PERRYSVILLE — A Perrysville administrator expressed his gratitude to the Ashland County land bank for its recent funding of several demolitions within the village.
Michael McCaskey Jr. said the land bank helped the village tear down a house, four mobile homes and some sheds.
The land bank approved the demolitions in July 2023 for a total cost of $36,500. The structures were demolished in 2024.
“I’ve been wanting to thank (the land bank) for cleaning up the town,” McCaskey said. “I didn’t want it to go unnoticed.”
The structures demolished included:
- 158 S. Bridge St.
- 123 S. Bridge St.
- 144-148 E. Pleasant St.
- 140 E. Third St.
The house at 158 S. Bridge St. was occupied by a family, McCaskey said.
But the village worked with Associated Charities to help them find a nearby apartment to move into before the demolition.
The house, he said, had a roof that was collapsing into the bedrooms.
“You could walk in and see through the roof,” he said.
The property at 158 S. Bridge St. is still privately owned, but the land bank placed a five-year lien on the property for the price of the demolition.
Land bank officials in April 2024 debated whether this type of policy should be permanent. They ultimately decided against a blanket, permanent policy.
The other mobile homes were vacant and dilapidated, McCaskey said. For the mobile home located on 144-148 E. Pleasant St., the village bought it. The land bank then footed the bill for the demolition.
The cost for the other mobile homes were handled through a state grant, McCaskey said.
Perrysville is currently asking property owners of two houses “beyond North Bridge Street” within the village to bring them up to code or to demolish them, McCaskey said. He declined to offer additional details, citing an ongoing legal matter.
He also said the village is looking forward to some demolitions of an old “Pottery,” or Mansfield Plumbing Products, building at 140 N. Bridge St. within the next couple weeks.
“There are couple other (demolitions) to discuss with the land bank but we haven’t approached them yet,” McCaskey said.
The Ashland County land bank has encouraged villages like Perrysville to submit proposals for similar projects.
“The Ashland County land bank is committed to serving the needs of the city and the county of Ashland in regards to cleaning up dilapidated and dangerous structures,” said Bill Harvey, the organization’s director, in an email.
“The land bank seeks input from the entire county as to buildings that might qualify for demolition or restoration.”