New auction set for Cambria’s old library sites

On the afternoon of Tuesday, Jan. 26, county officials will try again to auction off two downtown Cambria properties, according to Supervisor Bruce Gibson.

The county-owned properties are the former Cambria library building on a 9,888-square-foot parcel at 900 Main Street and two lots at 790 and 800 Cornwall Street, which were to be a possible site for a new library. Both parcels are zoned commercial retail.

Gibson said in an email interview Tuesday that the minimum bid on the former library is $497,000. The sale would include 0.58 water EDUs (equivalent dwelling units, a measure of water entitlement). The 2,331-square-foot building has skylights, private office/storage room and a standard commercial restroom. There are eight parking spaces in the lot in front of the building.

Minimum bid on the Cornwall lots is $157,500, including a services district intent-to-serve letter for 1.29 EDUs of water.

After years of fundraising and collaboration between the Friends of the Cambria Library, county officials and community members, in December 2013, Cambria’s library moved to its new $2.8 million building at 1043 Main St.

According to an agreement between the county and the Friends group, the old building and the lots must be sold to help offset the nonprofit’s 50 percent share of the cost of the new building. If the properties don’t sell, the Friends group will have to raise additional funds to complete its obligation.

For details on the auction and the property, email Shauna Dragomir at sdragomir@co.slo.ca.us or call her 781-5206.

This story was originally published January 20, 2016 at 11:07 AM with the headline "New auction set for Cambria’s old library sites."