Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
The damaged back facade of Levine's would need renovation, whether it becomes a new business or a pocket park. MainStreet officials suggested both possibilities Thursday night at the Clovis City Commission meeting.
CLOVIS - Clovis MainStreet has big ideas for a 90-year-old property, Levine's Prices Talk.
Lisa Pellegrino-Spear, executive director of MainStreet, presented the history behind the building at Thursday's Clovis city commission meeting. Levine's was erected in 1927 as a department store.
Pellegrino-Spear said, over the years, the 6,500 square-foot property fell into disrepair from poor upkeep of the previous owners.
They opted to donate Levine's to the city in 2003, said Claire Burroughes from the city manager's office, to alleviate taxes owed to the state.
"The city of Clovis chose to accept the donation," Burroughes said, "but were not obligated."
To avoid future risks, Pellegrino-Spear said, building remediation began last year and has left an open area.
She presented two possible options to the Clovis city commission Thursday night:
• Pellegrino-Spear says she has hope that an investor would step up and purchase the property, create a new business and job opportunities to add to the downtown area.
• The second option is to keep the open format of the building and turn it into a pocket park open to the public for events, picnics and gatherings for Main Street shoppers and downtown employees. She estimated development costs at $56,000, but said community partners could also play a role.
The space has a lot of potential and opportunity, Pellegrino-Spear says. Additional ideas for the park space include seating, open-spaced shade, and possibly solar-powered charging stations.
Having a creative area like this, Pellegrino-Spear adds, would give downtown employees a place "to enjoy their lunch breaks or even bring their laptops and work outdoors."
One pocket park benefit, Mayor David Lansford said, is the area could still be redeveloped into a business if the opportunity arises.
"We don't want to have a blank space," says Pellegrino-Spear, "it's a smile missing a tooth."
Clovis resident Len Vohs said the building has served various purposes.
"As a kid growing up I recall," Vohs said, "my dad owned the place two over from Levine's." It used to be a discount clothing store, Vohs said, then Alexander's Furniture and at some point a pool hall.
Before plans for Levine's can develop, there is concern regarding liability and potential vandalism.
"I'm surprised we haven't had any (graffiti) as of right now," says Mayor Pro Tem Juan Garza, while wondering how to ward off any further damage.
Commissioner Sandra Taylor-Sawyer expressed concerns that the building could fall into disrepair again, and asked how that could be addressed with a buyer.
It would be reasonable to add a few stipulations for a potential buyer on property upkeep, City Attorney David Richards said. He countered that too many contractual obligations could make the property a hard sell.
