By Dan Spalding
News Now Warsaw
WARSAW — The city of Warsaw has acquired the old Marsh grocery store on South Buffalo.
The move is an attempt to control the future of the property which has been vacant for six years.
Mayor Joe Thallemer alluded to the possible acquisition in an interview with News Now Warsaw last week and said the intention is to see a grocery once again use the property.
The redevelopment commission approved plans to acquire the property from Cardinal Services for $1,250,000, which is below the average of two appraisals sought by the city, according to Community Economic Development Director Jeremy Skinner who addressed the issue Monday before the redevelopment commission.
Furthermore, the city has reached an agreement with Ram Development Partners of Alabama to try to develop the property over the next 12 months.
RAM is the same company hired earlier this year by the city to study the city’s retail environment.’
Thallemer said last week the city’s intentions are pretty clear.
“Let’s be honest, We’re still looking for a grocery store. And it that wouldn’t be a grocery store, I don’t know what would,” Thallamer said last week.
Officials were beginning to worry about what might end up occupying the property.
“The property was starting to get to the point that it might have been appealing to someone to do something that maybe we didn’t think was in the best interest in the community,” Thallemer said.
Marsh closed six years ago when the company ran into financial difficulties.
Two years later, the Owen’s grocery store a few blocks away, closed, leaving residents on the west side and south sides without a convenient grocery store.
Cardinal acquired the land several years ago with plans to relocate from its Winona Avenue facility but gave up on those plans several years ago.
