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Williamsport City Council agreed to make a decision on whether to sell City Hall to the highest responsive bidder, which it must accept, or to reject a Scranton-area developer's bid, in two weeks.
The highest bid is $555,500 from JBAS Realty of Jessup, which is owned by John Basalyga, who attended the meeting.
Council President Adam Yoder said the city must accept the highest responsive bid or has an option to reject it.
"We will have Mayor Derek Slaughter draft a resolution so that City Council can vote in two weeks to accept it or reject it," he said.
Basalyga listened to a number of residents during limited courtesy of the floor expressing their concern that City Hall remain the home of city government.
The developer acknowledged that while the bid was submitted, the design plan is in development.
The lower floor, for instance, could be for retail, an event space, a tribute to the former building and its historical relevance as a federal post office, for example, along with Williamsport history or perhaps a coffee shop.
He said he also wanted to convert the second and third floors into market-rate apartments.
His company also is in the process of reconditioning and restoring the former YMCA Discovery Workshop building, a block down from City Hall on West Fourth and Elmira streets into the 35-unit apartment complex and recently asked council for approving $1.1 million in American Rescue Plan funds to complete the work.
That request for ARPA funds was made but has not been voted on.
Basalyga said he has done restorations of buildings without grants or tax credits and said the end result of the repurposed building constructed in 1891, serving as a post office and expressly dedicated as a City Hall in 1979, would bring "more foot traffic downtown."
Basalyga's team are experts at restoring and preserving the integrity of historic buildings, including a plan for this structure at 245 W. Fourth St., along with its magnificent edifice.
His assets provided as part of the bid process were $5.5 million. He promised to work alongside the administration and council.