Open Source: What’s up with the grass at Ashland’s former Rite Aid?

ASHLAND — What is happening with the former Rite Aid building on Claremont Avenue?

That question has been on the mind of many Ashland residents since the business closed in August 2025, Mayor Matt Miller said Tuesday evening.

The city’s store was one of more than 1,000 locations listed for closure since Rite Aid filed for Chapter 11 protection in early May 2025. A site in Wooster also closed.

The grass around the 419 Claremont Ave. property has been gaining attention as it’s continued to grow to nearly “knee-high” length “or beyond” in recent days, Miller said.

The mayor was able to communicate recently with the current out-of-state property owner’s attorney to address concerns about the site’s upkeep.

“As of today (Tuesday) I was informed that the building has now reverted back to the finance institution that held the mortgage to the building,” Miller said. “Ownership is changing this week.

“The group that will be responsible for the property is in Miami (Florida) and they’re trying to get me connected to them so that we can figure out some plan to move that building to a local owner,” he said.

Several organizations have expressed interest in the property, Miller said, including non-profits, churches and entrepreneurs, but no parties have been able to take action.

“That’s largely because the mortgage on the building was so extreme, such a high number, that no one would be willing to pay that amount,” the mayor said. “That’s why the owner has agreed to basically… give it back to the bank because they can see that they’re not going to be able to recoup their expenses in that building.”

According to the Ashland County Auditor’s Office website, the Claremont Avenue property is owned by Lynnfield Centre Realty LLC of Medford, Massachusetts. Lynnfield purchased the site in March 2016 for $5,311,949.

Miller said once the property is back under the ownership of the Miami-based finance institution, he hopes to work with that group to find a local owner for the building.

“In the meanwhile, we are going to do our very best to get the grass mowed because it looks terrible,” the mayor said. “We have a very clean town. We have a very clean Claremont Avenue and that makes that stand out terribly.

“We’ll try to get that taken care of here hopefully this week or next,” he said Tuesday.