Dissolved village municipal building for sale, church renting building wants to stay
LEXINGTON TWP. – The township will shed itself of one of the final remaining traces of the village of Limaville.
Four years ago, voters in the 179-acre town of about 150 people — roughly half the size of nearby Deer Creek Reservoir — voted to dissolve the northeastern Stark County community. It was absorbed into surrounding Lexington Township, ending nearly two centuries of self-governance.
In the process, the township inherited a town hall.
"We just have no use for it," explained Township Trustee Daniel Moore.
After all, the township already has offices on Gaskill Drive NE. So, earlier this month trustees agreed to sell the Limaville site. Sealed bids will be accepted until 3 p.m. May 10.
Building was constructed in 1975 as community center
The 2,640-square-foot building comes with a quarter-acre of property on Wahl Street. Built in 1975, its appraised market value is $131,500, according to the Stark County auditor's website.
The hall was constructed as a multi-purpose community center. Through the years, it's been used for everything from funeral calling hours to carnivals, as well as village council meetings.
More: Limaville voters decide to dissolve the tiny village in 2018
And for the past decade, it's been home for the Turning Point Baptist Church. The church has rented the hall for its services and taken care of maintenance, said the Rev. Ron Lanham.
"We actually would have loved to purchase it before," he said.
Turning Point Baptist Church: 'Our goal is to stay here.'
The church already owns an adjacent five acres. Lanham said he hopes to acquire the former town hall through the sealed bid process. He said big plans to add amenities such as a pavilion and ballfield would follow.
"Our goal is to stay here," Lanham said, adding the building would be renovated and remodeled.
He envisions the church sharing with residents.
"I think Limaville will be very glad," Lanham said.
Trustee James Mathews said trustees didn't want to sell to the church, without going through the advertised sealed bid route first. It's possible, he said, others in the community may have an interest.
"In fairness, we're doing this," Mathews said.
After bids are opened, it will be up to the three trustees to make a decision.
Other visible reminders of the former village, founded in 1830, still exist. Most notable is a green and white corporate limits sign on state Route 183. The township also inherited the other half of a cemetery it had jointly operated with the village, as well as a dilapidated park at Church Street and Atwater Avenue NE.
That property, Mathews said, was previously donated to the village for use as a park. The gift came with a clause that it revert back to the donor if it were no longer used as a park.
The site was returned to donor heirs in 2020.
This article originally appeared on The Repository: Limaville municipal building being sold through sealed bids
