Encinitas taking letters of interest for Cardiff fire station

A key deadline is nearing for those who want to lease or buy the vacant Cardiff fire station at 1867 MacKinnon Ave.

Parties have until March 2 to submit a letter of interest to the city. From there, they will be invited to a walkthrough of the property and given proposal packets. Six weeks later, proposals will be due, then evaluated by city staff and eventually presented to the council for consideration.

“The city will evaluate all options for the use of the property and is receptive to all proposal letters,” said Bob McSeveney, the city’s senior management analyst, in a news release. “However, the city does reserve the right to reject any and all proposals.”

Built in the 1970s, the fire station closed when Fire Station No. 2 opened on a nearby lot about two years ago. Last August, the Encinitas City Council directed city staff to draw up documents inviting lease or purchase proposals for the vacant property.

The 0.17-acre site is zoned public/semi-public, allowing for uses such as a hospital or museum. A council-ordered appraisal of the property pegged the site’s worth at $410,000 under the current zoning.

Further information about the property and necessary information for the letter of interest can be found on the city’s website at encinitasca.gov, under the bids/rfp section. Letters of interest must be submitted by 5 p.m. March 2, either by mail to the city’s manager’s office, 505 S. Vulcan Ave., or by email to atbmcseveney@encinitasca.gov.