The site of a former Wells Fargo Bank in downtown Dickinson, which was severely damaged in a 2007 fire, could become a parking lot after the bank decided to sell the land and city officials are in negotiations to make the purchase.
"Wells Fargo Bank has made a strategic decision not to build on their current location in downtown; therefore they've made that land available," City Administrator Shawn Kessel said during a City Commission meeting Monday evening. "Because of the interest in downtown parking, I believe the city is interested in that land, in acquiring it and probably turning that into additional downtown parking places."
Kessel said the city was approached by Wells Fargo about the purchase.
"We are definitely going to have a location and what we need to do is we need to explore all options that we have," said Daryl Tabor, Wells Fargo community banking president. "Right now what we're looking at is the city is in desperate need of that site and we are looking to explore what options we can, where we can, what is best for the community, what's best for the city and what's best for Wells Fargo."
If a contractor working on renovations to the historic Elks Building does not complete renovations by June 30, the building could revert back to city property, and Kessel said he believes it is in the city's best interest to own the parking lot north of the building.
ADVERTISEMENT
Kessel said he hopes to bring forth a purchase proposal at the next City Commission meeting.
Tabor said no plans have been set in stone.
"We don't know how the configuration will be -- if it's a one large facility, if it's going to be two locations," Tabor said. "We don't know how that end result will be but we definitely will have a newer location when we're done."
