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Architect, Pajama Factory co-founder Mark Winkelman offers ideas on closed Williamsport City Hall building

Williamsport City Council President Eric Beiter has publicly assured residents and taxpayers that the council resolution vote on the solicitation for City Hall bids method will not linger throughout the summer months.

All of its members want to see the best means of selling it and best use for the building that is costing the city about $50,000 annually to maintain, according to the council discussion.

Currently, council is near voting on a resolution on the terms of the solicitation of bids for the building, which is on the National Register of Historic Places, having been constructed in the 1888 and into the 1890s. It has twice tabled resolution votes on the matter.

Before a second decision on tabling the resolution, at a recent council meeting, architect Mark Winkelman, co-founder of the entertainment and artists' venue, the Pajama Factory on Park Avenue, said he had an idea.

Winkelman spoke during limited courtesy of the floor, where comments on agenda items are permitted for three minutes. He said he thought that the city could become an "anchor tenant."

"Maybe half the building can be used for basic government use if the police aren't in the building," said Winkelman.

"That leaves the other half on speculation, but to provide an anchor for the investor/developer could be really useful," he said. "That might be able to be put into that proposal that goes out."

Williamsport's City Hall has remained vacant and not used by the public since rain water leaked in five years ago, followed that December by a burst water pipe spraying water onto several floors.

The property also has to meet compliance under the Americans with Disabilities Act, although a front door ramp was added before the water damage occurred as part of that effort.