THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT 
              Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: Friday, May 5, 1995                    TAG: 9505050579
SECTION: LOCAL                    PAGE: B4   EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA 
SOURCE: BY PERRY PARKS, STAFF WRITER 
DATELINE: ELIZABETH CITY                     LENGTH: Short :   48 lines

ELIZABETH CITY TO BUY BANK BUILDING TOWN WILL PAY $450,000 FOR BB&T OFFICES.

In an effort to create some elbow room for city workers, Elizabeth City announced Thursday it will buy the BB&T building on Colonial Avenue for $450,000.

The building is being vacated by the bank, which plans to build a main office at 500 Ehringhaus St. next year.

``We felt that it suits our needs,'' City Manager Ralph Clark said of the new city building, just down the street from the structure that houses most city administrative operations.

``It's convenient. It will allow us to redesign parking,'' Clark said.

The city tentatively plans to move the city administration and customer service center into the old bank building when it takes over late next year, Clark said.

The current City Hall, the A. Parker Midgett Memorial Building, would be used as public safety headquarters for fire and police administration.

Clark said the city plans to renovate the 9,000-square-foot BB&T building, but he could not estimate the cost of the work.

One of the biggest advantages of the new property will be the ability to expand parking.

``That's a pretty serious problem we have,'' Clark said. ``If you come to visit our building, there's very little parking.''

The City Council has spent a lot of time behind closed doors this year discussing property problems.

On Monday night, a three-member search committee announced it would use city land for a new fire station. The Elizabeth Street station was ruled structurally unsound late last year.

``We've really had to wrestle with how to deal with the fire station,'' Clark said. ``We want it geographically in the right location.''

The new station is expected to be constructed on property at Knobbs Creek Drive and U.S. 17.

The council took a consensus vote in closed session Monday night authorizing Councilman David P. Bosomworth, chairman of the search committee, to finish negotiations for the BB&T building, Clark said.

The agreement will not be final until the bank receives regulatory clearance to move its offices, officials said. by CNB