Demise of McCoy Property

 

 

 

by David Miller

Loveland, Ohio - The building was known as the McCoy Property. It was built in 1865, the last year of the Civil War. From the 1940s until the 1980s “Beef” McCoy, a huge teddy bear, owned McCoy's Carry Out, selling cold cases of beer, cold cuts, etc. Deli sandwiches made to order.

Beer, wine, snacks, cigs and lunch-meat that was very fresh, nothing pre-packaged, using a big slicer and wrapping in thick white paper for you.

The place was sometimes a little scary for woman, depending on who was in there. "The guys who ran it were very nice, but always lots of eyes on me when I went in there," a former regular said recently.

Beef, some called him Beefy McCoy exemplified the town character of the time as much as any icon in the iconic railroad river village when Nisbet Lumber and Hardware was next door across the railroad tracks, also Rolke's Supply, and just up the street, the State Liquor Store.

The building was near the railroad underpass near the Loveland Canoe and Kayak and Eads Fence on Broadway Street, and also adjacent to the Loveland Bike Trail.

The City of Loveland bought the building in 2008 to control the property's use, and have the option of demolishing it for a parking lot as part of larger development plans for our "Historic Downtown" that is so bragged upon by our elected mothers and fathers. Many historic structures have been demolished for this stalled development in the name of "Progress." Of course the planned new development comes with the promises of new buildings that reflect the historic character of our charming river town siting in this quiet valley on the banks of a State and National Scenic River, the Little Miami.

Artist, Rick Allen Gaddis painted the McCoy house in 2005. He said it was one of his best selling works. The building was near the railroad underpass near the Loveland Canoe Rental and Eads Fence on Broadway Stree, and also adjacent to the Loveland Bike Trail. The landmark, building, was formally a carryout owned by “Beef” McCoy

Gaddis said, "This piece of art was made using Photoshop. I started with a photo of an old deli in downtown Loveland. One day I was driving, not really paying attention to much. As I made a turn to the left, I saw the coolest old building. There was an old truck in the front and large trees all around. My mind started running about a million miles a second, I was picturing what it would have looked like 100 years ago."

 

After city leaders acquired the McCoy property they let it fall into such decay that they could now easily justify its demolition. With such neglect, the McCoy property became Loveland's most prominent eyesore - easy prey for parking lot lords.

The photos above and below, were taken last July and September. City Hall's meagerly attempt to market the property for re-use predictably failed. The property declined rapidly after taxpayers owned the building. .

 The time lapse video of the demolition (©2013) was shot and edited by videographer Bob Kessler.