The former Deshon Woods property will be auctioned off at a sheriff’s sale Friday however Butler Township will not be part of the process.
Butler Township Manager Ed Kirkwood told our newsroom “We play no role. It’s a private issue. We have no involvement with it whatsoever. We have no intention of becoming involved with it. We just don’t have any involvement whatsoever.”
No Butler Township representative will attend the sheriff’s sale at 11 a.m. Friday in the public meeting room of the Butler County Government and Judicial Center. Butler Township owned most of the property before selling it to Ohio-based developer Westar who planned to construct the new VA facility. That plan was sidetracked by legal trouble and the nearly 21 acres was seized by the county after the developer defaulted on their mortgage.
Kirkwood does not anticipate new construction anytime soon but he does hope that someone is able to put the property to good use.
“Just because someone buys a piece of property, doesn’t necessarily mean that they are immediately going to develop it. Obviously it would be in the township’s best interest if somebody would develop it as quickly as possible. But have no anticipation, I am taking this one step at a time,” Kirkwood explained.
Whatever bidder is awarded the former Deshon Woods will still need to meet Butler Township zoning requirements for the property.
Written by Ryan Saeler