Local News
Sealed bids sought for Harder Hall
Jay Meisel | Highlands Today
Published: December 19, 2012
SEBRING - Because a second bidder came forward for the historic Harder Hall, the city of Sebring will accept sealed bids on Feb. 1, the City Commission was told Tuesday.Published: December 19, 2012
City Administrator Scott Noethlich said the bid will be open to everyone.
He said the sealed bid process is necessary to make it fair to everyone so all bids are received at the same time rather than one bid being submitted first, allowing other potential bidders to alter their planned bids based on that of their competitor.
After publicity regarding the city's discussion of a price of $3.4 million with MVP Properties of Davie, Mitchell C. Pasin of Delray Beach offered $3.6 million, with $2 million down.
Pasin, who submitted his proposal on Dec. 16, wrote that his development and financial partner is Marc Kovens, who has developed condominiums and shopping centers. A conference center at Florida International University's Bay Vista Miami campus is named after Kovens, Pasin wrote.
In the MVP proposal, Arthur Marrero, president of the firm, initially wanted to be able to build eight stories and 40 units per acre on the property. He noted that the city only allows four stories and 12 units per acre, and suggested a compromise of 24 units per acre and six stories.
He also asked that the city provide a mortgage with 5 percent interest on any amount over $2 million.
Pasin asked for the same mortgage on the $1.6 million beyond the downpayment of $2 million. He also wants commercial zoning for the existing building and mixed commercial and residential zoning for the remaining 12.6 acres and a maximum of 20 units per acre with a height restriction of five stories.
The hotel was developed in the 1920s by Lewis F. Harder and Vincent F. Hall, both of West Palm Beach, according to Wikipedia.
During its heyday, the hotel hosted such guests as Paul Newman, Steve McQueen and Mario Andretti, Wikipedia states.
But after 1982 the hotel's fortunes plummeted, with a group of investors going bankrupt while trying to convert the hotel into timeshares, Wikipedia said.
Several attempts since then to revive the hotel have failed.