The McConnell Foundation dropped a bombshell at Tuesday night’s meeting of the Redding City Council. With the Council poised to vote on a non-binding letter of intent with a private equity firm to purchase the old police station downtown, McConnell came in with a last-minute competing offer.
The offer, which literally came at the 11th hour, was for $25,000 more than the existing offer by Equity Streams, which plans to build office space and a restaurant on the California Street site.
None of the Council members had even had a chance to look at the proposal before the meeting.
John Mancasola, vice president and in house council for the McConnell Foundation, says the philanthropic organization would like the property and some other nearby property for use as a downtown "cultural district," including the historic Bell Room across the street, and some adjacent Union Pacific Property.
"The railroad property that has laid fallow in our community for 80-plus years and quit frankly been a bit of a blight on the community and has not been put to any productive use whatsoever,” Mancasola said. “Our view is that there is a tremendous opportunity for community amenities to sort of fold into that."
Given the sensitive nature of the last-minute offer, the council voted to take up the issue in closed session in two weeks. It will also take up the proposed purchase by RABA of a parking lot across the street from the old police station. That item was scheduled for a vote, but ended up in a 2-2 tie when Vice Mayor Brent Weaver abstained.