By Gage Vota Sinclair Foundation co-founders Donn Sinclair takes to the Belmont County Board of Commissioners meeting about his foundation seeking to enter a partnership with the county’s Land Bank.

ST. CLAIRSVILLE – The co-founder of a foundation heading up a home-building project in the Rose Hill neighborhood voiced his frustrations with the county’s land bank to Belmont County commissioners on Wednesday.

Sinclair Foundation co-founder Donn Sinclair appeared before commissioners Wednesday, saying that the Belmont County Land Reutilization Corporation, also known as the county land bank, is putting up unnecessary hurdles to the foundation’s project.

The Sinclair Foundation is currently pursuing a beautification project to build five new one-story homes in the Rose Hill neighborhood. Sinclair also wants to expand the project to Monroe Street to demolish various dilapidated structures whose owners have past-due or delinquent taxes.

The Sinclair Foundation has proposed that the land bank purchase one Monroe Street property.

He said the issue stems from the land bank wanting to bid out the project, while the Sinclair Foundation wants to have the final say on the contractors being hired.

“We would understand it if we were talking about Belmont County taxpayer dollars, but we’re talking about Sinclair Foundation dollars. We invited the Belmont County Land Bank to participate with us, not to run this project,” Sinclair said. “This is a private public partnership. If we’re paying for the demolition, then we’re going to hire the contractors. We are willing to accept suggestions and referrals, because we want to get the best price possible, so we can demolish and get rid of as many blighted homes as possible. But again, this is a Sinclair Foundation project, and we want Belmont County Land Bank to participate with us.”

He added that all his foundation is asking from the land bank is participation in the project, not to run it.

“We started the project, we organized it, we picked out the homes that were demolished, so that’s our lead, and the reason for that is we’re building new homes down the street and around the corner from these blighted homes, and we can’t sell those for a decent price unless we get rid of the blighted properties,” Sinclair said. “We have up to $10 million invested. We’re just asking for cooperation from the land bank.”

Commissioner Vince Gianangeli asked Sinclair what exactly he needed from the land bank.

Sinclair replied that he needs the land bank to agree to join the project and expeditiously acquire the blighted properties that the foundation is looking to demolish.

“These are homes that are past due at least three, four, five years in taxes that need to be torn down,” he said.

Commissioner Jerry Echemann advised Sinclair to attend the next Belmont County Land Bank meeting on June 15 at 1 p.m.

Sinclair said that he currently lives in Rock Hill, South Carolina, and would not be able to attend the meeting. Echemann, who also sits on the land bank board, asked Sinclair to provide him with his phone number so the board could conference him into the June 15 meeting. Sinclair then provided his phone number and agreed to participate by phone.

He added that he is very dedicated to making this partnership happen.

“If it doesn’t, it’s going to make it much more difficult for us to sell the new homes at a decent price,” Sinclair said. “I grew up in the Rose Hill neighborhood, and I have great fond memories of bicycling, playing basketball, baseball, football, riding my bicycle up to the swimming pool. It was absolutely a great place to grow up, and it’s not the Bellaire that I remember. If we can in some small way, make it better again. That’s what we would like to accomplish. That’s our way of saying thank you and giving back to Bellaire.”

Sinclair said the foundation’s biggest obstacle is its belief that the land bank has the ability to acquire tax-delinquent properties but has been unwilling to work with the foundation on targeted demolitions. He pointed specifically to 3547 Monroe St., saying the foundation proposed that the land bank acquire the property, conduct any necessary asbestos testing and remediation, and then allow the foundation to pay for demolition, debris removal and site restoration. He said the property is one of 15 to 18 homes the foundation has identified in Bellaire’s Rose Hill neighborhood as candidates for demolition. The foundation has provided a list of those properties to the county auditor’s and treasurer’s offices and hopes officials will work with the group to remove blight from the neighborhood.