An ordinance authorizing the contract to exchange real estate between the City and the Fire Department was approved in a 4 to 1 vote August 1st. Councilor Olivier Bosmans voted against the ordinance saying he felt the whole process didn’t have enough transparency and that the sale of River City Hall was a mistake.

Under the contract, the city will exchange ownership of River City Hall for the former Durango School District 9R administration building. The former school district property at 201 E. 12th St. will be used for a Civic Center Campus, consolidating City Hall, River City Hall, Carnegie Building, and the Police Department. The River City Hall site at 1235 Camino del Rio will continue to be used as a fire station site but rebuilt to fit the needs of the fire district and the community. The city will also pay the fire district $3.6 million due to the difference in property values.

A budget resolution will come to the city council at their next meeting.

Plans for the new fire station were revealed in July, and will be constructed in two main phases. The first phase, which may begin in December, will include demolition of River City Hall.