After years of expressed interest and weeks of twists and turns, Durango City Council approved a contract to purchase a key piece of land next to the 32nd Street bridge.
The private plot, 275 E. 32nd St., was the missing link in the city’s effort to connect the east bank terminus of the Animas River Trail with its northern extension on the river’s west bank. The city has been interested in buying it for about 12 years, but bureaucratic delays frustrated the landowners into backing out of some past deals.
In a twist, the opportunity was back on the table during Tuesday’s City Council meeting. Just weeks ago, co-owner Coe Hargraves said he didn’t want the city to contact him again about buying the property.
“The seller came back and said, ‘Would you be interested?’” said Durango Mayor Dean Brookie. “He’s gone back and forth ... we’re happy to be re-engaged.”
The owners did not respond to questions Tuesday night.
The city plans to purchase the land for $710,000, $63,000 more than the listed price. As long as everything goes according to plan, the city and sellers should enter into a contract Wednesday. The deal would close by the end of October.
The city of Durango has had its eye on the 0.273-acre parcel because it is a key component of a pedestrian bridge design at 32nd Street.
The new pedestrian bridge would help the city avoid street-level road crossings on the Animas River Trail. Designs for the bridge have been a source of contention.
The favored, $3.4 million design includes an underpass that loops over the plot to run parallel to the Emerson-Parks Bridge (32nd Street).
All city councilors, except Mayor Pro Tem Kim Baxter, voted in support of the funding allocation and acquisition of the property.
“I, personally, for a $3.4 to $4 million expense, believe that there are other projects that we need to address first, particularly in this time of declining revenues,” Baxter said, such as a safer Camino del Rio pedestrian crossing.
Councilor Barbara Noseworthy agreed that there might be better uses for this money.
“That said, this is a rare opportunity to purchase this property and I don’t want to miss that opportunity,” Noseworthy said.
Brookie said the other projects can happen – it’s a matter of when, not if.
“It’s not a choice of either-or on a number of these issues. It’s all going to happen in time,” he said.
smullane@durangoherald.com
