COLUMBUS, Ohio — The owners of Eastland Mall are being held in contempt after Columbus City Attorney Zach Klein says they failed to make the required improvements to keep the property in compliance.
According to Klein’s office, the owners of Eastland Mall Holdings LLC failed to comply with provisions of the court order that was in June. The order stated the owners needed to clean and fix litter and solid waste, high grass, noncompliant graphics, graffiti, broken concrete, wall overhang and mortar voids
The owners were given a $3,500 fine and an additional $250 per day fine for each day the property remains noncompliant moving forward.
The City of Columbus filed a case against the property owners in April 2021.
In March 2022, the property owners were cited for health and safety code violations. City leaders obtained a court order in June declaring the mall a public nuisance following months of neglect and failure of property owners to bring the site into compliance, Klein said.
The owners were required to fix the property violations by July 13 and fix the parking lot violations by Aug. 13. Additionally, the owners were ordered to conduct daily litter pickup and biweekly maintenance of the grounds to maintain the property and keep it compliant with the code.
“Small business owners, patrons and east side residents deserve better than what they’re getting at Eastland as property owners failed to meet reasonable benchmarks to comply with the Court’s order to improve safety and security,” Klein said. “The City will continue to pursue every legal option to hold owners accountable and ensure this property is brought into compliance so that it can once again drive economic opportunity on the east side of Columbus.”
A status conference is set for Jan. 10, 2023, to re-evaluate compliance with the order and determine the next steps for the property.