The town of Waynesville could be at odds with downtown merchants over the fate of a downtown building that will soon come into town hands.

Several Waynesville merchants said they would like to see a visitor center or some type of public amenity at the site, but town leaders seem inclined toward selling the building.

The building in question is located one block off Main Street on the corner of Depot and Montgomery streets. The building — which is still called the pancake house after the restaurant it used to house — currently belongs to the county but will soon be deeded over to the town as part of a four-year-old arrangement.

Town board members say they have not thought much about what they will do with the building.

“I drove past there the other day and thought ‘I wonder what we are going to do with that piece of property,’” said Alderwoman Libba Feichter. “It was one of the those things that was going to happen down the road and now down the road is here.”

Feichter said she envisioned the town selling it to the private sector. Personally she would love to see a restaurant with outdoor dining, but she said the town probably couldn’t control what was developed on the lot once it was sold.

“Whatever market forces drive the sale of property is the wisest way to go,” Feichter said. “If somebody is out there and they have really got an idea of something creative or innovative to do with that property, it would be wonderful.”

Mayor Henry Foy is also leaning toward selling it, and said it would be nice to see a multi-story building on the site.

Alderman Gavin Brown said the town can use the proceeds from the sale to pay for a new fire department, which is on the town’s wish list.

“Any number of civic uses could be made, but I would rather see the property back in the private domain providing jobs, tax revenue and growth opportunities for the town,” Brown said, adding that the town board really hasn’t talked about it. “It is sort of like getting a Christmas present. Until we open the box, we won’t know what Santa brought us.”

Town merchants had plenty of ideas of what to do with the property, however. The top response during an informal poll was a visitor center.

“That is the most frequently asked question: what do I do here,” said Sally Gamewell, who works at Textures on Main Street. “I have to send people driving away.”

The Haywood County Chamber of Commerce used to have its visitor center downtown, but moved three years ago to a location on Russ Avenue across from Kmart.

While it’s good to get the merchants in the shop seeking visitor information, Gamwell said a visitor center makes them realize how much there is to do here and primes the pump for a return trip.

“They realize they have to come back because they didn’t get a chance to do it all,” said Gamewell.

Kaaren Stoner at Twigs and Leaves said a downtown information center is needed and Depot Street is a perfect location, providing an anchor connecting the Main Street and Frog Level districts.

“It straddles the two districts,” Stoner said. “There needs to be something that brings the two areas together.”

In addition to an information center, it could be a hub for a trolley providing public transportation, Stoner said.

Lorna Sterling who works at Twigs and Leaves said it could also be the hub for downtown walking tours — like the public art stroll that’s in the works — and could house historical photos.

Robert Kuhhirte, owner of the Smoky Mountain Sub Shop, said more parking is needed most. The parking deck is too far away and people don’t know it’s there. The limited downtown parking often gets used by store employees instead of by customers, he said.

Neese Morris, owner of Morris Natural Pharmacy, also said there was a parking shortage.

Gretchen Clasby at Cedar Hill Studio said she would like to see more public restrooms.

“I don’t care what they do with the rest after they put in the public restrooms,” said Clasby. Clasby said that it would be nice for the Downtown Waynesville Association to have an office and visitor center.

Patricia Miller, owner of Affairs of the Heart, said she misses a downtown visitor center, too. She said either the chamber of commerce could move back downtown or the DWA could get its own visitor center.

“But the bathroom is a definite,” Miller said. “You cannot have too many of those.”

Only a couple of merchants suggested selling the building to a private enterprise.

One of them, Shelby Moore, remembers working at the pancake house as a waitress when it was the A&H Diner in 1960 before it became the pancake house.

“I think we could use a restaurant that serves breakfast downtown, and I’m talking about sausage and eggs,” she said.

Jenny Weaver, owner of Wildfire Restaurant, said she would like a park of some sort.

“I would go for grass,” Weaver said. “If they sell it, it will just become another furniture store.”

A couple of merchants wanted to see a youth activity center for teen-agers and pre-teens.

“They don’t have anywhere to go. They are just sort of killing time,” said Amanda Lydon with Osondu Booksellers. Lydon said the kids could run the center themselves.