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City gives mall owner 30 days to submit structural plan after inspection flags safety concerns
Summary
City officials granted the downtown mall owner a 30-day extension to submit a structural remediation plan after a January inspection and photos showed safety problems; city staff say signs mark the property 'uninhabitable' but it has not been condemned.
Steubenville City Manager Michael Johnson told council on May 19 that the mall owner has hired McKinley & Associates and a structural engineer and the city has granted a 30-day extension for a remediation plan. "They have until the end of June to present their plan," Johnson said.
Johnson said the city is prioritizing public safety and that the posted notice reflects the building department's findings. "We have no alternative motive here to sabotage anybody's business or anything. Our only motive is the safety of the public," he said. Council and staff explained that the posted placard reads that the structure is "Uninhabitable, dangerous and unsafe, danger keep out," and that the city's action so far is advisory pending a formal condemnation process.
Several council members pressed staff about next steps if the owner's plan proposes partial mothballing. Johnson said the owner's structural consultant proposed saving the central corridor while mothballing other sections; city officials warned that leaving much of the building to decay would not be acceptable and that demolition of unsalvageable portions would be required. The city set a target date for receiving the owner's plan (end of June) and will evaluate it before pursuing any condemnation, demolition, or enforcement actions.
The council discussion also covered legal and code frameworks: Law Director Costa Mastros and council members said the city is applying the International Property Maintenance Code and relevant Ohio code provisions in assessing the site.
Next steps: staff will review the owner's engineer report when it is submitted and report back to council; no formal condemnation or enforcement action was taken at the meeting.
