ASHLAND — Ashland Mayor Matt Miller came to county commissioners Tuesday morning bearing “exciting news” regarding the Pump House District.
The man behind Vision Development, Brent Wrightsel, has agreed to purchase the vacant Pump House building on Orange Street for $300,000, Miller said.
“He is ready to go,” Miller said. “He is thrilled by the proposition.”
The Ashland County Board of Commissioners purchased the building for $146,000 in September 2020.
The total amount of money pumped into the building since then has totaled $293,296.17, according to a county spreadsheet tracking utility bills on the building. The figure includes repairs to the roof and other related expenses.
The mayor said Wrightsel’s plan is to tear down the building and build a new, three-story, market-rate apartment complex with up to 50 units in its place, Miller said.
Wrightsel did not respond to a request for comment. He is the owner and president of Vision Development, a real-estate development firm based in Columbus.
According to Vision’s website, the firm has completed warehouse, hotel, mixed use, multi-family, condos and mid-rise projects totaling more than $300 million since 1994.
Wrightsel told Miller the “conservative” estimate on Vision’s investment in the Pump House District project is around $30 million.
“This is going to create such a boon for our downtown businesses and restaurants, and an opportunity for more restaurants,” said Commissioner Mike Welch.
Should Vision acquire the vacant building, it would end years of uncertainty for the property.
Before purchasing the building in 2020, Ashland County Prosecutor Chris Tunnell and Ashland County Auditor Cindy Funk offered dissenting opinions. Tunnell, at one point, called the Pump House building a “money pit.”
At one point, the building was going to house county offices, and the county’s juvenile probation department even tried occupying the space. However, taking up residence through the winter proved to be too difficult and the space wasn’t a good fit.
Miller and the county commissioners acknowledged some residents’ desire to rehabilitate the century-old building in order to preserve a part of Ashland’s history — but, that would cost millions, they said.
Miller said he heard a “concrete figure” of $7 million to rehabilitate the building.
However, one company estimated rehab costs could reach up to $13.8 million, which would involve reconfiguring the building’s parking lot, partial demolition, renovation and an addition, county documents have shown.
Commissioner Denny Bittle said if the deal goes through, he would like to give the community an opportunity to obtain historical items within the building.
“It’s really hard for me to make a decision to sell and knock down that building, trust me,” Bittle said. “It’s not easy, because of the historical value. But we have to look further down than just the historical value. And unfortunately, you just can’t save them all.”
He added that visionary plans have their “ups and downs,” acknowledging critiques he and fellow commissioners have received for obtaining the building in the first place.
“If you look at the vision, long term, it’s just gonna be unbelievable. If you give the city of Ashland another four or five years, it’s just gonna look totally different than it did 10 years ago,” Bittle said.
Miller’s announcement is the latest in a series of moves involving the revitalization of the so-called Pump House District.
Most recently, Ashland City Council approved spending $30,000 in demolitions of two houses along Third Street, properties that city officials eventually hope to turn into a grand entrance to the Pump House District. The entrance, funded in part by a $150,000 state grant, would connect the district to downtown via Foundation Plaza.
In July, council sold 19 parcels to Ashland Urban LLC, a company Vision Development started for the overall Pump House District project. The plan is to build up to 150 apartment units and other commercial spaces such as restaurants and shops on those properties. The development will surround the planned “urban meadow,” which will allegedly feature ultra-modern art, concrete walking pads, a steel tree, outdoor musical instruments and a sun dial.
Up the road, at Orange and Seventh Street, a developer out of Arizona plans to build a seven-story apartment building named the “Parkview Apartments” with 150-300 units that will overlook the planned “urban meadow” just south of the land.
Miller said that project is still in the works.
The next step involves the city law director drafting a purchase agreement, which Ashland City Council will need to vote on during the Sept. 20 meeting.
The transaction will call for the Improvement Corporation of Ashland to purchase the Pump House building from the county for $300,000. After surveys of the property, Miller said, Vision will buy the property from the CIC for $300,000.
He said Vision will most likely absorb survey costs.
