The City of Estevan is seeking a firm for the brokerage and marketing of Glen Peterson Park, the industrial subdivision in east-central Estevan that has a number of vacant lots.
According to information in the city page, the industrial park was developed in 2008 to provide full-serviced industrial lots between 1 1/2 and three acres. Of the 13 lots, five remain unsold, even though it鈥檚 been nearly a decade since the lots were developed.
Adam Nordquist, the development planner with the City of Estevan鈥檚 land development services, said the city had a contract with a firm to supply those services, but it expired in the spring.
鈥淭here had been some interest from our end, and from another realtor, to get someone else advertising these properties for us again, in the hope that we get another sale or two this year,鈥� said Nordquist.
Nordquist noted the lots are ready to be developed, with utility connections available for water, sewer, power, gas and telecommunications.
The city has received a few inquiries about the empty lots. Those inquiries would typically be handled by the city鈥檚 economic development officer, but that position was vacant for nearly a year.
Nordquist believes the economic slowdown has hurt the city鈥檚 ability to find takers for the lots, since they were targeted for energy and other industrial companies.
鈥淚t鈥檚 nice to have these lots available if someone does come around,鈥� said Nordquist. 鈥淲e weren鈥檛 necessarily hoping to sell them all at once.鈥�
Among the eight lots that have been developed in the park, Nordquist believes they all have buildings currently in use. One building is used for storage, but Nordquist said that鈥檚 what it was developed for.
The lots haven鈥檛 moved as quickly as the city wanted, he said, but he defended the way the city has handled the sale.
鈥淲e don鈥檛 do it from a commercial side of trying to necessarily sell it within a period of time,鈥� said Nordquist. 鈥淲e always try to make sure we have some land available, so that if something comes up, there is development-ready land.鈥�
When the city handled the sale of residential lots, Nordquist said they wanted to have a few available.
The selected firm will be required to undertake all sales and advertising for the remaining lots. The contract will be for one year, with city council鈥檚 discretion to renew the contract at the end of the term.
The request for proposals ends July 31. Nordquist is hopeful the city will selected the firm within the following week. 聽聽
