WELLSVILLE — The Columbiana County Land Reutilization Corporation (land bank) has begun its most recent round of demolitions of blighted properties in the county.
As part of this round, the land bank will be razing 12 properties throughout four municipalities: seven in East Liverpool, two in Wellsville, two in Summitville, and one in Salem.
The land bank has been administered by the county Office of Economic Development since its inception and has been responsible for roughly 200 demolitions, utilizing over $2.5 million in federal grant funding. The land bank also works on rehabilitation projects and economic development projects.
One focus of this round of demolitions is 10th Street in Wellsville. The land bank acquired three properties here and in doing so were able to eliminate all vacant, tax delinquent properties on this stretch of 10th Street.
Both land bank chairwoman Linda Bolon, the county treasurer, and vice-chairman Jim Hoppel, a county commissioner, have been integral parts of the land bank’s successes over the years, serving in those respective positions on the Board since its inception. “I believe the land bank has been a very successful program in the county, eliminating blight and improving the lives of all citizens,” Bolon said “I am proud of the work we have done and I look forward to our future plans.”