Kettering to spend $1.3M to demolish part of shopping center; Costs to be levied against property

The city of Kettering is moving forward with demolishing part of the Wilmington Heights Shopping Center after city council authorized spending about $1.3 million to contract with a demolition company after the city goes through a competitive bargaining and negotiation process.

While being paid upfront by the city, the costs will be levied against the property taxes for that portion of the Wilmington Heights Shopping Center.

"The city's been pursuing nuisance abatements of the former Wilmington Heights Shopping Center for several months now," Assistant City Manager Bryan Chodkowski said. "This particular legislation will allow the city to move to market to identify and select a demolition contractor who will demolish the vast majority of the building."

The city will be demolishing the vacant portions of the Wilmington Heights Shopping Center, but other parts of the structure will remain, according to city staff.

Parcel 1, the subject of this demolition, is largely vacant and includes several addresses between 4614 and 4658 Wilmington Pike, according to Chodkowski.

The owner is still listed as members of the Karras family, connected with the Karras Group, along with the limited liability company listed as "OJUS LLC," according to Montgomery County real estate records. It recently went through a court-ordered auction with the highest bid being $900,250, according to Prodigy Properties' foreclosure site. The bid winner was not available.

The second parcel, which is not the subject of this enforcement effort, is occupied by Troni Brothers Pizza, 4654 Wilmington Pike, and King's Point Pub, 4660 Wilmington Pike, Chodkowski said. This portion of the shopping center is owned by members of the Karras family, according to county real estate records, but it was not listed as part of the court-order auction. The Karras Group's website lists this portion of the shopping center being owned by KB Realty.

"It (the demolition) will not affect the occupied portions of the building, which includes Troni Brothers (Pizza) and King's Point Pub," Chodkowski said.

The city's code enforcement efforts in regard to the first parcel began Aug. 20, 2021. Between that time and May 30, 2025, the city provided more than 42 inspection compliance opportunities for the owners of parcel one to bring the property into compliance with the city's property maintenance code, Chodkowski said previously.

In early June 2025, the city notified the owners that the city intended to take formal actions under the property maintenance code to bring parcel one into compliance with the city's codes.

The owners of the property appealed the decision to the city's Property Maintenance Appeals Board, which met on July 29 to discuss the property. The board sided with the city, backing the decision to demolish the property.

"The cost of this project will eventually be placed on the tax roll of the current property owner," Chodkowski said.

Earlier this year, the city council approved contracting with App Architecture Inc. to provide the demolition design and specification drafting services ahead of the bidding process for the demolition.

The Dayton Daily News reached out to the Karras Group for comment.

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This story was originally published June 25, 2026 at 10:16 AM.