Bill Johnson of Total Finance responded to our letter personally. Here's what he told us:
Total Finance was originally the lender on the mall, not the owner. When the previous owner defaulted, they were forced to foreclose, a process that took nearly a full year. It was only after that process completed a few months ago that they discovered how bad the conditions actually were. Since taking ownership they say they have already spent well over $300,000 on repairs, with roof work being the largest expense, and they acknowledge there is still a lot left to address.
On the city's recent 30-day notice, Bill was direct: he asked for more time, the city apparently has said no, and he believes it is virtually impossible to find and hire qualified consultants within that window. He was candid that if the city moves forward with condemnation, closure of the affected portions and displacement of remaining tenants becomes unavoidable.
He also raised something we weren't expecting. He asked if this community could help advocate for more time from the city. Steubenville, if you truly want your mall back, now is the time to visit city council, the building inspector, the county commissioners — really any decision maker involved — and ask them to work with Bill, he seems genuinely interested in revitalizing the space, but can't reasonably do that in 30 days. I'll be honest, my personal attempts to reach city leaders have not yet been met with any success, so I need your voices now more than ever. 500+ of you want real change. I'm so happy to have all of you on my side.
On the parking lot, Mr. Johnson was candid about that too. He explained that businesses using the common area lot are typically expected to contribute to its upkeep through what's called "common area maintenance fees". Before foreclosure, Walmart and Aspen Dental were paying a substantial monthly contribution. Since Total Finance took over, Both have allegedly stopped paying entirely and efforts to reinstate that haven't worked.
Bill says they have been actively patching the lot, including work done as recently as this week, but acknowledges it needs more than patches and says he cannot justify the cost of a full repair without a workable resolution with the city. He also offered something worth noting: if giving formal permission to the surrounding businesses to make repairs themselves would help move things forward, he said he would be glad to do so.
The short version: we sympathize with the building situation, but the parking lot is a separate issue. Hundreds of people will still use that lot daily regardless of what happens with the building, and paving season ends in the fall. That clock is ticking. Bill needs more time, and the city has said no.
500 voices strong. You guys rock. Let's hope we can really make an impact here. It's time to speak out and try to convince your city leaders to give them a little bit more time!