The City of Owensboro is selling the property that formerly contained Gabe’s Tower on the corner of Triplett and E. 20th streets, for the purpose of economic development. The City is also considering annexing nearly 10.5 acres of property on W. 2nd Street at the request of the Western Kentucky Botanical Garden.
During their meeting Tuesday, City Commissioners approved a municipal order declaring four properties as surplus.
Properties located at 716 East 20th, along with 1926, 1928, and 2001 Triplett Street, were acquired during the Triplett Twist Neighborhood Revitalization Strategy area to eliminate blight in the area.
The cleared properties are being sold to Owensboro Warehouse Leasing LLC for $425,000.
City Manager Nate Pagan said that Owensboro Warehouse Leasing LLC owns Gabe’s Shopping Center and has plans to turn the area on Triplett into some commercial space.
Commissioners also heard the first reading for an ordinance to annex the property located at 2731 W. 2nd Street, containing 10.416 acres, at the request of Western Kentucky Botanical Gardens.
That property contains the historic WeatherBerry home, which now operates as the welcome center for WKBG. That would become the official address for WKBG, and would put the entire property of the Garden within the same jurisdiction. There will be no incentive associated with the annexation, as it is a tax-exempt property.
No action can be taken until a second reading of the ordinance.
In other business, a municipal order was approved granting the City to apply for a grant for the 911 Dispatch to allow better boards for training.
Paul Nave, 911 Director, said the training boards are to help prepare the new hires with something as close as possible to the actual workspace when responding on dispatch.
“It’s difficult to train in a competitive market if you’re not in the exact same scenario. So it sets everything up identical to what’s on the floor so they can train without the confusion of all the noise that’s going on the floor,” Nave said.
The competitive grant is for $25,020, and 10% of the grant is required to be matched by the City.
