The proposed sale of property owned by Cache County between 100 and 200 North on 100 West spurred contention among the city, county and a vocal Logan Downtown Alliance.

When the county in February unveiled a proposal by Workforce Services to purchase one of the corners, Alliance President Gene Needham, along with dozens of downtown business owners, strongly insisted that the council open the bidding process to the public.

Jewelers, clothiers and other business owners also urged the county to nurture retail development on the block by inviting commercial businesses to attract visitors to the historic district day and night and revitalize the area.

The county conceded, advertised the property and considered seven options Tuesday night before unanimously agreeing to sell both corners. The northwest corner of the block will go to Workforce Services for the construction of a two-story, 21,000-square-foot building for $700,000.

The southwest corner will go to T.J. Rudman for $175,000 to develop a four-plex movie theater and a restaurant/office complex. But that sale is contingent on Logan City completing a property exchange with Rudman and Cache County.

Logan officials have an interest in purchasing the southwest corner of the block from Cache County, then exchanging that property for Rudman's existing theater property across the street.

Logan would use the land to develop much-needed parking, ultimately paving the way for a conference center, according to Bob Marcolese, manager of the Logan Downtown Alliance.

"I'm pleased with the outcome," Marcolese said. "It will create an open gateway for other development." Needham said he respects the council's decision, although the group failed to embrace what he considers a better plan for the block when it rejected a $700,000 proposal by Wasatch Property Management Inc. The company, which built the Wells Fargo skyscraper and recently renovated the First Security Bank building, both in downtown Salt Lake City, planned to build a midrise office building with retail shops on the main level and an adjacent parking terrace on the Logan block.

The rejection of the Wasatch offer probably cost the county a valuable gift. The Needham family, which operates several businesses on the block, offered to donate to the county an apartment building in the neighborhood on the condition that neither corner be sold to Workforce Services, Needham said.

Although the County Council announced plans to pursue that gift, Needham said he was certain his father's offer no longer stood.

County officials said parking stipulations proposed by Wasatch - control over 165 stalls for daytime use by the company's employees - were not in the best interest of downtown visitors or nearly 100 county employees at the Cache County Administration building and the County Courthouse currently under renovation.

ajbrunson@comcast.net