The $2 million project is expected to start within four to six weeks, according to a news release from the Champaign Economic Partnership (CEP). The plan is to have the building become the home of three new businesses by next fall.
“It had become a total eyesore in the community. No taxes being collected, and it started becoming a real hazard, police and fire hazards, and vandalism. Probably about four years ago on Thanksgiving, someone set it on fire,” said Marcia Bailey, director of the CEP. “After that, we were working on getting it redeveloped at that point but were still going through all the processes.’'
The city of Urbana took ownership of the property in 2017 after a request to obtain it tax free was approved at a sheriff’s sale in 2015, according to CEP. There were no other bidders for the property.
Credit: Picasa
Credit: Picasa
True Inspection Services, LLC (TIS), acquired the property from the city in May, according Joe Timm, Executive Vice President of True Inspection Services.
The $2 million project will begin within four to six weeks as plans by McCall Sharp Architecture are almost complete and bid packages will soon go out to local contractors, said Timm.
To help fund the project, the city provided $348,435, TIS contributed $116,145, and on behalf of TIS, Bailey applied for a JobsOhio Site Redevelopment Pilot Program grant to help fund the project and was awarded a reimbursable grant of $883,947 to help cover demolition, environmental remediation, asbestos abatement, removal and disposal of waste and site preparation, according to CEP.
“To have that building back and operational, not only just the visual, it’s also just such a prominent building where it sets on Miami Street, then having jobs back to that area,” Bailey said.
“Along with not only the building being vacated, approximately about 100 or so jobs were vacated. To have new life in the building itself, but also new employees, it’s just going to make such a difference in the community,” she added.
The building will be home to TIS, Community Health & Wellness Partners (CHWP) and The Door Shop, the release stated.
TIS, a full-service commercial inspection, engineering and construction management company, will move from their current location on South Main Street and occupy the second floor. Community Health and Wellness Partners, which offers a full range of primary medical care in Bellefontaine, Indian Lake and West Liberty, will occupy the first floor. The Door Shop, a commercial door and hardware distributor, will have light manufacturing and warehouse operations at the building site.
“There’s still a part of that site to be developed and some additional land, but this is just the first start, getting the building back up and going,” Bailey said.
Timm said this new location for TIS, which acquired 12.6-acres on the east side of the 20-acre site, including the Q3 JMC building, will “help take us to the next step in the growth of our company, to hire more personnel and expand our operations.”
Q3 JMC was a manufacturing firm associated with the automotive industry.
Timm added that some of the 12.6-acre parcel that the former building sits on will be developed for sale to other businesses, and the remaining portion of the site is being readied to be marketed for business development.
“The building will be an anchor for future development on the rest of the property, restore jobs lost when Q3 JMC closed, and generate tax revenue for our community,” Bailey said.
The former Q3 JMC building is the fourth vacant structure in Urbana to be restored, along with the Douglas Hotel and the former Urbana North and South Elementary Schools that are being restored and renovated for FC Legacy Place, a total of 51 affordable senior apartments.
“Both projects have moved forward thanks to strong public-private partnerships, of government and business working together to obtain the necessary funding and provide the expertise to bring plans to reality,” Bailey said.
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