by TaLeiza Calloway
news@thenewsleaders.com
The St. Joseph City Council voted earlier this month to spend about $9,000 to demolish the former Central Minnesota Credit Union building.
The move will not only create space for proposed expanded city offices and a community center but is expected to save the city some money, too.
St. Joseph City Administrator Judy Weyrens said the city pays about $500 per month for utilities in the building. The city bought the building at 35 College Ave. N in November. While the minimum auction price was $130,000, the city purchased the property for $110,000, plus miscellaneous fees. The amount of those fees is still unknown.
The city is working with the St. Cloud architectural firm of Hagmeister Mack to help shape the vision for expanded city offices and a possible community center.
Elected officials authorized a contract for design services not to exceed $25,000 earlier this month.
Weyrens said the city expects to pay about $20,000 for the first phase of the project, which includes an analysis of the existing site, determination of its functionality and development of schematic options for the project.
Phase one will also include a space-needs study, Weyrens said.
A timeline for when the credit union building will be demolished has not been set. City council members selected Honer Excavating of St. Joseph to demolish the building.