Albion State Normal School Campus SOLD at AUCTION

07/07/2007

Going, going...here to stayBy Chip Thompson/South Idaho PressMonday, June 4, 2007 12:10 PM CDTKeith Amende, right, president of the Albion State Normal School Alumni Association, greets Troy Mortensen, one of a group of four that purchased the campus property at auction Saturday for $891,000. Photo by Chip Thompson/South Idaho PressALBION — It was an emotional day in this small mountain town as the city’s premier historic landmark went on the auction block.What took more than 30 years to build and stood proudly for more than 100 years at the entrance to Albion was sold in a matter of hours Saturday as the campus of the former Albion State Normal School was auctioned off for $891,000.The buyers, Troy, Kent and Jared Mortensen and Jared Affleck, hail from Boise, Meridian and Pocatello and countered bids from a telephone bidder starting at $500,000 until they reached the magic number of $891,000 and the telephone bidder dropped out. The quartet never hesitated to up the ante.Troy Mortensen and Jared Affleck are part of Boise-based System Tech, Inc., which installs and maintains structured cabling systems throughout the northwest. Kent Mortensen runs a building restoration company.A crowd of about 100 gathered for the auction, conducted by Tranzon Northwest on behalf of the city of Albion. Some were buyers, but most were just anxious to see what would become of the historic campus, which was closed some 50 years ago and was owned by the city.Among the curious onlookers were alumni of the former teachers college, and a cheer rose from the crowd when auctioneer Randy Wells announced that the Mortensens and Affleck planned to restore the former campus buildings rather than demolish them.*“The good news is, they want to keep it just the way it is,” Wells told the crowd.Bidding started slowly at 1:27 p.m. with the opening bid of $100,000 climbing to $360,000 in just 5 minutes but halting there. At 2 p.m., bidding opened again and went to $445,000 in 10 minutes then stopped.After more negotiations, bidding started again at 3 p.m. and a drawn-out battle drove the price to $891,000.Following the auction, the final bid needed to be approved by the city council. Mayor Don Bowden said later Saturday the council voted unanimously to accept the bid, which will be a total of $891,000 when the service fee for the auctioneers and listing is added.Had the council rejected the bid, the city would have been free to negotiate with other interested buyers. Under state law, city property must first be offered at auction before the city can deal with independent buyers. After the disappointing opening bids, Bowden and Council President Linda Anderson said negotiating with those who had previously shown interest in the property was one option for the city.Troy Mortensen said possibilities for the property include a christian college and an RV park, but that the group of investors hopes to restore the historic buildings. Other possibilities mentioned are a bed and breakfast in one building and a center for veterans.The Normal School was built at the end of the 19th century and during its 57 years of operation produced nearly 6,500 teachers, including Terrell Bell, who served as Secretary of Education during the Reagan Administration. It was closed in 1951 and reopened briefly in the late 1950s as Magic Valley Christian College before being deeded to the city, which has maintained the grounds since.Wells said he was not disappointed by the results of the auction, despite the fact his company stood to make nothing if the city rejected the bid. The auction was nationally advertised and he said he received interest from as far away as Europe.Prior to and between bidding, the crowd was entertained by western singer Ernie Sites, of Wendell. In addition to yodeling and cowboy songs, Sites swung a lasso with a 60 foot rope, drawing a big cheer from the crowd.Prior to the property auction, Wells auctioned a quilt created by St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, Tenn. as a fundraiser for the hospital. Bob Jones, of Robert Jones Realty in Twin Falls, won the quilt with a bid of $375. The National Auctioneers Association regularly auctions neck ties, scarfs and quilts to benefit the hospital, Wells said, and has raised more than $4 million through the effort.

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