Realtor: Help Was Offered on Civic Center Sale

A Grove Realtor specializing in commercial real estate sales offered to assist in the sale of the current Civic Center more than a year ago at no fee, sources told The Observer this week.
Jack Forrest, owner/broker of Forrest Realty, sent a letter to the Grove Municipal Services Agency board (GIDA) on May 10, 2004, offering the assistance stating that he would "not seek nor accept any remuneration, immediate or deferred, for any transaction involving property owned by the City of Grove or the GIDA" and specifically mentioned the present Civic Center and any land obtained by GIDA or Grove from GRDA.
Forrest said he strongly advocates the sale of the present Civic Center and construction of a new Civic-Convention Center in the downtown area of Grove and "remains convinced that the City of Grove should request that GRDA declare their property adjoining downtown Grove to be surplus property and transfer same to the City."
"A portion of this land could be leased by the City of Grove to a marina developer and subsequently to a hotel developer, with retention of sufficient acreage for a new City Park with full utilization of Grove Springs," he said in the letter.
Forrest said the Wolf Creek Project, as it is called, would be a boon to the economy and an excellent "front door" to the city on new Highway 59 as people arrive at downtown.
Sale of the present Civic Center, or repairs of the roof leaks at a cost of $500,000, or sale of portions of the building, are up in the air at the present time. The GIDA board voted last summer not to sell the building for one year.
An effort was made to sell the building by running newspaper ads in the Grove Sun and Tulsa World and an offer to purchase was made but was insufficient according to some council members. The offer to purchase was four times what was originally paid by the city for the former WalMart.