Two prime development parcels have gone up for auction in the Station North arts district, two weeks after Artscape 2023 brought widespread attention to the area.
Alex Cooper Auctioneers is holding separate online auctions for the properties, a vacant lot at 2001 to 2009 North Charles St. and a former bank building at 100 E. North Ave.
The two-story, stone-clad North Avenue building dates from 1929 and is currently vacant; it still has two safes inside from when it was a bank. Designed by the noted architect Clyde N. Friz, it was originally known as the Heritage Building. It contains 7,400 square feet of space and is zoned for commercial use.
According to the auctioneer, the building is in need of renovation. It is also covered with graffiti. The sale includes a parking lot just east of the building. Online bidding began Oct. 5 and ends Oct. 10 at 1 p.m. The required opening bid is $500,000.
The seller of the Charles Street property is Mark Sapperstein, CEO of 28 Walker Development. Sapperstein acquired the land several years ago and developed plans to construct a five-story building with 44 apartments and street-level retail space on the site. A rendering of the proposed building is on the auctioneer’s website at alexcooper.com.
Nearly one quarter of an acre, the Charles Street property is zoned for commercial use and eligible for a high performance market rate rental housing tax incentive. The online auction began on Friday, Oct. 6, and ends on Oct. 11 at 1 p.m. The required opening bid is $300,000.
Sapperstein said in an email message that he is selling the lot because he is busy with numerous other projects in the city. He said the designs for the 44-unit apartment building are available to the buyer.
