The Trolley Center in downtown Fort Dodge may be replaced with a four-story building housing stores and apartments.

H & F Development Partners, of Fort Dodge, has proposed that concept, and it will be considered by the City Council tonight.

The council will meet at 6 p.m. in the Municipal Building, 819 First Ave. S.

The Trolley Center is on the northeast side of the intersection of Central Avenue and Ninth Street. Over the last few years, it has been vacant and owned by a series of out-of-state firms. The city government recently went to court and used the state’s abandoned buildings law to acquire it.

The proposal for the site calls for demolishing the building and replacing it with one that has three commercial spaces on the ground floor and 36 apartments on the three upper floors.

During tonight’s meeting the council will consider a purchase, sale and development agreement with H & F Development Partners. Approval of the agreement would not actually sell the real estate to the developer, but would declare the council’s intent to work with it.

The council will also consider endorsing the developer’s application for workforce housing tax credits from the Iowa Economic Development Authority.

The council will also consider hiring 10Fold Architecture + Engineering, of Ames, to design the new firehouse planned for the 300 block of A Street. The City Council purchased the needed property in March.

The new building will be the city’s second fire station.