The Mentor Public Library looking into the cost of razing the Read House located next door to it.
The board came to this decision at a board meeting held in October, and is now looking for contractors to possibly take down the home located at 8245 Mentor Avenue.
The library’s spokesman, Jason Lea, said:
“The board discussed that the building hasn’t received any offers to purchase it, the cost of construction is going up, and the board needs to have all available information in order to make an informed decision.”
The board has not set a deadline for figuring out what it will do next. Lea believes the current economic climate and the fact that the holiday season is about to start will delay how long it takes to get quotes. If quotes are higher than the board’s threshold, the board will opt to work together with engineers and architects to put together a proper bidding packet. Such a document could feature an official letterhead.
Some members of the local community expressed interest in knowing what will happen to the building. They want their input to be considered before a decision is made. One person suggested that the remnants of the building could be used to make furniture, but Lea feels that is unfeasible.
In order to keep the building and bring it up to code, the board would have to spend about $200,000 on renovations.
