Acquiring the heart of the downtown’s northeast parking lot may cost the Village of Oxford a lot more than it originally thought.
According to reliable sources within the village, local businessman Bob Knauf has proposed trading a large parcel in the northeast downtown parking lot for five publicly-owned parcels recently appraised at $841,560. He also proposed selling a smaller parcel in the same quadrant to surrounding business owners for $330,000.
Last week, the Leader reported that Knauf has a purchase agreement in place with Oxford Ace Hardware owner Nathan Grove for the two parcels the latter owns in the heart of the northeast quadrant. The dollar value of the pending sale has not been disclosed.
Grove’s parcels contain approximately 56 parking spaces, a loading zone area which serves downtown businesses in that area, and the main traffic artery between the parking lot’s northern (East Street) and southern (E. Burdick St.) access points.
The village recently had an appraisal done on the Grove properties which determined the 23,086-square-foot parcel is worth $461,720 and the 5,000-square-foot parcel is valued at $100,000 ? a total of $561,720.
The square-footages are based on the appraiser’s (Navco Valuation, Inc.) estimates.
Village sources reported Knauf met with representatives from the village and Oxford DDA July 20.
At that meeting, Knauf reportedly proposed trading the 23,086-square-foot northeast quadrant parcel for the 27,068-square-foot right-of-way (two parcels which form an alleyway) the village owns between Broadway and Ensley streets (east of S. Washington Street) plus the three parcels the DDA owns at 32, 36 and 38 E. Burdick Street, a total of 15,010 square feet, according to the appraisal.
A swap involving publicly-owned property would require the approval of village voters.
The two parcels which form the alley between Broadway and Enlsey streets were recently appraised at $541,360 while the three E. Burdick Street parcels were valued at a combined $300,200.
Knauf also prefers to sell the 5,000-square-foot Grove parcel to northeast quadrant business owners for $330,000, according to reliable village sources.
Both Knauf and his attorney, son Lee Knauf, made it clear they do not wish to comment on the pending purchase of the Grove property or the proposed trade with the village.
At the July 19 village planning commission meeting, Manager Joe Young told officials Knauf said he was also considering constructing a three-story building on the Grove property complete with parking.
‘He feels he could build a building, a three-story building, and have his parking, 54 spaces, right there,? Young told the planning commission.
However, Seth Shpargel, of McKenna Associates, Inc., the village’s planning consultant, noted that whomever purchases the Grove property would be ‘severely limited in the type of developments? they could have because the larger 23,086-square-foot parcel is zoned for parking.
Without having the land rezoned, ‘really the only structure he can put on there is a parking structure,? Shpargel explained.
When asked about the possibility of building on the smaller 5,000-square-foot parcel, which is zoned for commercial use, Shpargel said the main obstacles that idea would face are ? 1) lack of emergency vehicle access; 2) it would ‘infringe? on the surrounding property owners? ‘ability to use their property.?