COLDWATER, MI (WTVB) – On a 8-1 vote, the Coldwater City Council introduced sales and development agreements on Monday night that would allow two Hillsdale County residents to buy the former Lefty’s Lounge building from the city.
Cody Hawkes and Sydney Downey have offered to purchase the property at 10 South Monroe Street for $32,000.
City Attorney Megan Angell says the City has invested about $40,000 into the property after buying it at the real property tax foreclosure auction in 2019 for $23,500 which included back taxes. Angell says since then, the city has invested additional funds in the property for past due real property taxes, asbestos remediation, ongoing real property tax payments, parking lot assessments, insurance and other items.
Hawkes and Downey plan to open a specialty ice cream shop that would serve home-made ice cream after the building is renovated. Since they are employed full time, Hawkes and Downey expect to limit the operation to the summer months and be open during the daytime and early evening.
If all goes as planned, the business would open in the spring of 2025.
Mayor Tom Kramer was among those in favor of the proposed sale.
Council member Jim Knaack said he was “the grey cloud” as he cast the only no vote. He felt a full time business should occupy the building.
Following its introduction, the next regular meeting the sales agreement can be approved would be on January 8, 2024.
I wonder what their connections are. Obviously, they have some or their lowball offer wouldn’t have come so quickly. I like the idea of an ice cream shop, but you know that isn’t what it will be. That is just the story to get everyone on board and then it will be a pot shop, strip joint or whatever else the mayor wants there. We know how zoning and ordinaces get changed for the right people.