The Port of Bandon is looking for revenue and is zeroing in on an underutilized building on the city’s waterfront.

The port is negotiating with Pacific Seafood Group over the future of the big blue building. Pacific Seafood owns the building, but leases the property it sits on from the port. That lease doesn’t expire until 2076.

The port wants to make more money off the land, which brings in about $5,000 a year. Earlier this year the port pursued legal options to terminate the lease, but has agreed to hold off on that to try to settle negotiations by Sept. 1.

The property was formerly used as a fish-processing plant, employing dozens of area residents.

 Some of those employees continue to work for Pacific Seafood at its operation in Charleston. For about the past 10 years, however, the big blue building has mainly been used to operate a small retail seafood market.

“The Port of Bandon maintains that Pacific Seafood has defaulted on its lease for failure to use the property for seafood processing, and that the lease is now terminated,” Commissioner Robin Miller said in a press release. “Pacific Seafood believes it has fulfilled its covenants under the lease. Litigation remains in the cards.”

The port is having the lease appraised by Coos Bay appraiser Jeff Marineau.

Pacific Seafood’s representative John Dulcich has said he believes “our use of the property is consistent with what’s required in the lease. And we’re never going to close the door on the opportunity for expanding the uses in the future.”

He added that he believes the port and seafood company could eventually come to some sort of mutually beneficial agreement.

“I’m appreciative of the fact that the port is willing to continue this dialogue,” he said. “I think Pacific Seafood is a great partner for the port to work with here, and vice versa.”

Steve McCasland writes for the Bandon Western World. He can be reached by calling 347-2423, ext. 29; or by e-mail to smccasland@theworldlink.com.