The Eslich Wrecking Company of Louisville,
Ohio will be relocating its concrete crushing operation currently at the former General
Tire site between Seiberling Street and Massillon Road to a parcel of land off of
Gilchrist Road. The move comes as part of a land exchange being proposed by Mayor Don
Plusquellic.The City of Akron and Eslich have reached agreement to exchange property. A
parcel at Wilbeth and Manchester roads owned by Eslich will become City property for Akron
to use on work with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) on putting a
maintenance and materials storage facility on the Ohio and Erie Canal at Wilbeth Road.
This will open up land necessary to make improvements for recreational purposes on the
northern end of Summit Lake where the ODNR storage facility is now located.
In the exchange of land with Eslich, the City will obtain the land and in return grant
to Eslich property, the acquisition of which Akron City Council approved in July of 2001,
off of Gilchrist Road. This parcel was acquired from Norfolk and Southern Railroad and
includes a large, sloped area that will act as a buffer for Eslich’s facilities.
Environmental studies continue on the General Tire site and upon completion, the City
of Akron still intends to purchase the land for use as an industrial park. Significant
environmental issues remain on the site, but the City is hopeful they can be alleviated so
Akron can complete the agreement as originally negotiated with General Tire.
Ward 6 Councilwoman Terry Albanese said, "We have never felt the current location
was appropriate, and council and the residents have been hounding the mayor and his
administration to act on this issue for some time. However, I have seen in the last two
years how complicated this issue is involving the economic development, planning, zoning
and law departments as well as the EPA. Obviously there were no simple answers."
Mayor Don Plusquellic said today, "We have been working non-stop to complete the
purchase of the property and thereby remove the Eslich operation on the former General
Tire site, but because of environmental issues we were not able to finish that in a timely
manner. This exchange of property allows us to move forward with Eslisch’s move to
alleviate the problems the neighbors have complained about. And while I empathize with the
citizens, I want them to understand the difficult legal environment we have been in on
this case that has caused these delays."
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