The building was purchased for $625,000 from Essex Holding LLC, of New York City, New York, on May 30. It is located at 109 N 25th St.

“We had some discussion about that in closed session,” Superintendent Doug Van Zyl said. “We went through that process. You (the board) had given us the opportunity to enter negotiations and hire a realtor. All that was done the way it was supposed to be done.”

The structure encompasses 33,064 square feet, according to online records. It was built in 1975.

Essex Holding LLC took ownership of the property in 1999.

-Messenger photo by Bill Shea
The old Hy-Vee building, located at 109 N 25th St., has been purchased by the Fort Dodge Community School District.

In 2006, the building underwent interior and exterior remodeling at a combined cost of $247,000.

The market value of the property was appraised at $1 million in April. Its net assessed value is $604,200, according to online county records.

“We purchased a million-dollar building for a substantially less dollar amount,” Van Zyl said.

According to Van Zyl, the district plans to move its facility/maintenance department there.

He said the building will house the district’s painter, carpenter, maintenance vehicles, storage, building area for plays, warehouse, multiple offices, and possibly a meeting room.

“Realizing the need in our long-range planning, all of our maintenance facility’s folks are underneath the stadium,” Van Zyl said. “All of the equipment underneath there, when there is hazardous weather situations, it’s very difficult to get people underneath the stadium. Safety becomes an issue to utilize that space.”

Van Zyl said the district will be working with ISG, an engineering firm based in Mankato, Minnesota, on developing plans for the building.

“There’s multiple uses for that space,” he said. “A lot of the work will be able to be done by our own maintenance facility folks, so it’s not outside contracting. There might be some, but it won’t be all.”

Van Zyl said the district will save some money as it will no longer need to rent storage space at a cost of $1,100 a month.

Bill Kent, vice chair of the board, added, “I am excited about the possibilities for this building.”