COLUMBUS, Ohio — The Franklin County Municipal Court has sided with the City of Columbus to hold the owners of the shuttered Eastland Mall in contempt, according to City Attorney Zach Klein.
The court's decision on Thursday is in response to a June 2022 court order for the owners failing to secure the property and bring it up to code. As a result, the municipal court imposed new penalties against the owners — including a $10,000 fine, a daily $1,000 per day fine that will continue until code violations are addressed and requiring them to submit a plan for fixing the property.
“The Eastland Mall owners have shown no regard for their obligations to the city, to the court and to our friends and neighbors on the east side, and now they find themselves yet again in contempt of court and racking up fines,” said Klein. “Holding owners accountable is critical to ensuring this site can once again be a catalyst for jobs and economic growth as we look to the future of the east side of Columbus.”
Eastland Mall closed its doors in December 2022 after being open for 54 years. It was the place for those in central Ohio looking to grab a bite, shop around or even see a movie.
Before the mall permanently shut its doors, city leaders declared it a public nuisance after months of neglect by the property owners to fix several health and safety code violations. The violations included broken glass, inoperable fire safety systems, failure to properly board up the site, parking areas needing repairs, and high grass, weeds and litter.
The owners were previously fined $3,500 and an additional daily $250 fine when held in contempt in September 2022.
Klein said the owners have not paid any fines and have yet to bring the property into compliance.
