Article published April 03, 2008
Lucas County's 2nd-oldest commercial building again up for sale
The three-story, 14,600-square-foot building, previously home to the Linck Inn, is to be sold by sealed bids. The building at River Road and Wayne Street dwarfs those nearby.
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THE BLADE
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By TED FACKLER
BLADE STAFF WRITER
The second-oldest commercial building in Lucas County is up for sale once again.
The Plantation Inn, built in 1836 at 301 River Rd. in Maumee, is being sold by the Plantation LLC partnership.
The building's tenants Giannos Italian Bistro, Tom's Tavern, and the Cooke & Cohen restaurant closed last Saturday.
The 14,600-square-foot building, which has a tax value of $326,000, is being sold by sealed bids, due by noon May 1. No minimum bid has been set, but the online sale price is listed at $875,000.
The sale is expected to be completed by May 30, said Steve Serchuk of the Toledo office of Signature Associates, the property marketer. It is being marketed locally and nationally.
The building is listed on the National Register of Historical places. It has a liquor license and has a view of the Maumee River from its upper floors.The building was constructed by Levi Beebe to showcase the "Queen City of the West" as Maumee City was called. It housed a law office, post office, bank, grocer, and stationery store. Initially, it was called the Commercial Building.
In 1840 it became a hotel. It's reported that as young men Abe Lincoln, Ulysses S. Grant, and Rutherford B. Hayes rented rooms. It also was an Underground Railroad stop as well as a Prohibition-era tavern.
"The property could be used for a restaurant, or offices, or for residential purposes," said Mr. Serchuk. It also could be used well by a nonprofit, fraternal, or community organization, or even as a bed and breakfast inn, he added.
John Jezak, Maumee city administrator, proposed other possibilities: "It would be particularly appealing as an architect's office or an engineer's office. … There's a lot of restaurants and operations out there that have overcome odd locations to do very well."
Restaurants have struggled at the site in part because it is not in a high-traffic location, and in part because of the area's troubled economy.
In 2005, the building was renovated, including a new kitchen, dining room, banquet facility, furniture, and air conditioning system. The first floor is designed for a restaurant and bar, the second floor has a 100-person-capacity banquet hall, and the third floor is best suited for offices or residential units, Mr. Serchuk said.
Said Mr. Jezak, "As far as ambiance is concerned it's a wonderful place. It doesn't suffer from interior appeal."
The oldest commercial building in the county is the Columbian House in Waterville, built in 1828.
Contact Ted Fackler at: tfackler@theblade.com or 419-724-6199.
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