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It was of no surprise this past Wednesday when the final auction for the former East Ohio Regional Hospital property in Martins Ferry attracted no bidders.
It now appears the site will be forfeited to the state of Ohio over past-due taxes. It is a seemingly sad final chapter for a hospital that served generations of Ohio Valley residents and once stood as one of Martins Ferry's most important institutions.
East Ohio first closed in 2019 after being purchased by Alecto Healthcare Services, the same company that acquired and then closed the Ohio Valley Medical Center. There was renewed hope when Dr. John Johnson purchased the hospital in 2020 and reopened it in 2021.
The hospital closed again in March 2025 amid reports of unpaid wages, staffing issues and more. Since then, Martins Ferry officials say the abandoned building has become the spot for squatters, thieves and vandals.
There is about $2.1 million owed in back taxes, millions more needed for repairs, and also unanswered questions about possible environmental concerns. It is little wonder no private bidder stepped forward.
Now that the public auction process is at its end, the responsibility for this site and its future falls largely upon Martins Ferry, Belmont County and the state of Ohio to determine what happens next.
Once the courts approve the forfeiture, the Belmont County Land Reutilization Corp. may have an opportunity to acquire the property.
If that happens, officials must move quickly to assess the building, secure it and develop a realistic plan for its future.
Could portions of the complex be rehabilitated for health care, housing, offices or another productive use? Is there a developer capable of taking on a project of this size? Could the property be divided to make redevelopment more manageable?
Or has deterioration reached the point where demolition is the only practical answer? What we do know is that likely will be the case if something isn't done soon.
Here's the reality, though: none of those options will be easy or inexpensive. But allowing the former hospital to sit and decay will be more costly in the long run. Martins Ferry cannot afford to have such a large, highly visible property continue to sit and rot in the heart of the community.
East Ohio's days as a health-care facility may indeed be over. But it cannot be allowed to go the way of much of this region's past -- shattered windows, stripped wiring and a constant reminder of what used to be. State and local leaders must now decide whether the property can be saved -- or summon the resources and resolve to bring it down.