STEUBENVILLE, Ohio — The City of Steubenville has condemned Fort Steuben Mall, posting condemnation notices on the property and securing portions of the building, including several exterior fire exit doors.
Business owners inside the mall say the action came without advance notice, leaving many tenants surprised when they arrived to find notices posted on entrances and some emergency exit doors padlocked.
Several tenants told River News they were not contacted by either the property’s ownership or city officials before the condemnation notices were posted. Instead, they said they first learned of the action after seeing the notices on the building or through local news reports.
The padlocking of several fire exit doors has also raised concerns among tenants, who question how emergency evacuations would be handled if the building’s primary entrances became inaccessible during a fire or other emergency.
River News has reached out to city officials seeking clarification on whether the secured exits meet fire safety requirements and whether tenants were expected to continue operating while portions of the building remain condemned.
The condemnation follows recent concerns over the condition of the aging shopping center after city officials previously gave the property’s owner a deadline to address multiple code violations.
As of Monday, several businesses remained open inside the mall while awaiting additional guidance from city officials and property management.
River News is continuing to follow this developing story. Additional information regarding the building’s status and the secured emergency exits will be reported as it becomes available.
