READING, Pa. \u2014 A big conversation is happening tonight at City Hall, and it is centered around one building in downtown Reading.<\/p>\n
The property at 600 Penn Street, the former Wells Fargo building, is now the focus of a proposal by Berks County to purchase it and turn it into a county government center.<\/p>\n
\u201cLast week, Kevin Barnhart, the county COO, called me to update me that the county was indeed interested in this, that the majority of offices will be moved here,\u201d said Reading City Council President Donna Reed. \u201cThey plan to acquire it, not lease it.\u201d<\/p>\n
County leaders say the move would help avoid costly renovations, including more than $100 million in upgrades needed at the courthouse.<\/p>\n
But from the city\u2019s perspective, there are concerns.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis was a prime building\u2026 could it be a banking hub, could it be a commercial hub,\u201d Reed said. \u201cOnce it becomes a government building, it comes off the tax rolls.\u201d<\/p>\n
City Council President Donna Reed says the city cannot stop the sale, but leaders want answers.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe plan to ask a lot of questions\u2026 to make sure it is as transparent as possible,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Here is what the proposal would look like: county offices would move out of the current courthouse and services center and into 600 Penn Street. The existing services center would then become a dedicated space for the courts, judges and related services.<\/p>\n
That shift raises another key question: what happens to the historic Berks County Courthouse?<\/p>\n
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