County and city near deal for downtown land swap

Bartholomew County is agreeing to a proposal from the city of Columbus to turn over the county parking lot and court services building between 2nd and 3rd streets. City officials want to develop the property into a hotel with conference center and parking garage and a possible downtown grocery.

Commissioners President Carl Lienhoop explains that 100 spaces in the new parking garage would be reserved for county employees use and that two parking lots around the jail would be given to the county along with the former Eynon Law offices behind the county jail.

In exchange, the city’s redevelopment commission would put $1.5 million dollars towards the design and construction of a new court services building on First Street behind the county jail, Lienhoop said. There would also be two parking lots around the jail given to the county and 100 spaces in the new parking garage would be reserved for county employees use.

Commissioners agreed to the tentative memorandum of understanding at their meeting Monday. One change County Attorney Grant Tucker wants to the agreement would be to make sure the new building is complete and ready to move in before turning over the existing building and lot to the city.

Commissioner Ric Flohr voted against the proposal, saying that his first instinct when it was proposed was simply to tell the city “No.”