Parma Heights moving forward on demolition of NEO Soccer facility

NEO Soccer facility in Parma Heights. (John Benson/cleveland.com)

PARMA HEIGHTS, Ohio -- A year after first discussing the demolition of the dilapidated and nearly half-century-old NEO Soccer facility, Parma Heights is moving forward with the project.

Earlier this week, City Council awarded the $117,000 contract to the low bidder, Baumann Enterprises Inc. Mayor Marie Gallo said eight vendors submitted bids.

“We’re looking at demolition beginning in February or March,” Gallo said. “It’ll take about a month to take the building down.”

Parma Heights last year applied to the Cuyahoga Land Bank for demolition funds. The city was given a $297,750 grant as a sub-recipient by the Ohio Department of Development to demolish the closed NEO Soccer facility.

NEO Soccer facility in Parma Heights. (John Benson/cleveland.com)

“I’m thankful to see the winning bid for demolition of the NEO Soccer facility come in lower than the engineer’s estimate,” City Council President Tom Rounds said.

“I’m also thankful for the grant funding that is paying for this project. Baumann Enterprises Inc. has completed this type of work before, so all should be done in a timely manner.”

Due to the fact that the awarded bid was less than the grant amount, not only will the city not be paying for the demolition costs, it won’t be on the hook for a 25 percent local match.

“It’s very important we don’t have to pay anything,” Gallo said. “We wouldn’t be able to do the projects to the extent that we do here without the assistance of grant funding.

“That’s why we’re very grateful to the county and the state and even the federal government. Receiving funding opportunities like this, we can take care of problems such as a building like NEO Soccer. We can take it down and remedy the issue much more quickly instead of having to go out to borrow for funds.

“It’s a great opportunity for us.”

NEO Soccer facility in Parma Heights. (John Benson/cleveland.com)

Built in 1974 and last used in early 2020, the 37,194-square-foot NEO Soccer facility -- formerly an ice-skating rink -- has come under hard times.

Issues include a severely deteriorated roof, corroded structural steel beams and steel roof purlins, as well as numerous cracks in the structural block walls, including a stress crack in the front entrance facade.

The removal of the building opens up a world of opportunities for Parma Heights to re-envision the area -- located in the center of Greenbrier Commons.

“It will be green space for the time being until we figure out what we can do with that area back there,” Gallo said.

“It’s a great location right near the Cassidy Theatre, the pool, the Metroparks and the library. We want to bring something back there that will serve the entire community.”

Considering the city’s limited finances, new building construction isn’t on the table. However, the mayor said a modest investment -- perhaps in the $100,000 to $200,000 range -- could be in the cards.

“We’re looking at any recreational possibilities,” Gallo said. “We had someone come to us about putting a playground back there. All options are open to us right now.

“Within the next several months, we hope to come up with a plan for that area that’s a good fit for our community.”

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