Apr 10, 2026 By Mike Jones 3 min read

Another two dilapidated buildings that had been an eyesore for years in Washington were demolished last week, paving the way for a new mixed-use development in the heart of the downtown business district.

Only rubble remains of the two vacant buildings in the 80 block of North Main Street after they were razed, giving the Redevelopment Authority of the County of Washington a blank slate to build something new to hopefully attract new businesses and residents alike.

“It’s in the heart of the business district and on a pivotal corner as part of our revitalization,” Redevelopment Authority Executive Director Bob Griffin said. “It gives us a really good canvas to determine what’s possible there moving forward.”

Two other buildings at North Main and West Chestnut streets have also been demolished in the past few years, including the infamous “Ebay building” that had been bought and sold online by foreign investors who did little to maintain the property. It took years to untangle the liens on the property, and the Citywide Development Corp. eventually took control of that building before it was turned over to the Washington County Land Bank. Last year, the land bank took ownership of the other two buildings, allowing the redevelopment authority to move forward with more demolitions.

The demolition cost $303,575 and was paid for using county blight funds, Local Share Account grants and general funds from the land bank, Griffin said.

Now with a four-lot parcel available for development, Griffin said they’re working to find a private partner to work with in order to build on the site. He said a feasibility study “envisioned” a public-private partnership that would construct a building or buildings on the property that could include retail space, commercial opportunities, medical offices and even upstairs residential apartments. The redevelopment authority could also move its offices into the new building, Griffin said.

“It’s really going to come down to the private partner we are able to work with on the project,” Griffin said. “We obviously want to keep it on the tax rolls.”

The work is part of an overall plan to revitalize the downtown business district in Washington by removing abandoned or dilapidated properties and giving developers the opportunity to build on the sites.

The four parcels are now combined into one, which should ease development in the future. In addition, Griffin said the lot has easy access to the Crossroads Center parking garage just behind it, which could be attractive for incoming businesses and residents looking for off-street parking.

“While there are no immediate plans underway, we did do a feasibility study so we know what can fit on that site,” Griffin said. “It’s just about us finding the right private partnership.”