ASHLAND — A rundown, vacant building on Main Street that the city bought last month could soon again change hands for a possible athletic-centered operation.
Ashland City Council approved the $25,000 sale of 118 E. Main St. on Tuesday to Dr. Matthew Bernhard, orthopedic surgeon for OhioHealth, and his son, Zachary.
The city agreed to purchase the vacant 15,000 square-foot building on Aug. 6, during a special meeting. At the time, Ashland Mayor Matt Miller said the company who owned the space — Frontier Communications — had indicated it would only sell if the city closed by Sept. 1.
County property records show a closed deal on Aug. 30.
Miller was confident the building would sell to “the right buyer,” but the mayor was relieved at Bernhard’s speedy offer.
“I will say ‘thank you Lord Jesus’ that we found someone so quickly,” Miller said. “Because it was never our intentions to have to own that building and maintain that building and clean up that building like we did on 16 (East) Main Street.”
The city purchased 16 E. Main St. in 2018. Earlier this summer, a local business owner moved in — after hundreds of thousands of dollars in renovation. The project was financed with a mix of state grants and local funds.
This time, Bernhard will purchase the three-story building for $25,000 through a deal facilitated by the Community Improvement Corporation (CIC) of Ashland. The Bernhards have not officially closed on the Frontier building, but they said they hope to soon.
The CIC is a nonprofit economic development corporation that allows the city or county governments to work with a developer without seeking competitive bids.
Dr. Zachary Bernhard, currently working at Cleveland Clinic as a resident orthopedic surgeon, said he plans on running a multi-layered business out of the building, once a hefty remodeling concludes.
HSLD
The vision includes a “state of the art” facility to promote and train area athletes and a retail store selling apparel sporting the HSLD (pronounced “hustled”) brand he launched about a year ago.
HSLD stands for High Speed Low Drag — a phrase with roots in the military that he lives by, he said.
“As a physician and former athlete, I want to bring that to life,” he said. Bernhard played quarterback for Ashland High School’s 2011 OCC-winning playoff-qualifying team. He then accepted a scholarship to Ashland University, where he played linebacker.
The HSLD brand has already garnered some attention on social media, leading to a surge in followers across platforms. He finds the awareness on social media encouraging.
He’s already contracted with Ashland University’s football booster program to shoot photo and video promotional material this season. He hopes a headquarters-type building can lead to more connections with sports programs and individual athletes in the future.
‘Endless possibilities’
The Frontier building downtown is 15,000 square-feet and three floors, leading to what Bernhard sees as “endless possibilities.” But he acknowledges the process will be a long one before his vision can come to life.
That’s where is father, Dr. Matthew Bernhard, comes in.
“I’m the financier,” he said, adding he’s confident in his son’s business plan and vision. Matthew Bernhard launched a practice in Ashland more than 20 years ago, raised four children in Ashland and has served in various ways, he said. He calls this endeavor a “continuation in our ability to give to the community.”
The father and son hesitated to provide an estimate on how much the remodeling phase of the building will cost. But they both agree it’s going to be a significant lift.
“I mean, it’s not been inhabited since the late 90s,” Matthew Bernhard said. “It’s full of asbestos.”
He said remodeling could take up to a year or 18 months, because of necessary environmental studies and updating required inside.
“But we’re honored to have this opportunity to bring this to Ashland’s downtown,” he said.
Miller, Ashland’s mayor, said the Bernhards might qualify for state grants through the Department of Commerce and JobsOhio for projects like asbestos removal and other issues that might arise.
“With (the city’s) sponsorship, the building can be privately owned and still have access to that money,” Miller said.