SLIPPERY ROCK — Before borough council voted to reject the only bid for its vacant lot, discussion over the potential of the space lengthened its meeting Tuesday night.

Council rejected a bid from Slippery Rock Development, which offered more than $208,300 for the corner lot at the intersection of New Castle and Main streets.

The property previously housed the First National Bank building. The 0.3-acre lot has been used during community events, such as VillageFest, since the borough decided to sell it last year.

Nearly 20 residents of the borough showed up to express their desire to keep the vacant lot a green space, urging council to accept Slippery Rock Development’s bid.

Before the vote was called, council members discussed their opinions on the future of the vacant lot.

Councilman Ron Steele was in favor of Slippery Rock Development’s initiative, saying he donated to the cause.

“This town has a magic, a draw,” he said. “To put something on that corner that might fail is a risk. The green space draws attention. If (a business) were going to purchase it, they would have.”

Steele and Mayor Jondavid Longo expressed different opinions on the lot’s future. Longo previously said he wanted the lot to be developed into a business space.

“I know there are different opinions,” Steele said. “I hope we can move forward on this.”

Royce Lorentz said he tended to be business-oriented in his decision making.

“I’m trying to decide if a welcoming corner is worth the cost of a business three, four, five stories high,” he said. “Whichever way I vote today, I want you to know I heard every voice here today.”

Denton Zeronas, vice president of council, said keeping the lot how it is didn’t seem economically feasible.

“To me this isn’t a decision about green space or development, to me this (lot) placed the borough in a position of debt,” he said. “Green space doesn’t seem like a financially stable decision.”

Jeff Campbell told a story about how the gazebo next to the green space is used by many in the borough, and spaces like it are utilized in communities such as Clarion.

“I support Slippery Rock Development, I think this is a beautiful community with a heart of its own,” he said.

During a roll call vote, Zeronas, Lorentz, John Hicks and Lauren Christmann voted to reject the bid from Slippery Rock Development. Campbell, Steele, and Alexandra Tuten voted to accept it.

With the bid rejected, council discussed restarting the selling process.

Solicitor Rebecca Black said the property needed to be resurveyed before council could decide its future.

“A few days before bids were due, it was discovered that the borough’s gazebo is on part of the parcel,” she said. “They have to modify the lot lines so that portion of property is taken off.”

Once this is completed, Black told council it may not be beneficial to immediately put the property on the market again.

“Maybe give it a couple of months and open it for bids again,” she said. “You all will have to decide if you want to move forward or hold off.”

Longo said inflation and economic struggles could be the reason a business hadn’t expressed interest in the property. Tuten said council’s decision Tuesday only delayed the situation at hand.

“I think we voted to be the custodians of that green space and debt for the foreseeable future,” she said.

The vacant lot is zoned as a central business district and Main Street corridor overlay.