The disposition of the Bellefontaine Armory, 1021 S. Main St., will likely be decided by the Bellefontaine City Council at its regular meeting scheduled for Tuesday, May 26, at 7:30 p.m.

At that meeting, the council will conduct the third reading and final vote on an ordinance that would sell Armory to Wawa Midwest, LLC for the sum of $550,000.

The Bellefontaine Armory straddles two parcels, which total 1.32 acres in size. Dedicated in 1950, the Armory housed National Guard units for half-a-century, while also serving as the long time site of the annual Home Show as well as many other events.

But the building has fallen into disrepair over the past two decades and has been rarely if ever used by the city for anything other than storage.

The Armory was originally owned by the State of Ohio, but turned it over to the Logan County Commission in 2009, which in turn passed it along to the City of Bellefontaine in 2017.

Both transfers took place without money changing hands.

According to the Logan County Auditor’s website, the two parcels are 0.580 acres and 0.740 acres in size, respectively, with the State of Ohio appraising the total value of the two sections at $595,630.

Kyle Springs, the Bellefontaine City Council’s Finance Committee chairperson, said the property was never listed for sale by the city. Without prompting, Wawa Midwest approached the city and made an offer on the property.

Springs said that Wawa researched the Bellefontaine market and found the 1021 S. Main St. address to be the best choice of three possible locations for a new gas station/convenience store in the city.

Delaware-based Wawa has a large presence on the East Coast, but it has recently been elbowing its way into the Midwest market, opening stores throughout the Cincinnati area, while also expanding into Lima and Marion.

Springs stressed that should the sale go through, Wawa Midwest would inherit any problems that come with the building, which may include asbestos or heavy metal removal, drainage problems and the like.

Council Members Wes Easton and Mick Lile both voted “no” on the first reading of the ordinance, noting that the building and parcels ought to be properly appraised prior to sale. But on the second reading, only Easton voted “no” as Lile explained that his constituents did not object for the sale of the Armory as much as they did the prospect of another gas station at the intersection of south Main Street and Lake Avenue.

A simple majority vote by the council Tuesday will decide the fate of the sale.

The proposed sale of the Armory is the only ordinance up for a third reading at Tuesday’s meeting.

Three resolutions will have single up or down votes at Tuesday’s meeting. Two involve allowing the city administration to apply for and receive grants for improvements to the Bellefontaine Regional Airport, while the third will allow the city to place a vintage phone booth at 144 S. Main St.

Also scheduled is the first reading of an ordinance that will allow the city to purchase the property at 112. N. Elm St., owned by Jeffery Trout for $70,000, and the second reading of an ordinance that will allow supplemental appropriation software equipment at Myeerah.