PORT ANGELES — The long-empty building at 11 Railroad Avenue will soon house a glass-blowing business and more.
The lease — with Blowhard Glass LLC — was formally approved by City Council on Tuesday night for a two year term with an option for renewal for an additional three years.
Paul Labrie, a glass blower, will be the primary tenant and will sublet a portion of the building to artist Bob Stokes.
They will pay $300 a month for the first year, with rent increasing to $1,012.50 per month in the fifth year, according to the lease.
The council also approved spending $10,000 to connect the building to an electrical source.
“This is something that must be done no matter what tenants we get in there,” said Kent Myers, city manager.
The electrical connections were removed because they interfered with construction of The Gateway transit center.
$20,000 improvements
The building inside will be as-is, Stokes said.
“They will spend something close to $20,000 in improvements,” Myers said.
Stokes said the primary purpose of the building will be to feature the glass art by Labrie and to conduct classes.
The city bought the 36,229 square feet of land — which also includes Budget-Rent-A-Car and Cock-a-doodle Doughnuts — in August 2006 for $1.2 million from Richard and Francis Niichel to provide parking for The Gateway. The property was later found not to be needed.
The city receives $1,500 a month in rent from Budget-Rent-A-Car and Cock-a-doodle Doughnuts.
The property has been declared surplus, but no buyers have been found.
In other business, the council approved:
• A contract with I-Net Services to further assess the city’s broadband and wireless services and evaluate the need for wireless needs of the police and fire departments. The city will also work on a grant for the wireless services. The contract is not to exceed $87,070.
• A change order to a contract with Primo Construction on the sewer extension east of the city. The change is to the alignment of the sewer near Lees Creek. The city oversees the construction, and Clallam County has reserved $6 million for the project.
• Authorizing Glen Cutler, director of public works, to negotiate a contract with Perteet Corp. to design the Olympic Discovery Trail riprap and landslide projects. The contract is not to exceed $15,000.
• An application for several grants for a maximum of about $135,000 from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act for energy conservation projects at City Hall and for about 1,400 “cobra-head” street lights to be replaced.
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Reporter Paige Dickerson can be reached at 360-417-3535 or at paige.dickerson@peninsuladaily news.com.
