Knoxville city officials believe it’s in the city’s best interests to acquire the now-unused Veterans Administration property from the federal government.

A statement from the city on Friday says the General Services Administration now controls the site, and set a 30-day time limit for government entities to negotiate for the property before putting it up for public sale; that deadline comes up on November 10th.

Complicating the issue is the condition of the unused buildings on the campus; tearing them down would entail a significant cost, but trying to rehabilitate them is potentially even more costly due to the presence of asbestos and lead-based paint.

City Manager Aaron Adams says they have concluded no financial assistance will be available for demolition of the buildings, so grants and other outside funding must be pursued.

He believes this is less risky than allowing the land to be put up for public sale; the expense involved would deter most responsible developers, but the land would be more attractive if the buildings are removed.

So Adams says the city will move forward with negotiating for the property with the GSA; he says Knoxville is working with other interested parties to develop a plan for the property, and the public will receive further information in the days and weeks to come.