Clay School Owner Details Proposed Sale in Wheeling
Baynes has owned property since 2003
WHEELING — The owner of the soon-to-be-sold former Clay School in East Wheeling said he feels relieved at the prospect of getting the weight of the massive old building off his shoulders.
Darryl Baynes said he expects to close on the sale of the building, which he purchased in 2003, to Neighborhood Development Services of Ravenna, Ohio early next year. Wheeling City Manager Robert Herron announced last week the anticipated demolition of the property for construction of 42 two-bedroom apartments, now known as the Clay Elderly Housing Project.
The development will serve elderly residents living on a low income. Baynes said the deal offers him an exit on a building too expensive to renovate or destroy, but said to make it he essentially “had to give it to them.”
Baynes said demolition costs alone have been estimated at $500,000. Though Paull Associates had previously listed the property for $249,900, Baynes said he’ll likely get less than $30,000 for it.
He said he’ll still owe money on the original mortgage, issued when he purchased the building for $65,000 from the Ohio County Board of Education.
“I had to do the deal just to get out from under it,” Baynes said. “Because either the city is going to ask me to tear it down or do something with it. I don’t have a half-million dollars.”
Paull Associates Executive Vice President Lee Paull IV said the company is not managing the transaction. Baynes said his contract with the real estate company has expired, and he is handling the matter personally.
Baynes said the building isn’t worth much at this point due to its long-term vacancy and numerous structural issues. It’s littered with broken windows, a severely leaking roof and a leaning facade.
Officials with Neighborhood Development Services did not immediately return a call seeking comment. The company received a tax credit from the West Virginia Housing Development Fund for its proposal.
Baynes said the company originally submitted this request to the housing development fund in 2015, but was rejected. It then reapplied and was awarded the credits for 2016.
George Gannon, communications manager with the West Virginia Housing Development Fund, said the state allocated $4.3 million in tax credits this year for affordable housing. He said they help pay for development costs to enable lower rents for tenants.
Gannon was unsure exactly how much the tax credits Neighborhood Development Services received for the Clay School project were worth.
Baynes intended to turn the school into a public science and community center, but never got the project off the ground due to limited financial support. He said the city was fair with him throughout his ownership, although officials have expressed concern over the property’s future. Baynes was taken to municipal court in 2015 for building code violations.
“As well they should,” he said. “I gave it the old college try. If it helps with development of the city, fine. I am very relieved. It’s time for me to do something else.”
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