After sitting vacant for five years, a seemingly unwanted piece of land on Polk Street has suddenly become highly sought after.
A resolution to sell a Wichita Falls trustee property at 305 Polk was tabled Tuesday by the Wichita Falls City Council after John Hirschi, a longtime River Bend Nature Center board member, spoke against the sale.
Council was set to be the last of three taxing entities – Wichita County, Wichita Falls Independent School District, and Wichita Falls – to allow the sale of the lot for $800 - $200 lower than the appraised value.
The land became city trustee property in 2013, after judgement against the property totaled more than $11,000. The appraised value of the land after demolition of a structure was $1,000.
The city received an offer from a nearby property owner before the land was placed on the sealed bid sale list.
Pat Hoffman, city property administrator said because the offer was under the appraised value, the sale had to be approved by all three taxing entities.
The city has quarterly sealed-bid auctions for trustee property, but the Polk lot had not been listed yet.
Hirschi said River Bend always had plans for expansion from their spot on Third and Polk.
Over the years, the center has purchased several neighboring properties as they became available.
He said River Bend bought four lots in the area – each for an average of $5,000 per lot.
“We’ve talked to the city about purchasing lots for years,” Hirschi said.
Not allowing River Bend to have a chance to purchase this property would be a “major mistake,” he said.
If the city completed the sale, Hirschi said, it would be damaging to the future of River Bend.
Hoffman said she was not aware of River Bend’s interest in this this property.
She said the organization was notified in 2013, after 305 Polk was struck off, saying River Bend could send in a written bid request after demolition was complete on the property.
Hoffman said River Bend was again notified after demolition, but the city did not receive a request.
It had never happened before, she said, that the city was asked to turn around a property sale after it has been approved by some of the taxing entities.
City Attorney Kinley Hegglund said it was possible to bring the issue back to the county and WFISD and request a reversal of the decision.
Councilor Eric West made a motion to table the item until the May 1 council meeting. The motion was seconded by Councilor Brian Hooker.
River Bend Executive Director Liz Martin said the center’s expansion plans are still in the early stages.
There has long been a need for more space, she said, especially for parking and room for school buses to turn around.
A fear has always been, Martin said, that the current location would be land locked.
The organization met with several neighboring property owners letting them know that if they ever wanted to sell, River Bend would be interested in the land.
The center met recently with architectural consultants to draw up some rough designs, but Martin said they would never do any work without first consulting the city and surrounding residents.
She said the board will work on a master plan with the city so everyone involved will know what to expect.
Martin said she and the board with meet with the city to see what needs to happen next to have a chance for the property on Polk.
River Bend has about 41,000 visitors each year, she said, and brings about $4 million back into the community.