Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

AHOSKIE – Town officials here may consider selling a prime piece of real estate, located in a high traffic area, if the price is right.

At their most recent meeting, the Ahoskie Town Council approved hiring a Greenville-based appraiser to set the value on town property located at 720 Memorial Drive (the current location of a used car lot formerly operated by Central Ford).

That parcel was donated to the town in 2008 prior to its owner – Charles H. Jenkins auto dealership – relocating its business to NC 42 West.

In the summer of 2009, the town leased the property to Central Ford where they have used it over the years to display and sell used vehicles. The original lease price was $2,000 per month.

“During COVID, car sales have been a little but different, with less inventory, so we decreased the monthly rent to try and help them out,” Ahoskie Town Manager Kerry McDuffie told Council members at their Oct. 12 meeting.

McDuffie also informed Council members that Central Ford was recently purchased by Feyer Ford.

“They (Feyer) have not indicated if they wish to continue leasing that building or not,” McDuffie said. “That lease ends Dec. 31 of this year.”

McDuffie said he contacted six firms that perform commercial appraisals. He received quotes from two. The lowest quote was for $2,000 from Andy Piner & Associates, LLC of Greenville.

“If the Council is interested in selling this building, then it’s very important that we get the property appraised,” McDuffie noted. “If Council is not interested in selling the building, we don’t need to waste $2,000.”

“I would like to see us pursue selling it for the simple fact that we can use the money to pay down some of our debt,” Councilman Matt Bradley suggested. “Right now we’re assuming all responsibility for anything that happens with that building and receiving very little rent to cover those costs. I believe this is an opportunity we need to take advantage of….selling the building.”

“We need to know the value of that property before we can move ahead,” said Councilman Charles Freeman, who then made a motion for the town to spend $2,000 to have the property appraised.

Councilwoman Jamie Burns offered a second and the motion was approved without objection.

The town originally planned to renovate the Charles H. Jenkins building and property for use as the Ahoskie Fire Department. However, upon learning it would cost at least $1.5 million for renovations, that 2009 plan was scrapped.

In July of 2013, the town opened the doors of its new fire station located along Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive. That facility, built from the ground up, came with a $1.83 million price tag.