MOUNT VERNON — The Knox County Land Bank will partner with Interchurch Social Services and create a food pantry hub in the former Wine Stein restaurant at 156 Howard St.
Interchurch operates a food pantry and thrift store at 306 W. Gambier St.
ISS Director Carolyn Fergus said the plan is to move pantry operations to the Howard Street location and maintain the thrift store on West Gambier.
“Both needed to expand, and we are landlocked where we are now [on West Gambier],” Fergus said. “We couldn’t go toward the back or either side, so we looked at Wine Stein.
“It makes the perfect food pantry, and it puts us close to senior citizens, which is even better.”
Fergus said Interchurch will add cold storage for fresh produce and freezer storage.
“It’s really going to expand the pantry. Where the current pantry is, that will become thrift store donation and sorting and storage, so it’ll free up even part of my thrift store,” she said.
Fergus does not foresee an issue with having the pantry and thrift store in two locations. Both locations are on the Knox Area Transit route.
Site work includes interior demolition
The land bank has applied for demolition funds to remove everything inside the former restaurant, including the stage and bar.
At Thursday’s land bank meeting, the board approved a demolition contract with United Aggregates for $64,000.
“This is, I think, a great opportunity for the community, taking an unused building and bringing it to a community use and leveraging grant dollars to help facilitate that,” Land Bank President Sam Filkins said.
The land bank will transfer the building to Interchurch once the demolition is complete.
Once Interchurch takes possession of the building, Fergus will get estimates for electrical and refrigeration work.
Michelle Dubrow donated the property and building to the land bank.
“That’s a home run for us as a land bank,” board chair Tyler Griffith said of the partnership. “This news was shared with the lady who donated the property, and she’s thrilled.”
Reimbursements submitted for Columbus Road housing
Filkins submitted reimbursement requests for four houses in the Columbus Road Welcome Home Ohio housing project.
Reimbursements total $650,000. Filkins anticipates receiving the reimbursement in early January.
He anticipates closing on the homes by Feb. 1, 2026.
The Ohio Department of Development is accepting applications for the next round of grants.
“We’ve identified a solid five to seven sites that we can build on. There are others, but I feel confident that we’ll probably do at least five,” Filkins said.
Under the new grant rules, the ODOD will only award $100,000 per house. Construction costs run around $160,000.
“We have to put $60,000 of our own money in, but we’re selling them for more than $60,000, so we’ll make our money back,” Filkins said.
The four completed houses have an appraised value of $210,000. However, Filkins previously said the sale price will be around $180,000.
Founders Food Hall to include duckpin bowling
Final state inspections for Founders Food Hall at 18 E. Vine St. are scheduled for Jan. 9, 2026. Filkins anticipates a March 1 opening.
Board members authorized Filkins to negotiate a signage agreement for the establishment up to $22,653.
The land bank board voted to transition Kitchen 8 to two lanes of duckpin bowling at a cost of around $100,000.
Filkins said the typical return on investment for duckpin bowling is seven months.
“I don’t think we’ll meet seven months,” he said. “We’re not going to charge as much as Columbus does, and we’re not going to have as much activity as they do.
“Everyone we’ve talked to about this is interested because it adds an entertainment element. It keeps people there.”
Filkins estimates the lost revenue from eliminating the kitchen is $28,000 a year. However, the estimated annual revenue is around $80,000.
Board members approved moving forward with the first three kitchen lease agreements. Filkins declined to provide more information because the contracts are not yet signed.
Additional demolition financing
The land bank applied for $230,000 to cover six demolitions throughout the county. The ODOD has not yet approved the grant, and the land bank was not required to identify the six projects.
Additionally, the land bank will apply for $1 million in brownfield remediation money that the state has set aside. In November, land bank board members approved using the Maumee Valley Planning Organization to help with grant writing.
Other land bank business
The land bank continues to work with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on the demolition of the powerhouse in Heartland Commerce Park.
It acquired 306 N. Jefferson St., an abandoned property that did not sell at sheriff’s sale.
The board took the following additional actions:
•Authorized Filkins to sign an agreement to repair the aquaduct on Norton Street
•Accepted an application to sell property in Mount Vernon
•Authorized Filkins to negotiate the purchase of a property
•Approved trading the former Centerburg Respiratory property in Centerburg for 80 Miller St. in Centerburg
•Authorized Filkins to negotiate selling 80 Miller St. to the Village of Centerburg
•Accepted a plan to build a concrete stage with a decorative fence behind it, an archway in the front denoting the park name, run electric to the site, and install concrete aprons for picnic tables at the site of the former In Town Restaurant in Centerburg
•Accepted applications for two Danville properties