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Former Sunny Schick

The behind-the-scenes organization that made Ash Skyline Plaza and The Landing redevelopment possible is at it again.

The Downtown Development Trust has acquired the Sunny Schick Camera Shop property for $225,000, according to a sales disclosure form filed with the city.

Mac Parker, the trust's chairman, confirmed the deal after The Journal Gazette secured the public filing. Parker, like all parties in the deal, was bound by a non-disclosure clause in the contract.

Although the trust previously bought property specifically to facilitate Ash Skyline Plaza's construction and to advance The Landing's remake, this deal was about putting an attractive downtown property into a land bank, Parker said.

"This is exactly what the trust was designed to do, buy property and hold it for later development," he said. "Unlike The Landing, we have no specific plans for the property there."

Bill Christie, the previous owner of 407 W. Washington Blvd., announced last week that he is retiring and closing Sunny Schick. He told someone with ties to the trust that he was interested in selling, Parker said.

Parker has heard rumors that Salvation Army officials also are interesting in selling their downtown property. But he hasn't talked to anyone in the organization about buying 427 W. Washington Blvd.

"If they really became interested in selling, we'd be interested in talking with them," Parker said.

A downtown arena has been proposed for the block of West Jefferson Boulevard that's now home to Rally's, Taco Bell and King Gyros. Neither the Sunny Schick nor Salvation Army sites would be directly affected if city officials approve the arena project.