“From 2012 to just last year, we hit roadblock after roadblock. And we finally came up with a creative solution,” said Kris McClintick, acting administrator of Harrison Twp.
By then, the owner was behind in his property taxes on the 225-room hotel property by $1.2 million and the county had given up on collecting the money.
County Treasurer Carolyn Rice sold the tax lien on the 9-acre property to Lexington, Ky.-based developer Mike Heitz for $27,000. Late last year Heitz won approval from the Montgomery County Common Pleas Court to appoint a receiver and allow demolition.
From a safe distance Wednesday, Heitz and local authorities stood in the snow and watched the demolition begin. Upon close inspection the building appears to contain nothing more than peeling wallpaper, piles of shattered glass, and an indoor pool that has frozen over.
Heitz sees something else.
“I see potential. We see 170,000 cars pass by here every day. It is right on the corner of an intersection. It is near the entrance to the new racino. (I see) a lot of potential to get this developed,” Heitz said.
He estimates he has an estimated $200,000 tied up in the project and admits he could have very easily walked away from it multiple times over the last few years.
“I wanted to do something good for Dayton. I think looking at this building coming into town puts a bad reflection on the whole county, the city and Harrison Township. This is a small thing, by improving it, people will get a better feeling when they drive through here,” Heitz said.
Demolition of the building will take four to six weeks, according to Heitz. Future uses of the property could include another hotel, retail or office space. Heitz said he will pursue development plans in greater detail once the building is down and the property is cleaned up.
UPDATE @ 11:45 a.m.-
Demolition is beginning today at the former Executive Inn hotel.
The building has sat empty since 2008.
The developer will cover the cost of the demoliton, which is expected to take about two months.
FIRST REPORT-
Officials with Harrison Township are expected to give an update on the demolition of the former Executive Inn building today.
The Needmore Road hotel has been named one of the worst eye sores in the Miami Valley.
The announcement about the status of the demolition is expected at 11 a.m.