POULSBO — As city officials continue moving ahead with the study of the proposed 10th Avenue location, the former EDS site in Poulsbo Village remains a popular topic of conversation.

Mayor Donna Jean Bruce told members of the Herald’s editorial advisory board Sept. 1 that the EDS building was not for sale, so it was not an option.

However, a letter from Poulsbo Village Property Manager Bev Lyon to the city council states, “The owners of the building have NEVER said that site was unavailable for sale.”

In response to that statement, Public Works Director Jeff Lincoln said, contrary to the letter’s statement about presenting an outright sale option, one was never presented.

“This has been a very deliberate thing and I currently have no direction to look at another direction,” Lincoln said Thursday, noting that a lease would not be considered except under dire circumstances.

Lyon countered this statement Monday afternoon, noting that the current proposal is a “three-year lease with options to renew the lease or to negotiate potential purchase.”

Further discussions with city officials are ongoing and were set to continue Tuesday.

Residents of Poulsbo deserve value on their investment and the goal is to build something everyone can use, Lincoln said.

Laurelhurst Apartment Company in Seattle bought Poulsbo Village for $16.6 million in April and the assessed value of the EDS building is $3.8 million, according to records from the Kitsap County Assessor’s Office.

A potential purchase price was not revealed by either the city or Lyon.

One potential issue with the purchase of an existing building is the cost of renovations and the possibility of the need for repairs and upgrades to bring it up to current code requirements.

Members of the city council also received an information packet about the EDS proposal late last week.