Toledo's city administration has asked City Council to endorse a state grant application that would pay to demolish the D. Michael Collins police substation on Sylvania Avenue. WTVG reports the building has been out of service since last November, when mold and flooding left it unsuitable for police operations.
Grants commissioner Simon Nyi told council members that repeated efforts to repair the sewer system did not succeed, and he called demolition and reuse of the parcel the best available option.
Officers have moved to a substation on Cherry Street, while the Special Victims Unit works from the Ottawa Park substation.
The request falls under the Ohio Department of Development's Building Demolition and Site Revitalization program, which covers removal of vacant structures and cleanup of surrounding land. Brownfield sites are not eligible. According to the report, the state wants confirmation of local backing before releasing money in the next funding round.
The Lucas County Land Bank is the entity designated to apply on the county's behalf. Council passage of an ordinance is a prerequisite for the mayor to enter an agreement with the Land Bank and accept any award. Other properties, among them an old dog warden building and a former school near Hill and Holland-Sylvania, could also be included if the grant comes through.