Oakhill lien holder sues county, state offices, bank

The lien was one of several against Oakhill.
YOUNGSTOWN -- The holder of a mechanic's lien against Oakhill Renaissance Place has sued for 20,295 plus interest and attorney fees. Named as defendants in the suit were the Mahoning County commissioners and treasurer's office, the Ohio Department of Development and JPMorgan Chase Bank.
The suit was filed Friday in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court by Innerscope Technical Services Inc. of Mineral Ridge, a hazardous material abatement contractor, whose lien was outstanding when the county bought Oakhill in July. U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Kay Woods approved the sale of Oakhill to the county for 75,000, with the county agreeing to assume all liens and mortgages on the building.
Oakhill's former owner, the nonprofit Southside Community Development Corp., filed for Chapter 7 liquidation bankruptcy last May, and the county assumed ownership of the building July 28, 2006. Located at 345 Oak Hill Ave., the building is the former Forum Health Southside Medical Center. The county plans to move its Department of Job and Family Services from rented quarters on Garland Avenue to Oakhill by June 1.
Several liens
The liens on Oakhill were listed in bankruptcy court documents as a 400,000 real estate tax bill, a 100,000 loan from Chase Bank, a 430,000 second mortgage to the Ohio Department of Development and the mechanic's lien from Innerscope.
In its complaint, Innerscope said it received letters from the county prosecutor's office dated July 31 and Oct. 24, 2006, acknowledging that the county's purchase of Oakhill was subject to the mechanic's lien. But the complaint for foreclosure and enforcement of the mechanic's lien says the county has made no payments or arrangements for payment to satisfy the mechanic's lien.
County Prosecutor Paul Gains declined to comment on the matter because it is pending litigation.