The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
Committee seeks Read House demo cost
Motion to obtain estimates to be weighed by library board this week
There soon may be some movement on deciding the fate of Mentor Public Library’s Read House.
The Library Board’s steering committee plans to present a motion this week to seek quotes on the cost of demolishing the dilapidated building.
“It doesn’t mean that the building is definitely going to be demolished,” emphasized library spokesman Jason Lea. “It does mean that the library would seek quotes, if the board approves the motion during its next meeting on Oct. 21.”
The Read House building has been available for purchase for more than a year and the library hasn’t received any offers. “We realize a lot has happened in that year, but it’s good planning to assess other options besides the possibility of someone buying the building,” Lea said.
L ibra r y repre sent atives announced in August 2019 that they were weighing possibilities for the 152-year-old former residence at 8245 Mentor Ave.
The building is in need of extensive repairs if it is to continue to be used by the public, they said. Conservative estimates put the renovation costs at a $200,000 minimum to meet public safety standards.
Even with improvements, there would be limitations on what could be done in the building. Its rooms are small and all its walls are load-bearing, which rules out expansion. The space crunch and sloping floors present problems for patrons with mobility issues.
“Our preference is still that someone buys the house,” Lea said previously. “We would sell it for $1 if the buyer is willing to move it.”
A company that specializes in relocating buildings confirmed that it could be done, he added.
The state of the facility was revealed in 2018, after the library contracted with a construction company and architect to see how the house could be made more user-friendly.
According to the consultants, the following repairs are needed: front porch demolition, foundation masonry work, fixing cracking plaster on walls and ceilings, replacing old siding and windows, and lead and/or asbestos abatement.
Regardless of the outcome, the library will continue to use the surrounding property for programming, and the board could consider building a new structure.
The house was valued at $49,270 last year, and the 1.33-acre land on which it sits is valued at $141,570, according to the Lake County Auditor’s website
It was purchased from the Reed family for $172,000 in 2009. Since then, more than 11,000 library patrons have attended programs, concerts, story times, movie screenings and Summer Reading parties on its lawns.
All Read House activities were moved to the main branch a couple of years ago.
The house was named a Heritage Home by the Lake County Historical Society in 1968. A Lake County History Center representative said limited resources prevent the group from saving the building.