Hancock County Commissioners agree in principle to purchase a portion of the Findlay Mall in multi-million dollar deal

FINDLAY, Ohio (WTVG) - The Findlay Village Mall will soon become the new home for the Hancock County Probate Juvenile Court. County commissioners announced their plans to purchase the shopping center for $3.7 million dollars.

“The structure is there, the parking is there, the water, all the utilities are already here so its such a savings to the taxpayer dollars,” said County Commissioner Bill Bateson. “When we spend money we want to get the most out of what we spend.”

County officials will obtain over 300 thousand square feet of the mall, transforming vacant shops into a space for the court and other County offices.

“The current space is just inadequate, we’ve known that and this has been a process for the last 4 or 5 years to get a new probate space for the judge and her staff,” said Bateson. “We feel we will be able to do it quicker and less expensive.”

The purchase is being funded by a tax increase that’s already in place. Another $5 Million dollars from local bonds will be used to renovate the mall.

County commissioners say obtaining the space could save money and give them room to grow.

“We can buy this 335,00 square feet, for about 11 dollars a square foot which is a very good price,” said County Commissioner Michael Pepple. “And we want to turn this into current use for county offices and future use for county offices.”

New York-based Retail Investment Group: Kohan placed the property up for sale in segments, the county is purchasing only a portion of the mall. The surrounding areas of the shopping center are expected to remain open.

Local leaders believe the shopping space will not only provide a perfect workspace for the county but will also be an investment in the county for years to come.

“We hope it makes it more attractive for other businesses so we can fill these empty spaces, make them relevant,” said Bateson. “And it’s just a plus on the government side for the offices looking to go in here.”

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