Toledo to tear down dead mall

TOLEDO, Ohio (AP) — Ohio’s fourth-largest city will take over a dead shopping mall so it can rip it down.

The Toledo City Council voted by a narrow 7-5 margin Tuesday to acquire the old North Towne Square mall on the city’s north side and redevelop the site. The mayor’s office and the area’s councilman consider the decaying mall an eyesore.

The Blade reports that an estimated $750,000 federal grant money will be used for the demolition.

Officials believe the cleared property will attract interest because of its closeness to a Chrysler Group LLC assembly complex and other businesses.