TOLEDO, Ohio — Residents in a central Toledo neighborhood are turning down pressure on the owners of a building they say is an eyesore after windows were boarded up Tuesday.
Neighbors have been demanding something be done with the building on West Woodruff Avenue for months. Now, after multiple speaking with WTOL 11 multiple times, they're finally seeing action.
"They boarded the building up which is a good first step, but I feel it was only because of community pressure and continued pressure from the media," said Eric Nedrow, a resident who lives across from the West Woodruff Avenue Property.
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We first told you about this neighborhood nuisance back in September.
Nedrow and others living nearby tried to get the owners to make improvements, or at least board it up. And the owners, Cathedral Ministries, promised to do something about it.
But neighbors say their efforts weren't enough.
"It's just a dangerous eyesore that's just been attracting all sorts of crime and just all sorts of problems for us in the neighborhood," Nedrow said.
That includes a homeless man who was living inside. But as of Tuesday morning, the Toledo Lucas County Homelessness Board is working to help him.
"Our main goal at homelessness board is to ensure that we're able to find a solution for this individual that is dignified. That's based on what they want. And that we'll keep them safe as we enter the cold winter months," said Laura Shaffer, the program manager for the Toledo Lucas County Homelessness Board.
Neighbors on Monday had planned to take their message directly to the owners. But now that the property it boarded up, Evan Morrison, the group's spokesperson, says plans have changed.
"They should have a responsibility to the community to just maintain the building," added Nedrow.
And the owners tell WTOL 11 they are taking that responsibility.
Tony Scott, who is the chair for the board of Cathedral Ministries says his organization has complied with every court order. And this is the fourth time they have had to board up the building because of ongoing vandalism.
They're planning to clear up any complaints in court and feel they may have a buyer for the building.
Nedrow says it's a positive sign for the future of this property.
"It could be converted in a charter school. It could be converted into all sorts of things," he said. "It could be converted into an empty lot where we make a park out of it. And it would be more useful than it is now."
Scott says the building should be completely boarded up by Wednesday.
The spokesperson for the neighbors says the group is satisfied and doesn't plan to take any more action as of now.