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The proposal to renovate the former JCPenney building in Willmar into a city hall and community center has led to a lot of community discussion regarding the Willmar Ten Investors, the Uptown Willmar mall and its parking lot, as well as the JCPenney building itself. Some of the information that is circulating is simply incorrect.
Since February of 1980, Willmar Ten Investors have been purchasing blighted properties in the city and redeveloping them into tax-generating properties.
The pause is to allow Willmar Ten Investors additional time to solidify numbers on what the renovation of the former JCPenney building would cost.
The Willmar City Council unanimously made the decision Monday to give Willmar Ten additional time to present more solid numbers of the cost to renovate the former JCPenney location in the Uptown Willmar mall to become the new community center and city hall.
The Council will make a decision between an estimated $14 to $16 million remodel or building new at a cost of $31 to $35 million building at its Monday, March 20, meeting.