COLUMBUS, Ohio — Eastland Mall is closing its doors after 54 years in business, city officials confirmed to 10TV Thursday.
The shopping mall on Hamilton Road was home to more than 50 retailers and businesses that are now packing up their inventory in boxes.
Eastland Mall will permanently close on Saturday, but the doors have been closed to customers since Monday due to a broken water line.
Earlier this year, the City of Columbus obtained a court order declaring Eastland Mall a public nuisance following months of neglect by the property's owners to fix several health and safety code violations.
The city filed a case against the property's owners in 2021 as well after multiple inspections at the mall. Inspectors reportedly discovered multiple violations including inadequate lighting, potholes in parking areas, structural issues and unauthorized zoning.
One of the requirements of the property owners following the court order was to conduct daily litter pickup and biweekly maintenance of the grounds to maintain the property and keep it in compliance.
After re-inspection by the city in September, the owners were held in contempt after Columbus City Attorney Zach Klein said they failed to make the required improvements to keep the property in compliance.
The owners were given a $3,500 fine and an additional $250 per day fine for each day the property remains noncompliant moving forward.
There is no plan for the future of the site right, Columbus official Michael Stevens told 10TV's Lindsey Mills.
Columbus' Zoning Chief Shannon Pine said the property is commercial use and could host any business except for a gas station, a car wash, or a drive-in. Residential units would also be okay as long as it's not ground level and above a business.
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