By Kristin Rover
Sun staff

The city of Milford is making progress on building a parking lot where a gas station used to be on Main Street and also finding a tenant for the building next door.

City Manager Jeff Wright updated council about both the properties during their Aug. 7 meeting.

Wright said earlier this year that the city purchased two properties on Main Street for $225,000 in November of 2013.

Wright said that the city will be selling 308 Main Street and turning 300 Main Street into a parking area for downtown Milford.

He said council first started talking about the need for a parking lot last summer after they became aware of the environmental concerns that deterred private buyers from purchasing the property.

“We knew that the perceived lack of parking was going to become a reality with development downtown,” Wright said. “We wanted to be proactive and stay ahead of the problems.”

Wright said construction work has already been complete to remove underground storage tanks at the former gas station.

Wright said that phase of the project was funded by an approximately $100,000 Community Development Block Grant.

He said during the Aug. 7 council meeting that staff has reviewed retaining wall plans for the new parking lot and the planning portion of the project is almost complete.

“We are in the process of putting together a bid package and legal advertisement requesting bids from one contractor to perform all of the components of the project,” Wright said.

He said they expect to have around 40 parking spaces in the new lot.

“Our goal is to complete it before Hometown Holidays,” Wright said about the parking lot.

Wright said earlier this year that the city was accepting proposals from businesses that are interested in the 308 Main Street building.

“We want to be more strategic about the project,” Wright said. “We want to see their business plan.”

Wright said they are hoping that they will find a good fit for the building.

“That would put new life into the building and create revenue,” Wright said.

Wright said during the Aug. 7 meeting that the city hosted an open house at the 308 Main Street property and showed the property to three different groups.

“We anticipate they will be submitting proposals next week,” Wright said.

Wright said business proposals for the property are due to the city Aug. 15.

“We don’t need 100 interested parties we just need one really good one,” Wright said.

Wright said they feel confident that they are going to have several good proposals.

During the Aug. 7 meeting Councilman Jeff Lykins, who serves on the safety services committee, said the city has an opportunity to purchase the liquor license for about half of the normal rate.

“Mr. Wright informed the committee that the city has the opportunity to purchase from former owner of Sauer’s Marathon a license for the sale of carry out liquor,” Lykins said.

Lykins said several parties interested in purchasing the 308 Main Street building have inquired about the availability of a liquor license.

“Having a liquor license to sell with the 308 Main Street building will add to the marketability of the building,” Lykins said.

Lykins said because of this and since the city would only purchase the license to sell to another business, the committee recommended the purchase of the license.

Council members approved the purchase of a C1 and C2 liquor license for $10,000 from W.R. Sauer LLC during the meeting.

For more information about the properties visit www.milfordohio.org.