This is an open letter to the owner of the building on Main Street in Wellsville pictured above. This building sits at 1037 Main next to our Post Office. The last occupants was a nursing home called Mansion Health Care. After that owner built a new place out in Calcutta and moved the patients and beds out there the building was sold. After that the building was reclassified as residential in accordance to our zoning statues. I think the current owner tried to open it again as a home for special needs people but was turned down by the zoning folks. It has set empty for years now.
To: Mr. Eric D. Graham
24 E. Woodland Ave.
Columbiana, OH 44408
Re: 1037 Main St., Wellsville, OH
Dear Sir:
According to Columbiana County Auditor records you are listed as owner of the above referenced house. Their records show you purchased this house in 2003. I don't know if you are the same gentleman that got turned down to get this rezoned to a commercial property for a special needs home or not.
This building would be an excellent location for a Bed & Breakfast. Since it has set empty for so long it would need a lot of renovation but I believe it would be a profitable business in our village. With 13 rooms in all and 10 of them being bedrooms it is ready made for a B&B. The kitchen is already set up for such an operation with an adjoining dining area. The lot between it and the Post Office would make a very nice off-street parking area for customers.
With the proposed coal conversion plant being brought into the Wellsville area you would probably have a 100% occupancy rate for Lord knows how many years. Even if that fails to happen for some reason there is still a definite need here for a B&B. There are people constantly coming to town for various reasons to spend a few days and have to go elsewhere to find overnight accommodations. There is the all class reunions that swell the village population nearly beyond capacity. People come to town for graduations, weddings, funerals and other special occasions or to just visit. I really believe there is a market demand for a B&B in our humble and historic river valley village. There is an available labor force locally who would love to work in town. It would be an extremely attractive return on your investment in this house.
Auditor records say this house was built in 1930. I thought it was older than that but the fact remains that it is a beautiful building with all the potential of being an excellent home to a B&B. I'd be willing to bet that there can be found a lot of ornate and unique wood work still in place there such as the Dawsons found in the Sturgeon House in East Liverpool.
Please give it some consideration. I'm sure our Village Zoning people would approve a zoning change for a B&B. There's probably some grant money available to convert this building. As I said above it would be a return on your investment.
Sincerely,
Ole Nib
12 comments:
I wonder why the zoning officials turned the request for a home for special needs people down? I would think anything is better than leaving it sit empty.
I see lots of new places to eat and drink opening up around town. Good for the economy or no?
Good point Nib. Not only is this house ideal for a B&B, but Wellsville needs one. If this ever comes to fruition and succeeds, look for competitors to pop up in the Ville. This would have a very positive domino effect in the village. If there is no response from the owner, hopefully more attempts will be made, perhaps out of the forum.
If memory serves me correctly it was turned down for a special needs home because of the neighbors protesting such a business in the "hood".
Absolutely good for the economy. A recent article in the USA Today reported that with the price of gas these days more folks are opting to shop locally for their needs. Why not try to capitalize on that? Anything that generates tax revenue is good for the ville. We're past due for an upswing in the ville. I think it's coming.
There are several large, older homes in the ville that would make nice B&Bs. This one is vacant and has a good location. If I had the funds I would love to make an offer on the place and take a stab at it myself. Unfortunately I have to be realalistic.
ole nib: Wanted to take the time to comment on your blog regarding the old Nursing Home down on Main.
In the book "City of Wellsville in Black and White" published 1903 (I think the Library has a copy) there is a picture of this home which was originally built for JJ Dowling. Because of this, I would think the home was constructed in the 19th century rather than the 1930s.
In addition, I believe you will find, if you can acquire access that this building would take a lot more than ANYONE would want to invest to bring it back. Regarding lost treasures that could be found to assist in the restoration I don't think there is anything left. When the building was converted to making the nursing home, it appears most everything i.e. stairway banisters, etc...was taken or tossed.
As a side note, the fellow who is the Commander of the Wellsville VFW used to cut the grass there and I am not sure of this but I think he worked for the Calcutta Health Care and hence the reason for cutting the grass. I'm not sure if this is whom you are referring to in your letter or not, if it matters.
Regarding the issue of zoning, I am sure the "Ville" would not zone by property but rather locations (areas of the “ville“). With the restaurant only 2 doors away and the post office 1 door away, I find it hard to think that this is zoned anything other than commercial. If this is true then there would be no reason not to allow a B&B. Just my opinion, as always.
Nib, you said residents didn't want a special needs home in the "hood". What do you mean by a special needs house? I could see not wanting it if it was a drug rehab or something, but not a home for disabled people.
From what I understood at the time the special needs residents where people that are mentally deficient for one reason or another but otherwise healthy in body. That was back at the time that the state was cutting back on state run intitutions and placing people in privately run homes such as was proposed for the old nursing home. The staffing for these homes does not require medically trained personnel that is required for nursing homes. I guess the state still pays for their housing and other needs. The owner of such a home can hire "guardians" at minumum wage or near minimum wages and make money on what the state pays for the resident's housing.
As for zoning, if you will remember, the ville didn't have any zoning laws until a few years ago - maybe 10 or so. The resturant may have been grandfathered in when the zoning laws were put into effect. When the nursing home moved to Calcutta that building set empty for a couple of years before it was resold. Consequently that was the reasoning that the building reverted back to residential status or so we were told. So if someone wanted to put a B&B in there they would have to apply for a zoning change first.
I've not been inside that house, but it clearly was once a very nice home. Restoration (or even renovation) would be far more expensive than the house would ever be worth. This is the bind all of us are in. To renovate any property for anything other than slumlording or other commercial venture is not a feasible investment, unless you actually plan to live in the home.
I believe that owners of residential and commercial properties should not be permitted to let them sit and rot. If a person cannot afford to maintain a building, it should be forfeited to the municipality, which could then raze or sell the building.
I think a special needs home would be the only money-maker for this building. I really don't see what is the big deal.
I'm surprised that a, how you say? "Wellsville Fire" hasn't occurred with this building. Seems like when a house or building is no longer worth fixing, an accidental fire happens. Not that I want that to happen, in recent years that just seems to be happening alot, usually without any cause of the fire being determined.
Nib, you can't ignore the Yost thing, he was a good man. He hung those flags all along Main. Who can say they are better?
Nib...you know me, I'm a crawler for all things Wellsville on the internet and came across this page (4 years late!). Anyway, the idea for a B&B I think would be the old Catholic Rectory, that is just sitting there. It has a built in parking lot, a lovely riverside scenic view. I wonder if the Diocese would see it. Just a thought.
-marc mccune
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