County to rehab Lorain building

Lorain County is in the process of rehabbing the former site of Duray Machine Co. at 1627 E. 28th St. in Lorain.

Acquired by the Lorain County Port Authority in 2017 in a tax foreclosure, the building was identified as a potential site for the Lorain County household hazardous waste facility in partnership with Lorain County Solid Waste.

The rehab project with interior and exterior upgrades has been ongoing since February, 2019 with an anticipated completion date by winter 2020.

“It really looks great from the street, and it’s really beginning to take shape.” — Lorain County Administrator Jim Cordes

In an Oct. 21 presentation to Lorain County commissioners, Lorain County Land Bank Director Pat Metzger said the site was identified early on as potential home for the county’s hazardous waste needs.

County Administrator Jim Cordes said he hopes to bring the building back to productive use as renovation work continues.

Cordes noted after the building was acquired by the county, it had set for a while and was filled with ingrown trees, a portion of the roof had caved in and the decking was not up to par.

The site of the former Puerto Rican Home situated next door also was removed due to the poor quality.

“We tried to save that building, but it was in such bad condition,” Cordes said.

One of the structural walls to the former Puerto Rican Home was in such disrepair, it would have cost twice the value of the building to repair it, he said.

Cordes said he had hoped to have a ribbon-cutting by the end of October, however, many materials needed in the building rehab for doors and fences were delayed due to the novel coronavirus pandemic, but aims to offer a walkthrough soon.

“It really looks great from the street, and it’s really beginning to take shape,” he said.

Lorain County, Cordes continued, has an untapped market for household hazardous waste as a secondary location.

It will enable the county to increase the amount of hazardous wastes it’s able to keep out of the county landfill, he said.

KEVIN MARTIN — THE MORNING JOURNAL Lorain County is to rehab a former location of Duray Machine Co. at 1627E. 28th St. for household hazardous waste disposal.