Bellefontaine Service-Safety Director Wes Dodds has announced that the city has officially taken possession of the former National Salt Building at 1515 South Main Street. As previously reported on peakofohio.com, the Bellefontaine City Council authorized the purchase of the property in October of 2025.
Dodds said that the property will enable the city to meet current space constraints, as several departments are operating in cramped quarters. Additionally, the evaluation of several city-owned buildings for the city’s Master Plan has revealed that several city facilities are showing signs of aging and wear.
The site, comprising 5.5 acres, features Main Street frontage and access from Kent Drive, and includes a 24,000-square-foot building and a 7,500-square-foot hoop building, commonly called a Quonset hut, that can be used to support city needs immediately.
“Opportunities to acquire 5.5 acres with Main Street frontage and dual access inside the city limits are extremely rare,” said Dodds. “Acting when the opportunity presented itself allowed the City to secure the property at a reasonable price and position Bellefontaine to address both current facility needs and long-term growth.”
The property, priced at $3.3 million, offered the city an incredible opportunity, Dodds said. Using a conservative estimate of $125 per square foot for new construction, the existing 24,000-square-foot building would cost the city more than $3 million to construct today.
For comparison, Dodds included a chart showing recent commercial property purchases along the South Main Street corridor, showing price-per-acre figures:
Dodds said the next steps would involve having supervisors from different departments tour the site to begin assessing what modifications may be needed to accommodate the city’s needs.
He said the facility could be used for temporary and/or transitional workspace, to relocate current municipal operations, for covered storage of city-owned equipment currently stored outdoors, and to support future municipal service needs, possibly including fire, police, and municipal court operations.
“Opportunities to acquire 5.5 acres with Main Street frontage and dual access inside the city limits are extremely rare. Acting when the opportunity presented itself allowed the City to secure the property at a reasonable price and position Bellefontaine to address both current facility needs and long-term growth.”
Dodds’ full comments on the purchase:
