AUBURN — Moving the Androscoggin County Sheriff’s Department into the former Auburn Police Station might give the city more time to find a private buyer, councilors were told Tuesday.

City Economic Development Director Roland Miller said negotiations between the county and the city over the 1 Minot Ave. building are ongoing and are very much in play.

“Based on some of the softness in the real estate market, we could have a lease and the sheriff occupying that space for three to five years, and we could then get back to the private real estate market,” Miller said.

Miller said he has toured the building with the officials from the Androscoggin County Sheriff’s Department and has sat with the county commissioners to talk about the building. The county currently has a building committee reviewing space needs for county functions.

“We’re going to make sure that 1 Minot Ave. is part of their considerations,” Miller said.

The Auburn Police Department began relocating to Auburn Hall in March, moving all of the operations to the city building on Court Street. That move is now complete, leaving the former police station at 1 Minot Ave. vacant.

“But we understand that the building would work very well for the Sheriff’s Department,” he said. “They are a smaller force than Auburn’s force is and the space they have there would be adequate.”

Miller said he would continue discussing options with county officials.

“So my report to the councilors tonight is this, 1 Minot Ave. is still in play,” he said. “We should have a recommendation from the commissioners and the building committee shortly.”

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