ASHLAND — The Ashland Land Bank and Ashland city will split paying a lien on a vacant Ashland building on Arthur Street.
Land Bank board members have described the vacant school at 416 Arthur St. as an “eye soar,” a “liability” and a site for vandalism and drug trafficking.
“Our job here today is to get that thing in ownership, whoever it is, and get it torn down, and hopefully someday get it redeveloped, but it’s not an easy parcel,” board member Tiffany Meyer said.
The land bank agreed to pay $35,000 toward a $65,000 lien on the building, which land bank president and Mayor Matt Miller negotiated down from $95,000, and taxes still owed on the property. The city will cover the other half.
What comes next for the property?
Once the lien is paid off, the city will take ownership of the 0.95-acre plot.
Miller said Simonson Construction Services estimated demolition would cost $200,000, but the city does not have a contract with the company for the work yet.
Director of Ashland Area Economic Development Cameo Carey will apply for a state grant to cover the demolition costs, Miller said.
“Cameo feels that we will have a better chance of getting the demolition grant if it’s in the city’s ownership,” Miller told the board.
Ashland County Commissioner Denny Bittle suggested the land bank be reimbursed for its $35,000 contribution if the city sells the property within five years.
That process of reimbursement on a land-bank-imposed lien has typically applied to privately-owned properties the land bank has paid to demolish in the past.
The land bank installs those liens so that private owners do not use land bank funds to demolish the property then sell the land to make a profit.
“The point is going forward is how do we want to handle, you know, if a city or a village or township keeps the property? That’s totally different (than privately-owned property), and that’s assisting a city, county or village to make money on the sale of it,” Bittle said.
Bittle suggested the land bank implement a set procedure for how the land bank handles assisting in the demolition of properties owned by public entities.
Miller opposed, saying each property should be a case-by-case basis. He also pointed out a former house located next to the Ashland Postal Office that the land bank demolished and agreed to turn ownership over to the city.
No lien was imposed on that property, which was turned into a gravel parking lot.
“We’re not doing any of these to make profit, so often the discussions around this land bank table are about the land bank maybe making profit or breaking even. We’re trying to clean up the messes, so that’s the least of our concern. We’re trying to figure out how to get that [property] so that whole neighborhood can rise.”
Ashland Mayor Matt Miller
“We’re not doing any of these to make profit, so often the discussions around this land bank table are about the land bank maybe making profit or breaking even. 
We’re trying to clean up the messes, so that’s the least of our concern. We’re trying to figure out how to get that [property] so that whole neighborhood can rise,” Miller said.
Ultimately, the bank approved the $35,000 contribution toward acquiring the property with no lien.
At the November meeting, land bank members mentioned an unidentified developer was interested to build housing on the lot.
Building’s history
The city became interested in purchasing the property after the owner of the building, Shane Allyne, 45, of Bellville, was sentenced in February, 2025, to three years in prison following a conviction of promoting prostitution, according to state Department of Rehabilitation and Correction records.
Allyne communicated his interest to sell the building with Miller.
The building’s history dates to 1871, when it was known as the Walnut Street school, but the structure standing today was built in 1927.
The Ashland City School District officially closed it as a school in 1981. It served as administrative offices until 2016.
In 2021, the building was placed on the National Register for Historic Places, but the designation does not protect it from demolition.