the property next door to the Bartholomew County Jail would be as a combined hotel/apartment complex. Mayor Brown has called a special meeting of the Redevelopment Commission at 5 p.m. tomorrow to receive any bids for the sale of the property. The meeting will be in the City Council chambers at City Hall.

Incoming Mayor Jim Lienhoop said earlier this month that he is skeptical of the planned use. He said that the land was zoned for commercial use with a great deal of thought by earlier city leaders.

Jim Lienhoop on dowtown property