COSHOCTON − The Coshocton County Land Reutilization Corporation, commonly known as the land bank, awarded a demolition project to a local company on April 13, although it was not the overall lowest bidder.
Aster Oilfield Services of Bellaire submitted the lowest bid on two of the three buildings to be razed, but land bank members voiced concerns about the company.
William Albert will tear down the former Coshocton Justice Center, Coshocton County Prosecutor’s Office and Family Connection Center in the 300 block of Chestnut Street, making way for more parking at the courthouse and green space.
William Albert’s total bid for all three properties is $142,990. The project is being funded with $250,000 in leftover 2025 grant funding. All work must be completed by June 30.
Hannah Gallagher, land bank secretary, said Aster did fine work on previous demolitions. However, the company was slow in returning needed paperwork for the Ohio Department of Development. Requests were made in January 2025 for previous work and paperwork wasn’t received until May.
Additionally, Aster has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in West Virginia, which brought the stability of the company into question for land bank members.
This article originally appeared on Coshocton Tribune: Concerns lead Coshocton land bank to bypass lowest demolition bidder
Reporting by Leonard L. Hayhurst, Coshocton Tribune / Coshocton Tribune
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