City Buys Properties Along Currahee Street

The city of Toccoa will buy two pieces of property along Currahee Street.

On Monday, the Toccoa City Commission unanimously approved the real estate sales and purchase agreement for the properties located at 380 West Currahee Street and 488 West Currahee Street.

According to Toccoa City Manager Billy Morse, Synovus Bank approached the city about selling it both of these properties that the bank currently owns and is trying to sell.

“Both properties have vacant buildings located on them,” said Morse. “The Stephens County Tax Commissioner’s Office lists the properties at a combined value of over $91,000. The city can acquire the properties for a combined sale price of $30,000.”

Toccoa City Commissioner Terry Carter noted that both of these properties are within the Currahee Beautification Corridor.

He said that purchasing and cleaning up these properties fits right in with the city’s goals to clean up Currahee Street entering Toccoa.

“To be able to have control of the building that once was Straight Shooters and also to clean up the other lot there that is on the corner, there is a billboard there that is in front of the old plant that used to be Wright’s, it goes right along with our effort to work on that street and that corner,” said Carter. “I think it is an opportunity for the city and the DDA to take that building and revamp it to create a good purpose economically.”

In other action from Monday’s Toccoa City Commission meeting, city commissioners approved an amended and re-stated gas supply contract with the Municipal Gas Authority of Georgia.

Morse said the gas supply contract was amended because of a dispute involving one MGAG member and will clarify a number of legal issues for the members’ protection and also extend the term of the agreement for 10 years.

Commissioners approved that amended contract unanimously.