Fresno Council Approves $581,155 to Acquire, Demolish Downtown Properties on F Street and China Alley

On December 12, 2024, the Fresno City Council approved $581,155.73 in taxpayer money to acquire downtown properties and demolish the structures on them. The vote, on consent calendar, authorized the purchase of 930-934 F Street and 931-937 China Alley for $51,055.73, demolition work costing up to $490,000, and hazardous-material removal costing up to $40,100.

The council declared an urgent necessity for preservation of life, health, and property, and waived competitive bidding. David Knott Incorporated received the demolition contract. JSA Environmental Consulting received the hazardous-materials contract. The properties are identified as Assessor’s Parcel Number 467-071-15 in Council District 3.

The staff report, signed by Planning and Development Director Jennifer Clark and Assistant Director Phil Skei, recommended the acquisition and demolition. The council adopted an in-fill exemption under the California Environmental Quality Act.

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The Breakdown

• The city is spending $51,055.73 of taxpayer money to buy the properties from Central California Land Trust.
• Demolition costs up to $490,000 of taxpayer money under a contract with David Knott Incorporated.
• Hazardous-material removal costs up to $40,100 of taxpayer money under a contract with JSA Environmental Consulting.
• The council waived competitive bidding by declaring an urgent necessity, a procedure requiring five affirmative votes.
• The properties are on F Street and China Alley.

What This Means for You

The Fresno City Council decided to spend more than half a million taxpayer dollars on this acquisition and demolition without the usual competitive-bidding process that helps ensure the public gets the best price. The “urgent necessity” declaration the council used to bypass that process is a decision voters can judge when weighing whether the council is spending their money responsibly and following procedures designed to protect the public interest.

What to Watch

The staff report does not state what the city intends to do with the properties after demolition, what public benefit the $581,155 expenditure produces, or why demolition that costs nearly ten times the purchase price itself qualifies as an “urgent necessity” rather than a planned project subject to competitive bidding. The material identifies who is being paid — David Knott Incorporated for demolition, JSA Environmental Consulting for hazardous-material removal, and Central California Land Trust as the seller — but gives no detail on what made these properties a priority for public acquisition or what the urgency was. A city staff report, contract bid record, or timeline of the decision would show what problem the city was solving and whether the no-bid process saved time or cost the public a better deal. Why does demolition cost $490,000 when the land itself cost $51,055?