BLOOMINGTON - A wrecking ball could be moving closer to the dilapidated Coachman Motel after the Bloomington City Council considers proposals from three local companies to bring down the building.

The council will review and vote on the bids submitted for the demolition project. The City Council will meet at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday (today) at City Hall, 109 E. Olive St.

In addition to the Coachman, the council will consider a zoning and a pre-annexation petition for the proposed site of a middle school for the Normal-based Unit 5 school district.

The downtown motel at 408 E. Washington St. has been a long-standing sore spot for the City Council. The bid recommended by the city's staff is $187,000, submitted by Kirk C&D Recycling of Bloomington.

City Manager Tom Hamilton said the bids came in a little higher than expected. "But it's not too bad and it doesn't matter because we're getting our money back," Hamilton said.

The city will file a lien on the property so the city will be paid first when the building is sold.

In his memo to the City Council, Planning and Code Enforcement Director Mark Huber said the bids include asbestos removal, demolition of the building and filling the basement area with dirt.

When it was constructed in the 1960s, the building was considered one of the better hotels in the Twin Cities and it hosted several celebrities.

Over the years, it deteriorated. Andrew Colburn purchased the motel with the intention on renovating it, but instead he received a number of code violation tickets from the city.

In 2006, the City Council first considered purchasing the motel, demolishing it and giving the land to a local developer. The council instead voted to file a lawsuit in McLean County Circuit Court asking a judge to allow them to demolish the building.

Since then, ownership of the Coachman reverted to its previous owner, Wei Ye, who is cooperating with the city on the demolition lawsuit. Local developer Ward Waller has a contract with Ye to purchase the Coachman.

Also being considered by the council is the petition for 40 acres southeast of Bloomington along U.S. 150 for a proposed school site.

At its meeting earlier this month, the Bloomington Planning Commission approved rezoning the land and setting terms for annexing the land into the city.

Unit 5 intends to fund the construction of the school with a portion of the $96.7 million referendum going to voters on Feb. 5.

The district plans to trade roughly 25 acres it owns at Ireland Grove and Hershey Road for the 40 acres south of U.S. 150 and west of McLean County Highway 30, now owned by James A. Shirk and Peggy Jo Schlucter of Bloomington. A proposal to rezone that land also will be considered by the council at the same time.

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GO!

What: Bloomington City Council meets to consider demolition bids for the Coachman Motel and to rezone land proposed as the site for a Unit 5 middle school.

When: 7:30 p.m. Wednesday

Where: Bloomington City Hall, 109 E. Olive St.