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Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Email Story to a Friend December 14, 2005 This U.S. Forest Service property on the corner of Poplar Drive and McAndrews Road is close to being sold to a Jacksonville councilman and real estate agent. It�s in a bustling commercial area of east Medford. Mail Tribune / Bob Pennell Realtor buys USFS lot Buyer Bill Leep isn’t talking about future use of the property By PAUL FATTIG Mail Tribune A Jacksonville resident is the primary bidder for the historic McAndrews Service Center in Medford, which the U.S. Forest Service is selling for $3.5 million. Real estate broker Bill Leep, co-owner of Keller Williams Realty Southern Oregon, confirmed Tuesday that he is the prospective buyer. Salt Lake City-based Sungate Development LLC had been the sole bidder for the 5.23-acre parcel in an auction concluding May 3. However, the commercial and residential development company had entered into an agreement with the Forest Service, giving the firm the right to purchase the property for another company. The parcel is at 1319 E. McAndrews Road, east of Poplar Drive. "We’re still proceeding to close on the property," Leep said. "We’re putting together a marketing plan." Advertisement Leep declined to talk about the future of the property, noting that he wanted to first conclude the sale. He described it as a unique project. The businessman, who is chairman of Jacksonville’s City Council, is also co-owner of Paradise Ranch Resort in Merlin and Sequoia Village, a planned unit development in Grants Pass. Among Leep’s real estate developments are Daisy Creek Village in Central Point, Orchard Villas in east Medford and Straw Bale Village in Jacksonville. The closing date for the purchase has been extended to Jan. 10, said Patty Burel, spokeswoman for the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest. The agency has entered into an agreement allowing the property to be sold to a second company, she said. Proceeds from the sale will go toward relocating the forest supervisor’s office in downtown Medford to the U.S. Bureau of Land Management’s Medford District office, 3040 Biddle Road. In the fall of 1998, Congress approved plans to sell the property and relocate the forest headquarters to the BLM site. The goal of the move is to improve services, promote collaboration and cut costs, explained Karen Gillespie, spokeswoman for the BLM’s Medford District. "This is a high priority for the BLM," she said. The move is estimated to save the two agencies some $800,000 annually, she said, adding that additional savings are expected because of shared service and maintenance costs. Plans call for expanding the BLM building by 6,000 to 8,000 square feet to accommodate the employees from the forest supervisor’s office now at 333 W. Eighth St. The expansion and relocation project is expected to be completed in 2007. A construction contract is expected to be awarded by the end of September, Gillespie said. About 20 forest employees who worked at the McAndrews complex have already moved to the BLM building. The McAndrews site includes a warehouse, automotive shop, radio shop, survey office and covered gas and oil station. The service center was built in the 1930s by the Civilian Conservation Corps. Five of the six buildings are listed in the National Register of Historic Places. However, the designation provides no protection from development at the site. Once surrounded by orchards, the facility is now amidst retail and professional buildings. The McAndrews parcel was appraised at $3.8 million in January 2004. Reach reporter Paul Fattig at 776-4496 or e-mail him at Realtor buys USFS lot ">[email protected] . Mail Tribune Home | Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life | Opinion AP News | Archives | Site Map | Community | Classified Copyright © 1997-2005 Mail Tribune, Inc. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions | Website Feedback www.bingo.com Home Security Systems Trunks, Footlocker dvd-r Distance Education Computer Security Ztech Media Hosting Sports Equipment Online Casino Student Loans Online Pharmacy tcg student loan consolidation Online Casino Reviews Myspace Home Equity Loans Windermere Van Vleet Deep Muscle Stimulator Discount Hotel Reservations Southern Oregon Loans Online Casino News Casino Gambling Sites Online Bingo Entertainment Guide Salvia Divinorum Advertisement s