SHELBY — Multiple deteriorating buildings near downtown Shelby may be gone by June.
The Richland County Land Bank board on Wednesday approved awarding a demolition project at the corner of Shelby’s Broadway and Main streets to R&D Excavating.
The Crestline-based contractor bid $269,555 in total for the project — $211,508 for the Broadway and Main streets portion and $58,047 for the building at 21 Broadway St.
Two other bids for the project were received, with one designated as incomplete.
Additionally, the Land Bank approved entering into a demolition and site revitalization agreement with Shelby resident Troy Baker for his 21 Broadway St. property. Baker also owns the four Broadway and Main parcels.
The agreement states that Baker “has agreed to provide the funding for demolition of 21 Broadway in the amount of $58,047.”
Joe Gies, Shelby project coordinator, shared the news Thursday morning with the Shelby City Planning Commission.
“I think, if I remember correctly, in the contract document it’s (demolition) supposed to be done by June, so it would be out of there before Bicycle Days which is nice,” Gies told the commission.
Long time coming
In November 2024, the Land Bank was awarded $1.7 million in total grants from the Ohio Department of Development — including $657,500 for a demolition and remediation project at the corner of Shelby’s Broadway and Main streets.
The department’s award for Shelby is finally funding a long-planned project to remove vacant buildings and clean up four parcels near the city’s downtown.
ODOD in its 2024 announcement said the project will involve the demolition and environmental cleanup of the deteriorating building(s).
Following cleanup, the site will be redeveloped as a new office building, supporting small business growth in the area, according to the release.
Funding was awarded through the Ohio Brownfield Remediation Program, which was created in 2021 by Gov. Mike DeWine and Lt. Gov. Jon Husted’s administration.
During Shelby City Council’s first meeting of 2025, Gies said the Land Bank recently received its grant agreement from the state.
Gies said in January the building at 21 Broadway St., formerly Harv’s Hair Styling Shop, will also be included in the demolition and remediation project.
That building was purchased in November 2024 by Baker — who bought the other four parcels at the northeast corner of Broadway and Main streets around 2021, according to the Richland County Auditor’s website.
“He’ll (Baker) have to pay for that (21 Broadway St.) by himself, but we’ll lump it in to the project — that way it’s much easier and everything,” Gies said in January.
