By: Beverly Corbell//August 7, 2015//
Beverly Corbell//August 7, 2015//

The final documents have yet to be signed on the dotted line, but United Way of the Columbia-Willamette may have found a buyer for part of its property at 619 S.W. 11th Avenue.
Marcie Willms, United Way’s director of marketing and communications, said the agency is in talks with a buyer. However, Willms said she couldn’t comment on the pending sale because it hasn’t been finalized.
鈥淓arlier this spring we started receiving unsolicited offers for the space, something United Way has considered over the years,鈥 she said.
The United Way office is actually two buildings joined by a common fa莽ade, she said. One building was built in 1928; 聽the other was built in 1979. The combined buildings have the same address.
Although Willms 聽doesn’t know the prospective buyer’s plans for the property, she did say that if the older building is demolished, United Way would move all of its offices into the newer building.
The nonprofit agency also in negotiations with a different buyer for a 10,000-square-foot parking lot it owns at Southwest 13th Avenue and Southwest Washington Street, she added.
The sale of the properties in no way reflects United Way’s financial status, Willms said.
鈥淲e are in great standing right now,鈥 she said.
United Way currently occupies the entire third floor of the two joined buildings. About 10 other tenants fill up the bottom two floors and the basement, Willms said.
鈥淥ur plan, should the sale go through, is to occupy multiple floors,鈥 she said.
Several years ago, United Way of the Columbia-Willamette formed a subcommittee to explore the possibility of selling its property.
鈥淭he time wasn’t right, but when we began to get offers this spring, it caused the subcommittee to reconvene,鈥 she said.
Melvin Mark Brokerage is handling the sale.
鈥淏oth parties have said 鈥榥o comment’ while the final sale is being negotiated,鈥 Peter Andrews, a Melvin Mark broker, said.
Last month, an application for a pre-application conference for the Southwest 11th Avenue site was submitted to the city by Mortenson Development Inc. The application, submitted by Nate Gundrum of Mortenson on July 31, calls for the demolition of a one-quarter block building to be replaced with a new 221-room, 15-story hotel.
Gundrum did not return phone alls regarding the application.