The decision whether to renovate the Town of Bel Air’s aging building on Hickory Avenue or move town hall to a new location was one of the keystone issues of last fall’s town election. Now, there may be an answer.
The former BB&T Bank building on Main Street in Bel Air is “under contract”, according to the real estate firm handling its sale, and a source close to the deal told The Dagger that the town is the buyer and will move its administrative offices and meeting space to that location.
The former BB&T building is currently under contract, according to Donnell “Beetle” Smith of RKS Realty. However, Smith declined to identify the prospective buyer, saying only that the transaction was in a study period expected to last through mid-April. Following that period, Smith said he expects the deal to move to settlement in mid-May.
The Bel Air Police Department will take over the Hickory Avenue building, while the town’s Planning and Zoning Department will be reunited with other town services at the Main Street location, according to the source, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to the ongoing nature of the transaction.
David Carey, chairman of the Town of Bel Air’s Board of Commissioners, would not comment on the issue.
BB&T vacated the building more than a year ago for a new facility on Baltimore Pike at the former location of Bel Air Pontiac.
The town has sought a new home for its offices for several years, and commissioned Frederick Ward Associates to do a study of the cost of renovations to the existing building, which put the number at $5 million. According to the source, the purchase and renovation of the BB&T building would cost the town a total of less than $4 million.
Town Commissioner Robert Preston said the town made an offer on the building last year, which was not accepted. He would not confirm whether the town had submitted a new bid which was accepted.
“There’s been no decision made at this time. A lot goes into making a decision like that,” Preston said. “The final decision has not been made.”
I hope it’s true. The present building is inadequate and Town Hall should be on Main Street. It’s a more appropriate location for a Town Hall since it is in the heart of the business and legal communities rather than on the border between the commercial and residential areas.
And if it turns out that Hanley is against it, I’m even more in favor of it.
Made some calls this afternoon. Purchase price is $1.5m +/- so I seriously doubt the $4m total cost. That building could be used for all the Town functions today. It has more than twice the space a renovated Town Hall would have had. Big meetings could be held at the high school, didn’t we buy part of that school?
My source says that the Police will stay on Hickory. There is more than adequate space on Main for ALL departments and the police have done nothing but complain about their current space so I’m at a loss as to why they’d stay in a space they don’t like.
The Town should demolish the existing Town Hall, lease the land for the revenue to offset the cost of BB&T. I don’t like the government owning more real estate than they need because it reduces the tax revenue that has to be made up somewhere.
I hope Carey keeps the Town checkbook closed except for needed renovations. I don’t want him to use Town funds build a monument to his own greatness. After all, he is a legend in his own mind.
Phil- Hanley pitched this idea months ago but don’t let that change your mind. It is the only option that has ever made any sense.
Well, even a stopped clock is right twice a day. Stranger things have happened, especially in Bel Air.
Whats the story?
Are they buying the building, I believe May 12th (tonight) was the night for this decision…..