A historic building that has sit vacant in downtown Cheyenne for nearly 30 years may soon house the state's largest law firm.

The Cheyenne City Council passed a resolution Monday supporting the expedient redevelopment of the Hynds Building, which includes $750,000 to build a street-level parking lot in "the hole" next to the building.

"(It) would enable the Hynds Building to have that parking on site, which is a condition of the tenant signing the lease," said Councilman Pete Laybourn.

"It certainly isn't perfect, in the sense that it would be best to have a building on the site of the hole, but, after 12 years, I think it's time we just realize we're going to have to make this move," Laybourn added.

The hole was previously home to Mary's Bake Shoppe, but the entire building burned to the ground in December 2004 and the bakery never rebuilt.

If a lease is signed and the parking lot is built, Laybourn says a facade would screen it from view.

"Access would be from the alley," said Laybourn. "No one will ever have to look at the hole again and it (the facade) will be compatible with the classic architecture of the Wyoming Home Building and the Hynds Building."

"It is a two for one," he added. "You have two problems and when you bring them together (it) allows Mr. Hatch, the developer, to invest $14-15 million into the Hynds Building."

Laybourne says the city plans to hold an open house within the next few weeks to discuss the project.

"It's not like it's going to happen right away," said Laybourn. "It's going to come back to the council and we're going to take a look at it and determine if that's really what we want to do, but this moves the whole process further on down the road and I think it's the road to success."

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