Historic homes go up for auction

PERKINS TWP. — A recent process occurred which allowed someone to purchase a set of historic homes near the Ohio Veterans Home. In late March, what's known as a public sealed bid auction took place in Columbus. The prize: a block of six homes, 703-715 Dewitt Ave., all enclosed by a chain-link fence. Community members often refer to them as "Officers Row." The Erie County auditor lists the "state of Ohio" as this land's owner. "The appraised value for the property is $460,000 and is being offered for sale as one tract collectively," said Melissa Vance, a spokeswoman with the state's administrative services department. In total, the 4-plus-acre parcel also consists of some vacant land. So what's the auction's status as of today? "The auction did occur, but the bids have not yet been finalized," said Vance, who added how her agency's real estate office would provide an update when it's publicly available. Honing in on the homes Jeff Rapp, a spokesman for the state's department of veterans services, which oversees Sandusky's Ohio Veterans Home, explained why this process occurred: • The history: "The houses were built to house senior employees at the Ohio Veterans Homes as part of their compensation, a practice that was much more common a century ago. Today, the state has a pretty sophisticated system to make sure employees are paid according to guidelines and budgets approved by the general assembly." Note: An Ohio Historical Marker near the Ohio Veterans Home gives some more insight into these homes: "Six remaining residential cottages, (in the Romanesque style), were built between 1896 and 1908. Original houses of Officers' Row stand along DeWitt Avenue." • The modern-day issues: "The houses are no longer used to support the operations of the Ohio Veterans Homes and require regular maintenance and added expenses that would be better served to support our veteran residents." • The decision: "The general assembly gave the department of administrative services the authority to sell the homes, allowing them to be put to a more productive use. The buildings always have been part of a single parcel. The buildings were previously offered for auction, but none of the bidders reached a price that was consistent with the assessed value." • The proceeds: "Going forward, the department of veterans services will be able to use the resources previously assigned to those buildings to support the quality of life for our residents."