Church to take over vacant property in East Columbus

East Columbus United Methodist Church will be able to take over a neighboring piece of property after no one purchased the abandoned lot in a tax sale.

The Bartholomew County Commissioners yesterday morning approved assigning the property on Indiana Avenue to the church, which will be responsbile for all associated fees and title transfer costs. The property used to have an abandoned and derelict home on the lot which was torn down by the city of Columbus. The county tried to collect $5,000 for the less than half acre lot under the tax sale, according to county officials, but there were no takers.

The church plans to preserve the property as green space, according to county commissioners.

County Commissioner Larry Kleinhenz said that he would normally prefer for properties to remain on the tax rolls, but in this case the property appears to have no value.