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Bedford Buys Lowe's Parcel For Plaza Drive

Last updated on Monday, December 1, 2014

(BEDFORD) - The Bedford Board of Works agreed to pay $41,000 to Lowe’s for a pieces of property for a right-of-way for the Plaza Drive South project.

The $41,100 will come from the city's general fund. Mayor Shawna Girgis says $36,100 will be spent to acquire a permanent right of way, and $5,000 will go to a temporary right of way needed during the project.

City officials had to work out some details with the company's and city's legal teams before the deal could be made.

Among of the company's principal concerns, were the curbs and gutters for the home improvement store's parking lot.

Girgis says bids for the new road will be submitted this spring.

The project will extend the existing Plaza Drive south from 16th Street, past the entrances to McDonald's restaurant and Lowe's Home Improvement store. From where the street ends now, a new roadway will extend farther south, then turn west to link with State Road 37.

The total projected construction cost, from preliminary engineering fees to final inspection, is $5.5 million.

Of that total, the city's share will be roughly $1.4 million. The money allocated will be part of that match.

Earlier this month, the board had agreed to pay the appraised price for two other parcels of land that were in condemnation proceedings. That vote did not necessarily end the process -- the property owners can still appeal the price. But it cleared the way for more planning.

The city and owners of two parcels had agreed to the sale, but they could not settle on prices. In June, the board agreed to start condemnation proceedings in court to set the prices.

One of the parcels is a slice of land at the Wash World car wash, owned by Jay Strauss. The other is farther south and is owned by Robert Ryan II and Anthony Galloway.

Three appraisers were appointed through the proceedings in Lawrence Circuit Court. They came up with values of $17,670 for the Wash World parcel and $16,270 for the Ryan-Galloway land. At their meeting earlier this month, board members agreed to pay those amounts from the city's general fund. The money has been sent to the county clerk's office.

The city will ask that the judge order the land be transferred to the city, with the money going to the owners.
The property owners can take the matter to a trial if they still disagree on the price.

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