The Town of Tryon has found an interested buyer for the vacant building on South Trade Street gifted to the town last year. 

Tryon Town Council met Tuesday, June 21 and approved a resolution to accept an offer of $95,000 from Darren D. Lynch out of Asheboro. The property is located at 289 S. Trade St., Tryon.

Because the property is owned by the town, there will be a period of time when the town will have to advertise for upset bids. If the town does not receive any upset bids, the property can be sold to Lynch.

Tryon Community Development Director Paula Kempton told council Jeff Byrd with WWE Realty has been working diligently to sell the property. Byrd said there have been 15-18 showings of the property, so there’s been a lot of activity. Byrd said the offer is in writing with no contingencies and the prospective buyer is willing to close on the purchase July 15.

According to Polk County tax records, the parcel is a total of 0.61 acres and is county appraised at a total value of $274,641. The land value is $80,062 and the building value is $194,579, according to Polk County GIS.

Tryon accepted the building and property as a gift in May 2015 after then owner Sonny Mevers offered to donate it to the town.

The last use of the building was when Tryon Riding and Hunt Club owned the building to house its office a few years ago.

Mevers’ gift to the town came with no restrictions, so the town was free to sell the property. There was some discussion last year regarding the town purchasing the building across Trade Street from this building where the town’s ABC store is located. Then mayor Jim Wright asked people last year what they thought of the town moving the ABC into the donated building once the ABC store lease expired. The building at 289 S. Trade St. has four units. Wright said last year Tryon received estimates of approximately $80,000 for needed repairs to the 289 S. Trade St. building, including parking lot repairs. No other discussions have been had since last year regarding moving the ABC store to the other building, nor the town purchasing the complex where the ABC store is located.

If the 289 S. Trade St. building is sold for $95,000, the town estimates that $85,000 will go towards the town’s current street and sidewalk projects.

Commissioner Crys Armbrust reminded council on Tuesday that the town decided to designate the proceeds from the sale of the building to streets and sidewalks.

Tryon Mayor Alan Peoples said the building was given to the town and after expenditures Tryon will likely have $85,000 left to go towards streets and sidewalks.

Commissioner Bill Crowell said the property will also go back on the town’s tax roll.