Unpaid Taxes

Foreclosure would probably not bring a buyer willing to pay. With the recent property re-evaluations most likely those properties have dropped considerably in value. Foreclosures are done through the County.

My understanding is that there is already a buyer/developer for both buildings waiting for this deadbeat firm to move out of the picture.

http://www.toledoblade.com/local/2012/02/20/Plans-unveiled-for-historic-buildings-1.html

Apparently, taxes are voluntary in this city. Please take note.

Also, maybe...just maybe...if the Blade didn't have an out of town courthouse fetish/obsession, perhaps knowledge of this situation in Toledo would have been more prominent in the past couple years.

Hmmmm....talk about building neglect 3 blocks away from your headquarters or a courthouse being torn down 45 miles away? Oh yeah, let's devote 1-2 years and gallons of ink on the courthouse. Makes total sense....

^ wasn't that courthouse formerly known as the Medical College of Ohio?

But on a serious note, agreed completely. This is a real issue concerning a landmark building whose redevelopment could advance downtown's development by leaps and bounds, but the Blade has taken next to no action on it. Why not make this the cause to champion?

Excellent point!

Wasn't it covered by the Toledo Free Press or vast news department over at WSPD?

It disturbs me to see how many people voted to just tear the building down in the Blade's poll about this. Of 394 responses, 50% voted "destroy it" over the other two options, "force a sale" or "nothing."

How long does it take for a foreclosure? It's been 3 years now.

Yeah, and there has been so much talk of the legal actions they could take due to not only his delinquency in payments, but also the fact that the buildings have not been kept up to fire codes, etc. Yet, even still, nothing has happened. At some point, can't we just claim eminent domain and be done with it? Other cities have done it for the exact reasons that apply to this situation, so why don't we do it too?

I always thought to claim eminent domain, there had to be plans for the property to be used for a "public" purpose (anything from a road or bridge to a shopping mall--just something the "public" would benefit from). Of course, the public would benefit from a building not imploding from neglect and killing all passersby, but beyond that.....

Kansas City rebuilt 9 blocks of its downtown into the "Power and Light District" (lots of shops, restaurants, and entertainment) by declaring the [previously] shithole area as "blighted"--is that more what you meant, Johio?

More or less. While I don't know the specifics with KC's route to the P&L, (I'm sure attempting it with a multi-block area can get complicated), cities have done it with single buildings. The basic ideas seem to be the same as what you've explained though: we have this building that could be a useful piece to the city, but you're letting it fall into disrepair. Rather than let it deteriorate to the point that it will have to be torn down, we'll just cut you out of the picture.

[It disturbs me to see how many people voted to just tear the building down in the Blade's poll about this. Of 394 responses, 50% voted "destroy it" over the other two options, "force a sale" or "nothing."]

I thought the same thing Johio83. But then I stopped and remembered that 90% of the people that leave comments on the online Blade come off as either ignorant, idiotic or antagonistic. I'm hoping these are the same ones that voted to destroy it.

I find it most interesting how you can be assessed an equal amount of taxes to the purchase price over three years. Inflated valuations=theft.