Butler's Redevelopment Authority announced the sale of the former Wishing Well lot at the corner of South Main and West Cunningham streets to Dr. John Hiras, a downtown dentist.

Hiras bought the property, plus the former Pepper's Flowers shop for $235,000. That price includes the authority's original purchase of the flower shop, as well as its demolition to be coordinated by the authority.

Perry O'Malley, the authority's executive director, said the sale to Hiras completes the saga that began when the authority board bought the former Wishing Well card shop that stood at the corner in 2004 for $82,500.

The authority then found out that the building, which originally housed the Comique, one of the city's early movie theaters dating from the early 1900s, was structurally unsound with a spring actually flowing through one corner of the basement.

In the end, the authority spent an additional $54,000 for the building's demolition and $8,000 to repair what had been an adjoining wall of Fudoli Music store.

By the end of 2006, the site, which was to have housed a renovated office building, was a vacant lot.

In 2007, the city's ShadeTree Commission proposed building a city park on the lot that would beautify what is considered the city's busiest intersection while the authority pushed forward with a new plan — the Centre City project.

While the park idea fell by the wayside, O'Malley and the authority, along with Butler City Council, the Butler County Redevelopment and Housing authorities and the Downtown Revitalization Committee, began developing plans for a hotel, miniconvention center, retail shopping and downtown condominium project.

This development is focused on the land encircled by South Main Street, East Cunningham Street, South McKean Street and East Jefferson Street.

But meanwhile, what to do with that vacant lot?

Enter Dr. Hiras and his office, Butler Dental Associates, who bought the former D&K store, 121 S. Main St., and established his practice.

After he and other building owners, from the corner of South Main and East Jefferson streets to East Birch Street, were approached by Rite Aid about buying their properties for a new store and parking lot, Hiras turned to the authority about the Wishing Well property.

Hiras is planning to build an office building that will house his practice and a laboratory.

The rest of the building will be leased office space with the authority considering moving its offices from Woody Drive in the Pullman Business Park to the new building.

"This shows that the Centre City project is moving, developing," O'Malley said Tuesday.

In a news release, Butler Mayor Maggie Stock said she is thrilled with the project's progress.

"I am both pleased and excited at the continuing progress the city's Redevelopment Authority is making and the positive impact this project will have to our Main Street revitalization plans," Stock said.

Hiras said he plans to have the new building completed and open by late fall 2009.