Dover, Ohio (WJER) - A Dover house targeted for demolition by the city may have received a last-minute stay of execution from the bank that owns it. Dover City Council on Monday had been scheduled to vote on tearing down the home at 529 Shawnee Drive as a blighted and nuisance structure. But instead, service director Dave Douglas told city council the bank finally responded to the city’s inquiries. 

“When Mr. Beitzel, our building admin, did some investigation and found the deplorable condition it was in, he did track down the bank, the company that owned the house, and they are moving forward with either doing remodeling, possible remodeling, or demolition,” he says.

Douglas says the house has about four feet of water in the basement, among other problems, but for now, what to do with the property is up to the bank. However, Douglas says the house is still on the city’s radar.

“We’ll keep the ordinance moving, and if something happens, if they fail to do something with that property, we’ll take action, our council will take action,” he says.

Meanwhile, the city is moving forward with the demolition of another blighted house at 218 West Twelfth Street. Douglas says the city hopes to tear it down in a month or so, depending on the results of asbestos testing. 

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