The city has the right to accept or reject the lone proposal for the Cornerstone site, under bid guidelines.
The former Cornerstone Lounge, shown here in a file photo from November, 2010, has attracted just one interested bidder.
SPRINGFIELD – The city’s effort to sell the Cornerstone Lounge, a long-vacant, boarded, tax-title property in East Springfield, has attracted a single offer – $750.
Lamoureux LLC, doing business as Genden Auto Parts, which is adjacent to the Cornerstone on Page Boulevard, submitted the lone proposal to buy and redevelop the site by Friday’s deadline. The proposal was opened at 2 p.m., by the Office of Procurement at City Hall, with just the bidder and price revealed.
Kathleen Brown, president of the East Springfield Neighborhood Council, said Genden’s has proposed tearing down the building and replacing it with parking that is needed.
“I am delighted the Genden put in a bid and we are hoping it will be accepted,” Brown said. “It is consistent with what the neighborhood has been talking about for use of the property.”
The proposal will be reviewed by a city-appointed, three-member selection committee.
The city has the right to accept or reject the lone bid. A procurement official said she could not comment pending the review.
The business owner was unavailable for comment.
The Cornerstone Lounge property, located at 632 Page Blvd., at the corner of Osborne Terrace, was taken by the city for nonpayment of taxes in 2005 from former owners James J. Regan and Timothy J. Hourihan.
Brown said residents are looking forward to the property being redeveloped and blighted conditions being eliminated.
The parking is needed by Genden’s and the East Springfield Branch library, Brown said.
The site has been a “terrible eyeore,” she said.
The Cornerstone is located across the street from the Westinghouse property, a 41-acre site that is the proposed location of a resort casino. Ameristar Casinos based in Las Vegas purchased the Westinghouse site for $16 million in January.
The review committee will forward its recommendation, anticipated by Aug. 15, to Mayor Domenic J. Sarno.