HIGHLAND | Location, location, location is at the heart of the discussion over building a new town hall.

The Town Council seated in January recently agreed to buy a house next to the existing hall and also plans to buy the one next to it. The buildings would house the town's offices while the existing Town Hall at 3333 Ridge Road is renovated and expanded into a new town hall and Police Department.

On Wednesday, the Highland Downtown Association tried to recruit the Redevelopment Commission's support to build the new hall downtown at the southwest corner of Highway and Kennedy avenues.

"You might think of how you want to act on" the request, Redevelopment Director Cecile Petro said. The commission said it will come to an official opinion at its next meeting.

In a letter to the commission, Association President Sue Ferguson and Vice President Pat Popa said a downtown location was recommended when a downtown master plan was created a few years ago.

The previous Town Council was planning on building it there. Then, when the floods hit in 2006, the council decided it needed to spend money on solving water problems instead.

Petro and the commissioners acknowledged that the master plan suggests a downtown location, but also recognized that the final decision is up to the Town Council.

Town Council President Bernie Zemen, D-1st, has said he wants the hall to stay at the present location. Once the existing building has been renovated, the two houses would be torn down to pave the way for an expanded parking lot, he said.

On April 28, the council voted unanimously to purchase the first house for a price not to exceed $132,500.