BELLINGHAM, WA (MyBellinghamNow.com) – Plans are moving ahead at the county level to acquire a building from Western Washington University.

The Whatcom County Council approved the contract in a 5-2 vote to purchase the WWU building on Tuesday night for roughly $8 million.

My Bellingham Now previously reported the county was looking for alternative options to their proposed new Planning and Development building, replacing the Northwest Annex south of Ferndale.

Costs for the new structure were estimated to be over $60 million, spurring County Facilities Director Rob Ney to search for alternate options.

Western has been looking to shave costs down as the university found itself with a $23 million budget deficit at the start of this school year.

Councilmembers Mark Stremler and Ben Elenbaas voted against the contract, as Elenbaas thought the building should not be in Bellingham if it serves primarily rural county residents.

“I think virtually anywhere in Whatcom County might be better than this location in my opinion,” Elenbaas said during the Finance Committee meeting earlier in the day. “Lynden would probably be a better [fit]; Ferndale would probably be better. Shoot, we could drive some economy to Everson or Nooksack and put it there and it would probably be more central [than] this location.”

Councilmember Jessica Reinstra asked Planning and Development Services director Mark Personius if there could be a rural liaison or similar office for those north county residents that may struggle with the trip into south Bellingham.

Located on 32nd Street, the university currently uses the building for their IT department among other services.

According to the lease agreement, WWU will continue to rent the upper level of the second story of the building for the next two years.

The first year of rent will be waived for the university as part of the agreement.