An unsuccessful bidder for land on Sandy Beach Road considers her options while Carol L. Jensen, the eventual top bidder, watches. (Photo by Ed Schoenfeld/CoastAlaskaNews)
Petersburg sold five of seven lots that were up for auction during Tuesday’s Borough Assembly meeting. But only one brought a bidding war.
The Petersburg Borough brought in $506,430 auctioning the five properties.
Four were sold to sole bidders, who offered the minimum allowable amount. But one Sandy Beach Road lot attracted three bidders, who drove the price up by almost $25,000.
The eventual auction winner was Carol L. Jensen, representing Kris Norosz. The bid was $205,000.
Auction of the site was opposed by neighbors who wanted it to remain undeveloped. They also asked for protection of Native petroglyphs. There are also fish trap remains thought to be 2,000 years old.
Three other properties, all on North Fourth Street, were bought by Carolyn Prichett, representing Suzanne Paulsen and Chris Jensen.
She said they’re adjacent to the brother and sister’s family home on Wrangell Avenue.
“They became aware of the fact that their father, when he had added on to the house by building a garage and a dining room, had built it in what now they realize is right next to these three lots,” she said.
The properties sold for the minimum bids, just short of $9,000 each.
Auction winners fill out paperwork with Borough Clerk Debbie Thompson, center, during Tuesday’s Assembly meeting. (Photo by Ed Schoenfeld/CoastAlaska News)
“Once they knew that this was a possibility, they were excited to just expand out their property in a way that make sense for what is currently there,” she said.
Four of the lots were zoned for single-family homes. The fifth is commercial, on Haugen Drive.
Hammer and Wikan General Manager John Mason bid the minimum, $275,000, without any competition.
The grocery store earlier offered to purchase the property directly to expand its operations. But the assembly decided to auction it off.
Two properties did not sell during the auction. One was on Sandy Beach Road, the other on Ira II Street.
The borough is selling those lots over the counter.
