Land Bank Partners with City Officials, Business Owners to Remediate ‘Eyesore’ Properties in Sebring Village, Goshen Township
Serves as ‘Pass-Through’ Vehicle in Transaction of Vacant, Blighted Properties
Leaders of the Mahoning County Land Bank today joined government officials and local business owners of Sebring Village and Goshen Township, for two ceremonies to transfer land deeds for vacant and blighted properties to the community partners to remediate.
This three-way collaboration between the Land Bank, local governments and business owners is the first of its kind.
“We often serve as a pass-through vehicle by acquiring vacant, tax-delinquent properties and transferring them to investors or other entities,” explained Debora Flora, Land Bank executive director. “But we’re adding a new twist by working with local governments, who have coordinated the purchasing and clean-up work with private parties.”
In Sebring, the former Royal Sebring China Co. on South 15th Street is an 18-acre site, just south of the village center, that has been dormant for decades. Factory buildings were demolished after a fire in 2010, and it has remained vacant due to significant real estate tax delinquency. The overgrown property has been displeasing to village residents, particularly the customers of a popular diner across the street. Residents have sought action from village officials in recent years.
In Goshen Township, five parcels of vacant, abandoned, tax-delinquent land, including an empty, damaged house, are along a stretch of South Pricetown Road in Salem, across from Witmer’s Feed and Grain. Township officials lacked the funding to clean up the land and the house did not meet the parameters of the Land Bank’s demolition reimbursement award program.
The Land Bank acquired the abandoned properties with clean titles and then worked with government officials who identified local business owners to take on ownership of the land and accept responsibility for cleanup.
In Sebring, village officials nominated Michael Conny, owner of MAC Trailer Manufacturing, Inc. of Alliance, who is the new owner of the property.
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In Goshen Township, Mike Witmer, owner of Witmer’s Feed and Grain, now owns the five parcels across from his business.
“Consistent with its mission, the County Land Bank is acting as a pass-through to get vacant properties into the hands of responsible parties,” said Dan Yemma, County Treasurer and Chair of Mahoning County Land Bank. “We join Sebring and Goshen Township in thanking these business owners for pledging to clean up these sites for the communities’ benefit.”
The Mahoning County Land Bank is a nonprofit community improvement corporation dedicated to acquiring vacant, abandoned, tax-delinquent properties and making them productive again. The land bank assists local governments in assembling land for future projects and collaborates with civic, religious and nonprofit organizations to create new green spaces and community gardens.
Check out local news coverage on this story at the links below.
Vindicator: New Partnership Allows Companies to Clean Up Blight