Blackwell Island property won’t be sold, Coeur d’Alene mayor says

The city of Coeur d’Alene won’t sell a piece of property fronting the Spokane River on Blackwell Island, officials said.

The parcel had been considered for a future sale to help finance upgrades at City Hall. But on Tuesday afternoon, Mayor Steve Widmyer announced that the parcel wouldn’t be declared surplus and put on the market.

“While the city never wants to hold land and let it lay fallow, we understand the value of waterfront property and access to our residents and visitors,” Widmyer said in a news release.

As part of the City Hall remodeling project, city staff surveyed all of the city-owned property to determine if some parcels could be declared surplus and sold to offset the cost of the remodel.

The city has owned the 1.83-acre property with about 110 feet of water front since 1996. The city acquired the property as part of an annexation agreement with Yacht Club of Coeur d’Alene Ltd. The parcel is located where the old Highway 95 bridge previously crossed the Spokane River

City Council members will consider whether to annex the property, which is located in incorporated Kootenai County, at its July 19 meeting. However, there are no plans for a surplus designation or sale of the property, Widmyer reiterated.