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City orders part of Steubenville Mall vacated, gives 30 days to build sealed wall so some tenants can stay
Summary
City Manager Michael Johnson declared the interior corridor of the Steubenville Mall beyond Great American Cookies unsafe and uninhabitable, giving mall owners 30 days to construct a licensed, sealed wall to allow some businesses to remain open while repairs proceed.
Steubenville City Manager Michael Johnson told council that the building department has declared the interior mall space beyond Great American Cookies "unsafe for occupancy and uninhabitable" and that affected businesses must vacate or relocate within 30 days unless property owners construct a temporary floor-to-ceiling wall designed and sealed by a licensed design professional.
"Effective immediately, the mall is hereby declared unsafe for occupancy and uninhabitable from a point just beyond the Great American Cookies through the remainder of the interior mall area," Johnson said, reading the notice the building department delivered to the mall manager. He said the city served the manager personally and is trying to avoid a full closure by allowing a professionally designed isolation wall so some businesses can continue operating during repairs.
Johnson said the condition stems from multiple safety problems including broken skylights, leaks, odors, mildew and mold that present hazards to patrons and employees. He identified standalone exterior businesses such as JC Penney, Seven Ranges and Walmart as not subject to the interior condemnation but said some interior shops — including The Ville restaurant — could be affected unless the wall is built to the code specifications discussed by staff.
Council members and staff emphasized the city is trying to keep as many tenants open as practicable while protecting public safety. Law Director Costa Mastros said the building department could have ordered a full evacuation but opted to give businesses an opportunity to relocate or to continue operating if the required wall is finished within 30 days.
The next steps spelled out by staff include formal submission of plans for the temporary wall, code review, and monitoring for remediation work. If owners fail to meet the deadline or the wall is not constructed to the specifications required by the International Property Maintenance Code (as applied locally), the city said tenants in the affected corridor will have to vacate.
