By Tim SchmidtRecord Managing EditorWright City officials are in negotiations to purchase the former Rite Sole property.Mayor David Heiliger confirmed at last Thursday’s board of aldermen meeting that discussions have taken place between the city and the property owner.“We’re still in negotiations,” Heiliger said. “We’re talking with Mr. (Ned) Stanley. We’re waiting to hear from Mr. Stanley.”Earlier in the month, aldermen authorized the mayor to begin negotiating for the city to purchase the 1.7-acre property. That action took place in closed session on July 10.The Rite Sole property is located at 399 W.N. 2nd St., across the street from the Wright City Fire Protection District headquarters. The 33,000-square-foot warehouse building is currently vacant. It was built in 1961, officials said.If the city purchases the property, officials envision the former Rite Sole property as the new site for city hall. The city would then sell the existing city hall property, according to Heiliger.Officials have been contemplating for the past few years about the need to have more room for the police departments and city hall offices.The plan to purchase the Rite Sole property means the city will now consider selling the former Big Boy’s property, located on Veterans Memorial Parkway.The city purchased the 2.5-acre property for $170,000 in January 2011, a move designed to get rid of a deteriorating building that formerly housed the Big Boy’s restaurant and has been in disrepair for years. At the time of the purchase, officials had proposed constructing a new city hall and police department facility on the property.“Our initial viewpoint on buying it was that building needed to come down,” Alderman Jim Schuchmann said. “It was an eyesore. If we didn’t, the fear was somebody else would acquire it and it would sit there for another 10 years.”Since the city property is easily visible from I-70, officials believe the property is better suited for a commercial venture that generates sales tax.“When we bought it, we thought that would be a great place for city hall,” Heiliger said. “We all sat down and talked about it, there would be a lot of revenue lost.“Once you step back and look at the big picture, they don’t make ground like that anymore.”

Wright City is considering purchasing the former Rite Sole property, located on W.N. 2nd Street.