Reno City Council members this week approved the sale of two city-owned parcels for what they said were economic development projects. The city sold two parcels – one on West Fourth Street for a business to expand, while a Riverside Drive property was sold for affordable housing.  

Wyoming-based JM Ranches owns Eagle Window and Door, a long-time Fourth Street business. It also owns the building containing the supplier’s warehouse and showroom on a Fourth Street parcel adjacent to the train trench. The city owns the land. 

The city first obtained the property from the Union Pacific Railroad as part of the 2006 ReTRAC project. The property was later conveyed into joint ownership with the Reno Redevelopment Agency. 

JM Ranches now wants to invest $170,000 in improvements to the building but wants to own the land before making the investment. The other portion of the building was used to house the Reno Dance Company. It now stands vacant. JM Ranches plans to expand the showroom in the empty part of the building. 

City staff said selling the land constitutes “economic development” because Eagle Window and Door plans to hire eight new employees once the expansion is complete, thereby doubling its number of employees. Two appraisers valued the building at $860,000 and $880,000, respectively. 

JM Ranches is required to uphold its plans to hire additional staff, and if it fails to do so as planned, the city can purchase the land back at the same sales price. The council unanimously approved the sale for the average appraised value of $870,000. 

Workforce housing planned for Riverside Drive

Council members also agreed to sell city-owned property at 0 Riverside Drive to BUILT, a local developer, which plans to build an “attainable” housing project. 

Attainable housing, sometimes called workforce housing, is usually single-family or multi-family housing that’s affordable for people with incomes at or near an area’s median income.

The city acquired the 1.33-acre property for $105,000 due to delinquent taxes. The site had an existing 12-level, 40-unit condominium parcel map. Officials determined the best use of the property would be to address affordable and workforce housing shortages, and BUILT was selected through a request for proposals process. 

The project will be built for attainable, high-density housing along the Truckee River. BUILT proposes 123 units with a mix of studios, one-bedroom and two-bedroom apartments, and 110 parking spaces. The riverfront property will have a path and plaza with public access. 

City staff said benefits to the community would result from the sale. The property and the abandoned residence on site have become a nuisance in which breaking and entering, property destruction, fires and drug use have been reported. 

BUILT CEO Clint Stitser spoke to the council during the meeting and said he and his family are fifth-generation Nevadans and “aren’t going anywhere.” 

“We’ve been here for a long time … we care about our impact in our community,” Stitser said. “When we enter into a project, we mean it, and we intend to do it in a way that’s lasting.” 

Stitser said BUILT goes into projects with the intention of long-term management instead of finishing a project and selling it immediately. 

Two appraisals were completed for the property, which returned a fair market value of $937,500. Council directed city staff to negotiate with BUILT, which resulted in an agreed-upon $850,000 purchase price. 

Council member Meghan Ebert asked where the funds for the sale would go and why the city wasn’t trying to get the highest price in the sale. 

“It will go into the general fund,” Bryan McArdle, the city’s revitalization manager, said. “There are other conditions applied – it’s not just for the money but also for the public benefit. Giving opportunities for housing, removing blight, are all benefits.” 

If BUILT does not complete the project within five years, there is a clause that the city can regain the property from BUILT. 

Council member Naomi Duerr said she has supported a multi-family project on the property since the beginning, and she is happy with the outcome following discussions with the Stitsers and a tour of a neighboring property. 

The council approved the sale contingent on the project receiving other approvals, such as Specific Plan District (SPD) and fire access approval. Ebert voted against the sale.

Other items

Council approved an agreement between the city and the scooter company Bird to add a $0.01 per ride fee to support Reno’s adaptive recreation program and their existing $0.25 per ride franchise fee. Bird provides an e-scooter share program throughout Midtown and Downtown Reno. The additional fee collected will go towards the Adaptive Equipment Rental Program and the Adaptive Cycling Center. 

Council approved an agreement with Jacobs Engineering Group Inc. for design and construction support services of the Truckee Meadows Water Reclamation Facility dewatering building project for $4.06 million, with Reno’s share being $2.79 million. 

Council approved the abandonment of public right-of-way associated with the western end of Market Street between Kietzke Lane and Redwood Place to coincide with the Mill Street Capacity and Safety Project being undertaken by the Regional Transportation Commission (RTC). This abandonment will only take place once the RTC project is completed. 

Marvel Way Apartments II, located at 1585 Marvel Way, was granted a sewer reduction fee totaling $245,025 in sewer connection fees and $19,785 in building permit fees in exchange for affordable housing development. On completion, 45 units in the project will be at most 50% of the area median income.