Baldwin buys lumber yard

Local businessman Bob Baldwin recently purchased the buildings that once housed the Erb Lumber company, and is considering using the space for a business incubator.

On Dec. 31, Baldwin closed on the sale. According to the Greene County Auditor’s Web site, Baldwin purchased the property for $94,100.

The property includes three buildings, a 12,000-square-foot main building, a 2,200-square-foot concrete block building and a two-car garage.

Baldwin said he was attracted by the buildings’ location, size and space. Aside from needing roofing repairs, the buildings are in good shape, Baldwin said.

The buildings, located at 108 Cliff Street near the bikepath, housed a local lumber business for more than 60 years. Most recently named Stock Building Company, the business formerly was known as Erb Lumber, PK Lumber and the Yellow Springs Lumber Company.

Baldwin purchased the buildings from the Edgewood Company, a Detroit realty firm that had bought them from PK Lumber.

The buildings had been empty since last August, when the Stock Building Company closed its Yellow Springs location and moved its operations to another store in Springfield.

Although he has no firm plans at this time for the space, Baldwin said that he is considering “dividing it up into work spaces” and offering it as a site for small businesses. He said that he considers the MillWorks business facility on Walnut Street a model for this possible use of the buildings.

“I’ll let people know what’s available and see if I can adapt what I have to what I need,” Baldwin said.

However, he said, no plans are final yet and he’s also considering using the space as storage rentals. Baldwin said he won’t start the project before spring.

A lifelong Yellow Springs resident, Baldwin owns more than 15 commercial and residential properties in town, including several downtown buildings and the former bowling alley on the south end of the village.

—Diane Chiddister