The Truth Staff
Demolition or Restoration?
The Lucas County Land Bank’s mission is to build neighborhoods and in the course of such work over the past dozen years, the Land Bank has targeted six RISE neighborhoods for investment. In the Clinton neighborhood, the house at 2110 Upton was chosen for renovation given the historic nature of the house and neighborhood and the potential for ongoing rehabilitation, says Land Bank President David Mann.
“We decided that the reclamation of this historic house was well worth the effort given the overall look of Upton Street.,” said Mann.
The overall look of the house was an important part of that decision as well. The 100-year-old property, in spite of the neglect of recent years, still retains the solid beauty of the original woodwork, beams and columns, that was so prevalent in the 1920s.
The 1462 square foot, three-bedroom, one-bathroom, newly restored residence with basement and a spacious back yard will soon go on the market for $74,900 – a good deal less than the cost of restoration, says Mann, but worth the investment because of the positive impact on the street and the neighborhood.
Created in 2010, the Land Bank’s mission is to revitalize abandoned properties and to tackle chronic problems in the area neighborhoods. Through the first decade the Land Bank has chosen six RISE neighborhoods for investment, renovated 15 homes, overseen the construction or renovation of 740 homes and business properties by others, assisted 800 homeowners with preservation support, sold 2,500 side lots to neighbors, demolished 3,500 nuisance buildings and acquired 6,500 properties overall.
