The San Luis Obispo City Council is expected to formally close the deal on its purchase of a residence in the Mission District within approximately one month.
The family of Lucille "Nana" Mello agreed to sell the 1,800-square-foot, three-bedroom property at 975 Broad Street to the City for approximately $1.3 million, while the listing was originally set at $1.7 million.
Wyatt Mello, a local businessman, restaurant owner, and cattle rancher, spoke to KSBY Community Reporter Jessica Roe on behalf of the family
“She loved to bake. As schoolchildren, we’d always come up after school, and she’d always have chocolate chip cookies available, red licorice," he said, referring to his time at Mission Preparatory School, just down the street from his late grandmother's property.
He fondly speaks of his grandmother, who passed away in October 2025.
“She was 101 and a half," he said. “It was a very difficult decision; there’s a lot of emotion involved when it comes to a family property like this.”
Deputy City Manager Greg Hermann told KSBY that the "Downtown Concept Plan" is what guided the City Council to acquire the property, a residence next door to the SLO History Center.
"We’ve been able to do a lot of great things because of that plan, including our cultural arts district, the new parking garage, the soon-to-come SLO REP theatre," Hermann said. "This house is actually a part of that plan. It’s intended to be a future community-serving space in our downtown that really complements the investments we’ve made in the Cultural Arts District.”
On Tuesday, May 19, the council voted to acquire the property, utilizing reimbursement funds from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) following the 2023 destructive storm, and money from the City's Assigned Fund Balance, to make the purchase.
“I could see it being a great event space for interactive exhibits or an event," said Steve Smith, the executive director of the History Center. “It’s just a perfect extension of the city, fostering the arts and culture in San Luis Obispo.”
"We hope that they are able to honor Lucille’s legacy at some point in the redevelopment process, and we hope that it’s a long-lasting staple for the community for years to come,” Mello said.
To learn more about the Downtown Concept Plan, click here. To view the residential listing on the Better Homes and Gardens website represented by Denise Silva Topham, click here.
If you have a story idea in San Luis Obispo you would like Community Reporter Jessica Roe to look into, reach out via email at jessica.roe@ksby.com.
