Mason City council tonight to consider sale of vacant downtown lot for housing development project

MASON CITY — The City Council in Mason City tonight will hold a public hearing on the sale of a city-owned vacant lot downtown earmarked for a new housing development.

DevPartners/Shyft Collective from Des Moines, who have incorporated the proposed project under the name of Federal Avenue Rowhomes LLC, approached the city last year about purchasing the vacant lot on the southeast corner of 2nd and North Federal to develop into 11 units with five off-street parking spaces.

Federal Avenue Rowhomes LLC is proposing to purchase the property for $25,000, but under Iowa Code, the city has to offer up the property for public bid. The deadline to make other bids on the property was February 24th, with the city’s Director of Development Services Steven Van Steenhuyse stating in a memo to city staff and the city council that no competing bids were received.

The public hearing and consideration of the sale will take place at the council’s meeting tonight at 7 o’clock in the Mason City Room of the Public Library.