The state is going back to square one after no one bought the Schenectady Armory at auction Thursday.
The state Office of General Services, which owns the Washington Avenue armory, sought a minimum bid of $395,000 for the 65,000-square-foot structure. The price averages out to $5 per square foot.
Thomas Pohl, assistant attorney with the OGS, who oversaw the scheduled auction at the state Department of Transportation office on Wolf Road, cancelled it because there were no registered bidders.
Pohl said he will consult with the commissioner of the OGS about options for the property, hoping to receive some guidance over the next couple of months.
“It will remain vacant for the foreseeable future,” he said. “We will try to protect the property as best we can” until it can be disposed of, he added.
Options include reauctioning it or conveying it to Schenectady County.
Ray Gillen, Schenectady County commissioner for economic development and planning, said he had no comment on the county’s interest.
At one time, Schenectady County Community College looked at the property, which sits across the street from the main campus, but the college declined to purchase the armory because it would require a significant investment to bring it up to code.
The Schenectady Museum also checked out the property before deciding to remain in its current facility on Nott Terrace Heights.
The state Division of Military and Naval Affairs decommissioned the armory several years ago after three military units that called it home relocated to other facilities.
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