Owner of former Wal-Mart store: VA Outpatient Clinic decision could be a catalyst to further development

The announcement that the Veterans Administration will lease 8,500 square feet of space in Decorah's former Wal-Mart building, ending a five-year long search to fill the building, is being praised by the building's owner.

Scot Farver says he's hoping "this will be the catalyst to further development."  Farver wants to use 25,000 square feet of the building for a True Value Hardware store.  The 8,500 square foot VA Outpatient Clinic would mean there would be around 42,500 square feet of space still available in the building.

Farver says realtor Tade Kerndt at Viking Realty in Decorah has been hired to look for more renters.

Wal-Mart left the 76,000 square foot building in 2005 and moved into the present 183,000 square foot Wal-Mart supercenter on Old Stage Road.

The building sat empty for a number of years, then began attracting interest from developers about two years ago.  Wal-Mart Realty eventually reached an agreement with Farver, who owns a True Value store in Newton, Iowa.  However, shortly after the agreement was reached, the economy soured and Farver put his plans on hold.