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Sale pending on Salem chamber building

By MARY ANN GREIER 6 min read

SALEM--The Salem Area Chamber of Commerce may need a new home after officials revealed Friday there's a sale pending of the building at State and Lincoln, contingent on how inspections go and the sale closing.

George W.S. Hays, president of the Salem Area Chamber of Commerce Foundation, which owns the building, and Lori Jewell, executive director of the Salem Area Chamber of Commerce, made the joint announcement and spent most of the day notifying the chamber board of directors, city leaders, and chamber members of the decision to accept an offer from Armadillo Development LLC. They declined to disclose the price at this point since the deal isn't finalized.

"The chamber is a steward of business. We not only operate and function as a business, we support the entire chamber membership as they work to achieve their goals in an ever changing business environment. We believe this is in the best interest of the chamber as a business, our membership and for the city of Salem," Jewell said.

Hays said the building had been for sale a few years ago and then came off the market. In 2018, the chamber foundation came to be and secured a 501c3 designation with a goal to create marketing opportunities for the chamber membership and to conduct fundraising for the chamber. In December 2018, the property, which includes three parcels, was transferred to the chamber foundation. Some brick work and work on the building foundation was done.

Last fall, he said a local realtor approached who asked what they were doing with the building and indicated there may be someone interested in that corner and the properties. Other properties nearby were for sale, too. Hays met with the chamber foundation board and the thought was it never hurts to talk to someone. The chamber executive board was alerted and the realtor was told "bring us an offer and we'll consider it."

Hays said the offer came on Jan. 23, the chamber foundation board met on Monday and "we unanimously agreed to accept the offer."

The offer was signed on Wednesday and the inspections must be completed within 30 days. If the inspection is OK and the sale goes forward, the closing will happen 15 days later, then the chamber will have 90 days to vacate.

Jewell said a committee will be formulated from the chamber and chamber foundation to find a home, with the hope to stay in downtown Salem on East State Street.

"I am excited about the possibilities for this area, and I commend the chamber foundation board of directors for unanimously embracing the role we can play in enabling new development right here on the edge of historic downtown Salem. The chamber foundation exists and is committed to supporting the chamber and its membership. We share the chamber's belief that this opportunity is in the best interest of the membership as well as the entire community. We eagerly look forward to this new chapter in the life of the chamber and Salem," Hays said.

Both Hays and Jewell said they don't know what the plans are for the property. Harry Hofmeister, who owns Hofmeister Realty & Auction Service at the opposite corner of State and Lincoln, was identified as the realtor. When contacted, he said "There's no specific plan for the property. Just a good opportunity while adjacent properties were available.”

The Capel property on South Lincoln is also up for sale, along with a strip of property between the Capel building and the chamber building which is advertised for sale by Hofmeister.

The front lawn of the chamber property is known as the Village Green and is the location of a veterans war memorial and flag pole that's maintained by the Salem Memorial & Patriotic Association. The group raised money and arranged for the installation of a new flag pole in 2013. The property is also home to a fountain.

According to Hays, the veterans memorial is on chamber property. He said the purchaser has been told about the Village Green and the community's desire to maintain it. As for the fountain, they plan to speak with the Salem Historical Society about possibly moving it if necessary.

The building, a familiar site at the downtown corner, has some issues with the parking lot, the roof, heating and air conditioning and electrical. The second floor used to house the American Legion years ago, but has since been vacant and a quick tour showed problems with old-style fuse boxes, including one located just above a kitchen sink, an obvious dip in the ceiling at the east wall and other issues. The basement has water in it, there's wallpaper peeling off in some spots and there's water damage to a ceiling and a crack in the foundation in a storage room that goes floor to ceiling. The walls in the bathroom used by Hays, who also operates the United Way of Northern Columbiana County office there, are in bad shape.

The second floor can't be used because it's not compliant with the American with Disabilities Act and has no elevator.

"I feel like by maintaining this building, we are not being financially responsible to our membership," Jewell said.

Inspectors have come in and given appraisals for various projects and just to do the basic upgrades, she said they're figuring $250,000. She said neither the chamber nor the chamber foundation have the budget to make those kind of upgrades to the building.

"I feel like we've been keeping it on life support," she said.

Both she and Hays stressed the need to look forward and both were excited about the possibilities for the chamber.

"We expect there will be some backlash, but the truth of the matter is this building doesn't have any historical value anymore because it's been so altered," Hays said.

Salem Community Foundation President John Tonti was notified about the possible sale because of the SCF's involvement in securing the building for the chamber many, many years ago, but both Hays and Jewell said he was supportive.

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