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After years of operating out of rented office space, Cottonwood Heights is buying four acres that will be the site of a city hall.
City administrators say they concluded negotiations in February with seven property owners to buy land on the northwest corner of Bengal Boulevard (7600 South) and 2300 East for approximately $3.4 million. The site is bordered on the south by Brighton High School, on the east by a Mormon church and on the west and north by residences.
With the land under contract, Cottonwood Heights plans "to move rather quickly" to take advantage of low municipal bond rates, the city said in an announcement posted on its website.
"We will no longer be able to say we are debt-free once we issue the bonds, but we believe going into debt to purchase our 'home' is a wise use of debt," the announcement said.
Cottonwood Heights has been renting its city offices since incorporating nine years ago. Rent was reasonable during the recession, but with rents going up and borrowing rates at 50-year lows, now is the time to create a "distinct and more accessible city office," the announcement said.
Mayor Kelvyn Cullimore Jr. said the city hall might be completed by the end of 2015. There is no cost estimate for the building yet, he said.
An open house to show various renderings of what the city hall might look like is scheduled for 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on March 19 at city offices, 1265 E. Fort Union Blvd.
Twitter: @PamelaMansonSLC