Officials weigh options regarding property

Three potential bidders have indicated an interest in the downtown Struthers site.

By WILLIAM K. ALCORN

VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER

STRUTHERS — The city has three options regarding disposition of the former Viking Manufacturing facility downtown: Demolish it, sell it or renovate it for the city’s use.

Last year, the city took possession of the property, located at Bob Cene Way and Bridge Street (state Route 616), and waived the delinquent taxes after there were no bids on the property at a sheriff's sale.

Mayor Daniel Mamula said then that the plan was to seek cost estimates to demolish the structure and prepare the site for a use that would enhance the city.

Show of interest

Since then, three potential bidders have indicated an interest in the property, Mamula said during caucus before Wednesday’s city council meeting. One of those interested is Astro Shapes, a company next to the Viking property.

Mamula recommended that the city’s next step in the disposition of the property, which he said has an appraised value of $60,000, be to determine what it would cost to make it “attractive and useful.”

He said the city is running out of storage area and could make use of Viking property for that, depending on what it would cost to repair the windows and roof and provide electric service to the building.

Other matters

Also during his report, Mamula said the city was one of 10 of the 1,000 participants in the 2007 national Join Hands Day event to receive a $1,000 grant to be used for future Join Hands Day activities. Join Hands Day is an event on the first Saturday in May, in which organizations come together to make a difference in their communities through projects that connect youths and adults.

Mamula said the city will conduct a scrap tire collection Sept. 29. Struthers residents only may drop off times at the recycling site behind city hall from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The city will accept only car and small truck tires, and there is a limit of four tires per resident. A fee of 50 cents per tire, or $1 if it is on a rim, will be charged.

alcorn@vindy.com