Thirty-two eyesores and unsafe structures were torn down last year as part of the Wood County Health
Department’s housing demolition program.
The number is the most demolitions in a single year since the program started in 15 years ago.
Dilapidated homes, garages plus a couple aging businesses were torn down, according to Brad Espen,
director of environmental services at the health department. They were spread throughout the county,
from Northwood and Perrysburg Heights, to Bloomdale and North Baltimore.
In most of the cases, once the demolition is complete, a lien is placed on the property’s tax duplicate
in an effort to reclaim the costs. Currently, the health department has $127,200 in special assessments
on 11 properties in Wood County. The money is usually gradual coming in, Espen said.
"We slowly recoup, maybe one a year," he said.
Thirteen of the structures were torn down as part of a federally funded Neighborhood Stabilization Grant
Program, working with the Wood County Planning Commission.
In those cases, the county received $130,000 in federal funds and no assessments are made locally. That
program, however, lasted only one year, according to Jacque Varty, sanitarian in charge of the program
with the health department.
"It was a one-time deal," he said.
This year, the health department is in line to receive $30,000 from the Wood County Budget Commission for
the housing demolition program. Since the program fund currently has $183,534, no additional funding
will be requested for next year.
Espen said the voter supported levy funding keeps the program operating. He recalled a period when the
health levy failed, and the program had to be halted.
"The conditions in the county deteriorated very rapidly," he said.
Following is a list of the structures demolished last year through the program:
¥ House at 13090 Middleton Pike, Middleton Township.
¥ Manufactured home and shed at 8882 High St., Custar.
¥ House and shed at 333 Florence St., Northwood.
¥ House at 2214 Sheffield St., Northwood.
¥ House at 224 Osborn St., Rossford.
¥ Commercial building at 409 Perry St., Pemberville.
¥ House at 6352 Main St., West Millgrove.
¥ Accessory structure at 124 N. Summit St., Bowling Green.
¥ House and garage at 302 Mulberry St., Bloomdale.
¥ Manufactured home and shed at 891 S. Main St., Bowling Green.
¥ Detached garage at 704 S. Main St., Bowling Green.
¥ House at 22573 Mermill Road, Milton Center.
¥ House at 6367 Main St., West Millgrove.
¥ Two manufactured homes at 12260 Mitchell Road, Liberty Township.
¥ House and shed at 115 East St., North Baltimore.
¥ Gas station and party store at 13175 Deshler Road, North Baltimore.
¥ Manufactured home at 25662 Broad St., Perrysburg Heights.
¥ House at 2572 Maple St., Hoytville.
¥ House and shed at 116 Beecher St., North Baltimore.
¥ House, shed and garage at 441 Factory St., Jerry City.
¥ House at 5594 Moline-Martin Road, Moline.
¥ Car wash at 1000 S. Main St., Bowling Green.
¥ Shed at 216 Clay St., Bowling Green.