Sonoma County to put Chanate Campus up for private sale

The Sonoma County Board of Supervisors today voted to remarket the surplus 71-acre county-owned Chanate Campus for sale in an online auction beginning Sept. 7 and ending Nov. 9.

The property, centered around the former Community Hospital site, was declared surplus in 2015. Previous attempts to sell the Santa Rosa property were unsuccessful.

Selling the property has long been a goal of the Board of Supervisors. Board Vice Chair Chris Coursey, whose district includes the Chanate Campus, has worked to keep neighbors informed about ongoing activities at the site, including vegetation management and seismic analysis.

“The county’s plan is to return this asset to productive use and to place the property on the tax rolls.” Coursey said. “We can’t direct what will happen here after the sale, but my hope is for responsible development that responds to the greatest needs of our community, including affordable housing that will continue the Chanate property’s role as an asset to the community.”

Results of recent seismic analysis, constraint maps and an updated appraisal for the property will be released Sept. 7 when the property is officially placed on the market. The Board voted to utilize the online sale platform Ten-X to host the auction. Acceptance of sealed bids will run through Nov. 9 at 9 a.m., at which time the county will open the bids at a public meeting.

The Board is re-engaging with CBRE Inc. and North Bay Property Advisors to put the property up for private sale. The terms of the sale of the property will be described as all-cash, as-is, without contingencies or entitlements, with all structures and property conveyed at closing. All costs associated with demolition of buildings will be paid by the buyer. All interested parties should conduct their due diligence investigations prior to submission of their sealed bids. The purchase agreement shall not include inspections contingencies. The sale is subject to a leaseback agreement with the county for the Public Health Lab and Morgue and Coroner’s Office for four years with two six-month options to extend.

Parcel J, located at the southwest corner of the Chanate property at the end of Beverly Way, is not included in the sale. The County is working to ensure this parcel is preserved as open space.