The first phase of Eastland Mall’s demolition is scheduled to be completed by May 31, according to a new agreement between the city and the vacant mall’s owner.
The agreement sets a timeline for the demolition of the closed mall, while attempting to minimize disruption to tenants in the mall’s former anchor spaces.
“This agreement sets out an aggressive plan to prepare this site for the future while ensuring everything is done right and that care is taken of adjacent buildings,” Columbus City Attorney Zach Klein said in a news release Thursday. in which he announced the agreement.
The agreement is the latest in the long-running battle between the city and the owners of the South Hamilton Road shopping center, which closed nearly two years ago after 54 years serving the southeast side.
Eastland Mall, seen here in a 2023 photo, closed in 2022. The city and the mall’s owners have reached an agreement to demolish the property.
The city sued the mall’s primary owner, Eastland Mall Holdings LLC, for failing to maintain the property.
After finding the owner in contempt in 2022, Franklin County Environmental Court Judge Stephanie Mingo fined the company. After the property continued to deteriorate, Mingo reopened the business in June and added $1,000 per day in fines, in addition to a one-time $10,000 fine.
The owners have not paid any fines and have not brought the property into repair, Klein said.
More: Columbus pledges $4 million to revitalize the old Eastland Mall area
The redevelopment of the shopping center was complicated by several owners of the property. Eastland Mall Holdings owns the heart of the mall, including the former JCPenney store, but several entities own the former Sear’s and Macy’s stores.
The Macy’s spot will be taken by the Eastland Preparatory Academy, which wants to protect Klein’s agreement.
While the first phase of demolition must be completed by May 31, the second phase, adjacent to the academy, cannot begin until the school’s summer vacation and must be completed by September 15, according to the agreement.
The agreement also requires Eastland Mall Holdings to present detailed demolition plans, including asbestos abatement, by Nov. 30.
“If owners do not adhere to their agreements, the city will not hesitate to request a trustee to immediately intervene and meet these obligations,” Klein said in the press release.
jweiker@dispatch.com
@JimWeiker
This article originally appeared in The Columbus Dispatch: Columbus sets timeline for Eastland Mall demolition
