The Mt. Carmel City Council has approved moving forward with a request for proposals to sell the former Girl Scout cabin located at First and Walnut Streets.
City Clerk Ryan Turner discussed the issue during last week’s City Council meeting, explaining that the city has been exploring options for the excess property and has received interest from a group looking to purchase the building. Turner said the city worked with a firm from the Metro East area to develop a formal Request for Proposal, or RFP, in compliance with state law.
Under the proposal process, the property will be offered without a set sale price, allowing interested parties to submit packets outlining their proposed purchase price and intended use for the building. Turner said the council will review each proposal and has the option to accept or reject any or all submissions.
Turner noted that any proposed use must meet specific criteria, including retail or commercial use, encouraging pedestrian activity and community engagement, being family-friendly and publicly accessible, and fitting the scale and character of the surrounding area. Private clubs or organizations would not qualify under the guidelines. The property being sold does not include the bluff adjacent to the cabin.
The council agreed to allow 45 days for interested parties to submit proposals, giving potential buyers time to inspect the property and prepare detailed plans. The motion to issue the request for proposals was approved by a roll call vote.
Once proposals are received, the City Council will review them and consider next steps at a future meeting.
WSJD File Photo