By Tim SchmidtRecord Managing EditorWright City is moving forward with plans to sell the former Big Boy’s restaurant property.Officials, at last Thursday’s board of aldermen meeting, agreed to seek a request for proposals (RFPs) from commercial realtors to help market the 2.46 property located at 132000 Veterans Memorial Parkway.The city is looking to sell or lease the property. The deadline to submit RFPs is 10 a.m. May 1.As part of the proposal, firms must provide examples of commercial property and vacant land it has sold or leased in the past, a marketing plan and an estimated value of the property.“The board will decide from the qualifications who they will go with,” said Karen Girondo, the city’s economic development director/treasurer.The city paid $170,000 for the property in January 2011. The transaction followed years of frustration from officials and residents due to the deterioration of the former Big Boy’s restaurant building. The restaurant closed in 2005 and had been vacant. The city proceeded quickly to raze the structure and clean up the property.Officials initially planned to construct a new city hall and police department facility on the property. However, since the property is easily visible from Interstate 70, they agreed it’s best suited for a commercial venture that generates sales tax revenue.Officials said the city needs to sell the property so it can identify alternatives for city hall offices. Employees are cramped for space and running out of room at the existing facility on Veterans Memorial Parkway, Mayor David Heiliger said.“We have to move on,” he said. “I’m afraid we’re missing good opportunity for revenue. It’s not a matter of time, it’s when. We have to do something.”Last year, the city sought but did not receive any redevelopment proposals for the former Big Boy’s property, an adjacent property that houses storage units and the former Rite Sole property, which is located at 399 W.N. 2nd St. Some ideas that officials wanted incorporated in the proposal was a combination of commercial uses to provide permanent jobs and spur economic activity, such as space for offices, retail, entertainment or restaurants.The city also was interested in the vacant Rite Sole warehouse building as a future home for city offices. Now other options are being considered.“We need to explore some other options for city hall,” Girondo said. “Until we can sell (the former Big Boy’s property), it will be hard to do anything.”Wright City