New residential lots being prepared for sale

Eight new lots are being sited, surveyed and prepared for sale by the City and Borough of Wrangell, in what should be its largest such

offering since the late 1990s.

Ranging from 7,500 to 15,800 square feet, the lots are located up the hill along the Etolin Street extension, south of its intersection with Council Drive.

“The survey will give us the final square footage on that,” explained Wrangell’s economic development director, Carol Rushmore.

Values for the properties are derived from their

assessment and any additional fees.

“That becomes the minimum bid,” Rushmore explained.

Preliminary values for the properties range between $25,000 and $34,000. An additional two undeveloped properties at 600 Etolin Street and 731 Hemlock Street will also be up for sale—73,700 and 47,300 square-foot lots worth $44,300 and $35,500, respectively.

The bid process itself is likely to be sealed rather than by outcry, where bidders can only submit one, unadjustable bid. The property is then awarded to bidder with the highest figure submitted.

“More than likely it’s going to be a sealed bid,” said the City Clerk, Kim Lane. “We don’t know yet.”

Lane explained the borough has been working on the sale since October. Developing the lots became a possibility after infrastructure was extended for the future site of a new hospital facility nearby. Once siting wraps up this month, plat maps will go to the Planning and Zoning Commission for approval, then to the Assembly to approve sale.

“It’s a longer process than we’d like,” she said.

“By May they should be out for bid, one way or another,” Rushmore commented. “Right now they’re being surveyed and flagged,” and surveyors are looking at siting electricity easements.

“There’s lots of people interested in those lots,” said Lane. New residential space is a limited commodity in Wrangell, and she explained it is rare to be able to sell so many lots at once. “I’m excited,” she commented. New development would be a boon to the community, giving current but also new residents the

opportunity to put down some stakes in Wrangell.

Additional information

on the lots, the bidding process and other questions can

be answered by contacting Lane’s office at City Hall, at 874-2381.