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2 Poland buildings have new owners
POLAND
Two longtime vacant village buildings have new owners with big plans.
Robert Long, owner of ATA Black Belt Academy, has purchased the old Poland post office at 25 Sheridan Road, which was built in 1965 and has been vacant since September 1997 when the office moved to U.S. Route 224.
On the other side of the gas station across from the old post office sits a former bakery at 82 N. Main St. that was bought recently by Ohio Land Management LLC, based out of a McClurg Road office.
ATA, a martial arts studio, has two locations, one in Austintown and one in Boardman in the Mathews Square plaza. Long said the Boardman school will move to the old post office.
“Originally that school was in Poland. I was in the Town One Square Plaza and now we’re just moving back to Poland,” he said.
Long said he hopes to open the new school in late fall, but acknowledges the building needs heavy repair before then.
“There was a lot of vandalism and broken out windows, mold and dead birds. The general condition was horrible. [Vandals] broke the fixtures of the sinks. They smashed a water fountain and stole all the copper pipes, so it needs all new heating and air conditioning,” he said.
Still, the structure offers something essential to the studio: open space.
“I like the fact that there’s no pillars so I can design the inside of the building and give students a wide open floor space without having posts,” he said.
The company that purchased the bakery, which was built in 1900, also must make significant improvements.
“It’s a Greek revival building and we’re going to restore it,” said Ron Eiselstein, one of the principals in Ohio Land Management. Eiselstein also owns The Village Pantry on South Main Street.
The plan is to remove the aluminum siding and install original clapboard and wooden shutters to keep with the historical architectural style of the village, he said.
“We didn’t want to see it torn down,” he added.
Eiselstein said Ohio Land Management plans to sell the building once it’s repaired, and three parties have already expressed interest.
Village Mayor Tim Sicafuse said officials are pleased that the vacant buildings are getting new life.
“These buildings have been a burden on the village to take care of. ...We’re glad that they have been purchased and will be restored and will make our village look nicer,” he said.