VENTURA : Plans to Buy Land for Courthouse OKd
The Ventura City Council voted unanimously Monday to begin negotiations to buy three parcels of land in downtown Ventura to build a Victorian-style courthouse for the state Court of Appeal.
After purchasing the land on Santa Clara Street or acquiring it through eminent domain, the city plans to sell the parcels to an Orange County developer who will build and lease the courthouse to the state, said Miriam Mack, executive director of the Redevelopment Agency.
The city expects to spend about $75,000 to help relocate 11 residents and two small businesses by June, 1993, Mack said. The city plans to offer about $670,000 to the three property owners for the parcels, she said.
Two bungalows and a four-unit commercial and residential building will be razed to make way for the 30,000-square-foot 2nd District courthouse.
The courthouse, which will be located at the southeast corner of Santa Clara and Figueroa streets, is scheduled to be ready for use July, 1994, and will serve Ventura, Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties.
The project is estimated to generate an additional $40,000 a year in property taxes for the city and is expected to improve property values downtown.
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