But in recent years, the sturdy brick building with multiple levels and a large smoke stack has slowly deteriorated. This summer, much of the roof caved in and most windows and doors are broken.
In August, the plant built by A.E. Harding and associates, caught the attention of the Monroe Fire Department. A drone, flown over the building to explore its condition, revealed much of the building had collapsed.
“Our obvious concern with the building is it is in deplorable condition. The roof has failed fairly dramatically,” said Monroe Fire Chief John Centers, whose department has jurisdiction in Lemon Twp. “It is an extremely dangerous building to be in … there are a lot of failing floors.”
The historical significance of the building, as well as social media lore that it is haunted, attract people who want to explore the property that has no fence keeping trespassers out, Centers said.
From 2001 to August 2014, Monroe police responded to 154 calls to the location, according to police records obtained by the Journal-News. Some involved suspicious people or vehicles. The Butler County Sheriff’s Office now patrols the area.
“It is an eyesore and a safety hazard,” said Janet Majors, a Lemon Twp. trustee, adding that the trustees and fire department are working to contact the owners of the land to find a solution.
“We have been attempting to contact the owners for a couple weeks now. All the numbers we have been able to get our hands on are disconnected or no longer in service,” Centers said.
According to the Butler County Auditor’s website, the land was purchased in 2005 by B&G Auto Sales in Middletown with a secondary owner listed as James Agee. The phone listed for the dealership is no longer in service and the Journal-News could not locate contact information for Agee.
Centers said they want to work with the owners to find a solution, whether it be razing the building or putting up a fence. He noted there may be some grants to help offset the cost.
The Butler County building and zoning department was contacted by the fire department about the mill’s condition at the end of August, according to David Fehr, county director of development.
A local company estimated it would cost $550,000 to tear down the building, he said.
That cost is much more than is available from state funding for demolition of blighted properties, Fehr said. A federal grant may be a possibility.
It is possible for county building inspectors to take legal measures to have have building razed under court order, but it still becomes a matter of funding, whether it be the owner or township, to do the job, Fehr said.
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