Long an eyesore in Delaware’s Northwest Neighborhood, the former nursing home building located at 54 W. Lincoln Ave. could soon see new ownership when it’s put up for auction later this month.
On Tuesday, March 15, the three-story structure constructed in 1870 will be included in Delaware County Auditor George Kaitsa’s forfeited land sale. The auction will begin at 10 a.m. and will be held in the first-floor lobby of the Hayes Administration Building, located at 145 N. Union St.
Originally constructed as a residential home, the building served as a private residence until 1915 before becoming a Beta Theta Pi fraternity house for Ohio Wesleyan University until 1961. After sitting vacant for a year in 1962, the building was converted into the Delaware Nursing Home in 1963. Five years later, it became known as the Sunny Vee Nursing Home, the building’s most recent owner.
The property has sat vacant since 2008, falling into a state of disrepair due to roof leaks and vandalism, while also accruing more than $150,000 in unpaid property taxes.
“This is a rare opportunity for someone to acquire a unique property in a historic part of the city of Delaware. And it will be sold to the highest bidder without regard to any of the back taxes or assessments that are owed on the property,” said Kaitsa.
Any winning bidder will have to contend with several issues relating to Asbestos Containing Materials (ACM) throughout the 150-year-old building. An initial walkthrough of the building was completed last July, with a more detailed inspection being conducted in January by two asbestos hazard evaluation specialists.
The January inspection included a thorough review of the condition, location, and approximate quantity of the suspected ACM, as well as the physical sampling of the materials.
Materials are considered to be Regulated ACM if the material is comprised of more than 1% asbestos fibers. Bulk samples obtained during the inspection were shipped to Eurofins CEI in Cary, North Carolina for analysis.
As a result of the asbestos survey, seven materials identified in the structure were found to contain greater than 1% asbestos. The materials range from flooring tile and materials associated with the tile, window glazing, and pipe insulation. Due to the findings of the survey, those materials must be removed by an Ohio-certified asbestos abatement contractor prior to any planned renovation or demolition of the building.
The survey noted that the local agency that requested the survey of the building will need to receive notification of demolition and renovation before any demolition activities can begin.
At the auction, a starting minimum bid for the full cost of outstanding charges on the property will be sought. However, if no bid is received, Kaitsa will then be able to drop the minimum-bid threshold until an offer is received. Delaware County Commissioner Jeff Benton said the property could be sold for as little as $1 but noted that the winning bidder will also need to pay a $45 deed fee and a $42 recording fee.
Should the winning bid exceed $500, the winner must be able to pay at least $500 the day of the sale, with the remaining balance due within 30 days of the purchase.
For more information on the property and the upcoming sale, visit https://auditor.co.delaware.oh.us/forfeited-land-sales/.
