Ashland developer expresses interest in former Pump House land

ASHLAND – Though there were no bids at the first of two sheriff sales for the land formerly owner by Pump House Ministries at 425 Orange Street, one local real estate developer did express interest.

David Allen of Allen Holdings of Ashland said he decided to go to the auction about an hour before the sale after Ashland Area Economic Development director Kathy Goon called him about the property. 

“We bought the old Hospira property wheich was Abbott Labs, and we actually turned that into an auction center for heavy equipment,” Allen said. “We’re looking to expand our holdings on Fourth Street.”

Allen said he plans to begin researching the Pump House property and hopes to come back to the next auction on Sept. 11 with a bid. The property could be sold for, at minimum, the $104,360 owed in back taxes on the property, plus court costs and any federal liens on the property. 

The land up for auction is the recently foreclosed former F.E. Myers Pump factory, all the former Pump House land north of Fourth Street between Orange Street and Union Street. This does not include Pump House’s current headquarters and catering building, which is still owner by Pump House and is up for sale.

Also not included is the previously foreclosed land south of Fourth Street where the two Covert Court houses once stood. That land is ownerd by the city of Ashland. 

Allen said he has a client based in Ireland called Barford that is looking for space to build a manufacturing facility to manufacture heavy equipment such as screeeners and conveyors for the sand and gravel industry. 

“There’s a number of properties we’ve looked at, but nothing has really suited what they need,” Allen said. “We have 11 acres in Atlanta, Gerogia already, but they like the Ashland area. The auctions have done very well. Barford is actually part of the Yoder and Frey (Auctioneers) operations, so it’s done very well for them.” 

Allen said his company is “used to dealing with the EPA” and would not shy away from a property just because the EPA would be involved. 

“We’re already dealing with them on the Hospira property, so it’t not an issue for us,” he said. “We have the staff that can handle it.”

If the property does not sell at the next auction, the Ashland County land bank has expressed interest in acquiring it. Representatives of the land bank also attended Tuesday’s auction.