Bonner County will buy Sandpoint federal building

Bonner County commissioners unanimously agreed Tuesday to purchase the U.S. Federal Building in Sandpoint.

The Forest Service owns the entire three-story, 39,000-square-foot structure but occupies only the first floor, thanks to years of downsizing and administrative restructuring.

“There’s a fair amount of empty space,” said agency spokesman Dave O’Brien.

The agency hopes to use proceeds from the sale to construct a smaller, more appropriately sized facility on land across the street.

Bonner County sees the building as the perfect chance to consolidate in one building various county offices now scattered throughout the Sandpoint area in leased spaces, said Commissioner Joe Young. Existing office space used by the county near the courthouse will then be used to house the prosecutor’s and public defender’s offices.

“People will only have to go to two places instead of seven or eight,” Young said, adding that parking will also be easier.

The building was appraised at $2.9 million, which also will be its sale price. Working through the Panhandle Area Council, the county is negotiating a final agreement to lease and eventually purchase the building. The council works with local governments to obtain grants and low-interest financing for public projects.

The county will not have to increase any taxes or issue bonds to pay for the building, Young said. The money will come from payments currently made to lease the various office spaces. Further, the Forest Service will rent one floor in the old building for the next two years as a new ranger district office is built. These rental payments are expected to cover the total payments for the building for the first two years, Young said.

The new Sandpoint Ranger District office is expected to cover 17,800 square feet.