County officials approve demolition agreement

By DENISE GRANT

Staff Writer

There was no discussion necessary Thursday as the Hancock County commissioners called the roll on an agreement with the Ohio Historical Preservation Office that will allow for demolition of several dilapidated buildings along Findlay's North Main Street.

In a 3-0 vote, the commissioners approved the agreement and handed it back to Steve Wilson. Wilson, a former Hancock County engineer and now a project manager for the engineer's office, plans to hand-deliver the document to the preservation office in Columbus today. The Hancock County Prosecutor's Office already has the specifications for seeking demolition bids, Wilson said.

City officials signed the agreement with the preservation office on Wednesday.

The flood-prone buildings, located just north of the Blanchard River at 115, 117, 119, 120, 121, 123, 125 and 131 N. Main St., were bought by the Northwest Ohio Flood Mitigation Partnership following the August 2007 flood. The partnership had intended to quickly demolish them. However, the buildings are located within Findlay's Downtown Historic District and the state preservation office would not allow it, Wilson said.

He said the main concern was that historic artifacts could become buried beneath a permanent structure such a levee or flood wall. Now that it is apparent that levees and flood walls will not be part of flood-control efforts in Findlay, the preservation office has agreed to the demolition, under certain terms.

The agreement requires the preservation office to be consulted before future demolition of publicly-owned properties within the historic district.

The office is also asking to be consulted on any proposed rehabilitation or redevelopment of publicly- or privately-owned properties, vacant since August 2007, in the district. Wilson said the state office will then determine if the work meets the requirements of federal standards for the treatment of historic properties.

Wilson was instrumental in negotiating the agreement.

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County officials approve demolition agreement