The future development of the former La Salle Public Works Building, at 500 2nd St., remains in the hands of the city council.
President of Glenstone Development Nathan Watson, the former president of CL Real Estate Development, presented a plan to redevelop the property.
Watson proposed selling the historic building for $260,000 and redeveloping the property into a coffee shop with potential drive-thru access, a sales office with co-working space, and climate-controlled self-storage.
The building was originally constructed as a car dealership and later repurposed into the city’s armory during the Korean War era before becoming the city’s public works building.
Alderman Reynolds took a moment to “clear the air in [the] community” by reiterating that this redevelopment project is purely Watson’s and has no relation to Watson’s previous redevelopment projects with CLRED.
Watson said the estimated total cost of the conversion would be $2.33 million.
The council approved a motion to form a committee to “hash out” negotiations. Alderman James “Diz” Demes voted against, saying the city was holding on to the building for a retail space to generate revenue.
Watson said if approved, he hopes to complete some of the project this year, with the remainder of the project to be completed by the end of 2026.
