Historic City Hall is Up for Sale

Downtown pedestrians may see a bright red sign at Third and F streets announcing that historic City Hall is up for sale.

The signs don’t lie. The city of Davis is looking for buyers for the renovated former City Hall at 226 F St.— and current home to Bistro 33 and the City Hall Tavern — because a state law no longer permits the city to own it.

The historic building previously was owned by the city’s Redevelopment Agency. But since the building is leased to a bar and popular eatery, is doesn’t qualify to stay within the portfolio of city-owned buildings. Instead, a state law requires cities to sell properties like Davis’ historic City Hall so that property taxes are returned to public agencies like the city, county and school district.

In July, Davis contracted with Turton Commercial Real Estate, whose brokers will oversee the sale of the building. Turton is tasked with selling the property for its full value while keeping in mind the city’s vision of having the property add to a vibrant downtown atmosphere.

According to the contract, Turton was chosen for its specialty in selling and leasing urban infill projects. The company has experience working with restaurants, historic buildings and public agencies. Across Sacramento, Turton has represented popular locations like the LowBrau beer hall, Rick’s Dessert Diner and Temple Coffee.

Turton also sold the historic building that houses the Zócalo Mexican restaurant in Sacramento and three other eateries. The Zócalo building is the historic home of the Arnold Brothers car shop, owned by Davis City Councilman Will Arnold’s ancestors.

Turton’s 12-month contract with the city of Davis offers an incentive to sell to a local buyer. Turton will receive a 2.5-percent sales commission if the buyer is represented by an outside broker, and a 4-percent commission if the broker is local.

The brokers expect that it will take about six months to sell the building, according to a city staff report.

Davis, meanwhile, will receive about 21 percent of the net proceeds from the sale. The rest of the proceeds will be divided among the Davis Joint Unified School District (33.5 percent), the county Revenue Augmentation Fund (25 percent), Yolo County (9.1 percent) and Los Rios Community College District (4.1 percent).

Smaller percentages of the proceeds will go to the Yolo County Library, Davis Cemetery District and Sacramento-Yolo Mosquito and Vector Control District.

The city also expects to receive an additional $5.5 million on top of those proceeds, as selling the building will open up bond money previously frozen by the Redevelopment Agency.

Originally constructed as a combination Fire Department and City Hall, this Spanish Colonial revival-style building opened as City Hall in 1938. The Fire Department moved to its new quarters on Fifth Street in 1966 and the large doors of the fire engine bays were glassed over and the area was converted into a Police Department.

The whole building was remodeled when city offices moved to the former high school building at 23 Russell Blvd. in 1981, and was remodeled again in 2005 when it was converted into Bistro 33.

While changes are afoot for the owner of historic City Hall, the look and feel of the building likely will stay the same. The building’s exterior architecture has been protected since 1984, when is was listed on the state Register of Historic Resources.

— Reach Felicia Alvarez at falvarez@davisenterprise.net or 530-747-8052. Follow her on Twitter at @ReporterAlvarez