What’s been occurring with Halfway Plaza, the as soon as common procuring heart close to Chapel Hill Mall?
Over time, it has been in a state of gradual decline, with more and more fewer tenants and a few models topic to a condemnation order. The previous proprietor’s makes an attempt to scrub up and restore the property failed to satisfy metropolis requirements, which led to a lawsuit in Summit County Frequent Pleas Court docket.
Native historical past:Future looked bright when Midway Plaza debuted in December 1955
It is now been greater than 10 months since Tallmadge and Summit County sued the proprietor of Halfway Plaza over the decaying state of the once-thriving strip mall.
The Feb. 1 public nuisance lawsuit cited inspections performed by the town and a scarcity of motion on correcting violations and requested the court docket to order the plaza’s proprietor to appropriate the violations.
Extra:Summit County condemns half of Midway Plaza; Tallmadge strip mall’s future still unknown
By April 13, an settlement was reached with the plaza’s proprietor to appropriate some outdated and new violations, together with a campsite created on the web site in violation of metropolis ordinances. Defendants had been required to right away clear up the world across the campsite.
By September, a trial within the case was transformed to a phone standing convention on Oct. 12. That was then delayed to a Dec. 16 standing convention.
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A condemnation order for some plaza buildings, together with the previous Excessive Level Furnishings constructing, remained posted in home windows final week.
Staff on the plaza stated final week that an on-site assembly between representatives for the proprietor and the town and county was deliberate. The employees stated they had been cleansing up the property, renovating places of work, and repairing electrical meters and wiring that was vandalized at some unoccupied shops.
A lawyer for the plaintiffs — the town and county — declined to touch upon the property’s standing, citing the continued litigation.
In August, Halfway Plaza Realty transferred possession of the plaza to Extra Plaza LLC for $1. Ohio Secretary of State’s Workplace enterprise information present Extra Plaza filed for group on Aug. 30.
A consultant from Namdar Realty Group, the New York firm that owned Halfway Plaza, stated by way of e mail the corporate not owns the property.
Tallmadge Mayor David Kline didn’t instantly return telephone calls requesting remark.
Though most models within the plaza are unoccupied, 4 tenants stay.
They embrace A&A Magnificence Provide, Petra Center Japanese Meals, a Lease-A-Middle and a Save A Lot grocery retailer.
Numerous homeowners by means of the years have tried to revitalize the procuring heart. In 2012, then-owner Halfway Plaza Companions spent $100,000 on renovations and sought new tenants for the “massive field” models as soon as leased by Excessive Level Furnishings and Huge Heaps.
Depart a message for Alan Ashworth at 330-996-3859 or e mail him ataashworth@gannett.com. Comply with him on Twitter at @newsalanbeaconj.