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SALEM -- The new owner of a cluster of properties along South Lincoln Avenue, including the Salem Area Chamber of Commerce building, confirmed the plan is to tear down the structures and clear the land for development.
"I think there's definitely some good opportunity for this corner," Ben Dickey said.
Dickey is the man behind purchaser Armadillo Development based out of Lisbon and said there are no specific plans for the properties at this time. He said he saw the purchase as an opportunity to redevelop the area, which is located at a prime spot at the intersection of Lincoln Avenue and East State Street leading into downtown Salem.
"I think it's a good corner," he said.
He confirmed that the corner piece where the war memorial and flag pole are located is not part of the sale.
Local realtor Harry Hofmeister of Hofmeister Realty & Auction Co. will serve as the broker for the properties so anyone interested in the properties will need to contact Hofmeister.
Hofmeister confirmed that the pending sales were a done deal, with the closing expected soon. The properties include: the Salem Area Chamber of Commerce building and land, minus the triangle on the corner where the memorial is located; the Capel building; the strip of parking lot between the Capel building and chamber; the empty lot on the other side of the Capel building; and a small building off of the alley behind the Capel building. He also said all the buildings will be leveled and the lots cleared.
Dickey commented that potential businesses may get a better vision of the possibilities for the corner once it's cleared.
Hofmeister said it's a big deal and "it will be an exciting project."
Once the purchases are finalized at closing, the chamber will have 90 days to vacate the premises.
"We're working on a new location," George W.S. Hays said.
Hays is the president of the Salem Area Chamber of Commerce Foundation, which owned the chamber building. The chamber foundation board agreed to accept the purchase offer when Hofmeister approached about a possible buyer being interested in the property. The building has some issues on the inside, especially in the basement and upper floor where the American Legion used to be located. During some flooding in the downtown several years ago, the building was flooded, with the water level mark still visible on a desk in the chamber executive director's office.
The board met Wednesday and authorized Hays and chamber Executive Director Lori Jewell to negotiate for space for a new chamber location. Hays said the goal is to stay on State Street in the downtown and a number of spaces have been toured. The chamber foundation will be renting the space to be occupied by the chamber and the United Way of Northern Columbiana County. If the closing on the property purchase is next week, they'll have to be out by the first week of June.
"We had no idea there would be so many options until this became public," Hays said.
Jewell said by starting the process of searching for a new location, they were overwhelmed by the people reaching out to them, giving them more opportunities than they thought they would have and making their lives a little easier. Issues with the building were costing more money and to fix everything would have cost more money than the chamber had available. She said previously that if they tried to continue maintaining the building, then they weren't being responsible with the chamber's money.
She said they're trying to be good stewards of the members' investment. She said it's a good move.
"We're growing and changing along with the community," she said.
"I'm very excited about it. Salem needs to move forward," Hays said.
What better way than for the chamber "to step aside and allow something new and exciting to occur," he said.
The familiar corner is known as the Village Green and is also home to a fountain, which the chamber foundation is talking to the Salem Historical Society about. The plan is to keep the fountain somewhere in Salem. Hays said since the news of the building sale broke, they've had nothing but positive feedback, which to him was encouraging.
mgreier@salemnews.net