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Osage County

Posted: Aug 16, 2017 5:53 PMUpdated: Aug 17, 2017 1:43 PM

Kennedy Building Sold in Auction

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Bill Lynch

Going, going, gone, the iconic Kennedy Building in downtown Pawhuska was officially sold Wednesday afternoon in a live auction hosted by Chupps Auction Company. The building was built in 1927 as Citizen National Bank and renovated in 2008 to become home to the Osage County Department of Human Services, however has sat vacant for the past two years.  

 

The auction itself began slow, with a starting bid of $50,000 and at that price the building would have been a steal as it had appraised for as much as $200,000 in the past. However, the county is required to sell the building for at least 80 percent of its appraised value and had most recently been appraised closer to $100,000. The price climbed quickly as the auction continued however, in the end the bidding was between Pawhuska's Ladd Drummond and a anonymous phone bidder which took the total to its sale price of $232,000, with the winner being the anonymous bidder by phone.

 

It was not until 4pm, when the Osage County Commissioners met to approve and accept the sale of the building, that it was released that Jay A. Mitchell II was the final bidder. Mitchell currently owns several building in Pawhuska and the surrounding area, and the community is hopeful that he will preserve the historic value of the Kennedy Building and create a business which will bolster Pawhuska's economic growth. Concerns were raised during the Commissioner's meeting by community members regarding the use of the building. However, once the the sale was approved the county was no longer responsible for the use of the building by a private citizen, it will be up to the City of Pawhuska to pursue action if the building goes into dereliction.

 

Mitchell is scheduled to close on the purchase on September 15. The County will received a total of $214,425 after the commission to Chupps Auction Company and the cost of closing are subtracted.


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