Work started on cleaning old PIPO building site

NORWALK — It seems the old PIPO building is getting a makeover. Norwalk Mayor Dave Light said a group is starting to clean up the property of 75 Ontario St. Light was unable to share who is taking over the property by the time of publishing due to paperwork needing competition. "It's a huge deal, it's been the biggest eyesore in Norwalk for a long time," he said. "Tons and tons of scrap was left behind when the previous owners left. It's just sat all these years." PIPO, plastics manufacturer, a part of Highway Composites LLC, closed its doors in 2015 and left behind mountains of material inside and outside. The previous owners of PIPO are no longer involved with the building, as two have filed for bankruptcy, Norwalk law director Stuart O'Hara said. By filing for bankruptcy, it removes their personal liability for any debts on the property. After the business closed, the company didn't pay its real estate taxes to the county, which became a lien on the property. The courts appointed a receiver, a person appointed to take control of the property and nothing can be done to the property without the permission of the receiver or court order. Huron County Common Pleas Court appointed a receiver in July 2019, Jeff Lane, a manager of Prodigy Properties. Prodigy Properties is based out of Cincinnati and "focus exclusively on foreclosed, forfeited and seized real estate, as well as real estate subject to receivership and bankruptcy," according to its website. Light said it's been difficult to keep people out of the building, especially with those responsible being out of Cincinnati. "Because of the way the property was left, it's been a liability. Three or four years ago, we tried to board up all the doors because of the amount of kids going in there," he said. "It's been a nightmare trying to keep the property boarded up. It's been a real safety hazard." Light said those taking over the property will announce their involvement once everything is finalized. "Just to haul stuff inside of the building to a landfill was estimated around $1 million, not including labor," he said. "They have big plans to turn that whole property around." Light said people have broken into the building, to sleep or party and copper wiring has been stripped. "I'm excited someone is coming to get it and take care of it," Light said. O'Hara said previously if someone wanted the property, the first step would be to clean up the outside of it. "As much as there is on the outside, there's more on the inside," O'Hara said. "It's just a mess … mountains of (stuff) in there." The second step would be removing everything inside of the building, which is 175,000 square feet. Finally, officials would need to evaluate the building to see if it's salvageable or needs to be knocked down.