Who owns downtown Grove?

If you would visit the County Assessor's office in Jay, it would reveal who owns what in downtown Grove along 3rd street, which is the first phase of the proposed Downtown Revitalization Project.

First Place goes to Peter M Crow, publisher of the Grove Sun Daily, who owns almost all of Block 26 fronting on 3rd street, where the newspaper office is located, and two corner properties across the street in separate blocks. Crow owns about 12 properties in downtown Grove. Those located adjacent to his newspaper and down the street are empty.

Exceptions in his block are the former Mill Creek location, still owned by the Ramsay Corporation, and the proposed Grand Lake Family Fellowship Church, property recently sold by another media magnate, Larry Hestand, owner of KGVE Radio. He recently sold Lots 2, 3 and 4 to the church for $275,000 in the form of a promissory note financed by the First Bank of Owasso on behalf of James E Fuller, President and Senior Pastor of the church.

Hestand had purchased part of this property in 2000 from Quentin A Martin Trust for $110,000, records show, but then took out a $312,000 mortgage to Grand Savings Bank in June 2003 on the property which had a due date of 6 months later, according to the assessors office records. One can forget any nice sidewalk cafe anywhere near this location, if it wants to serve wine, as being too close to a church.

Hestand also owns a property in Block 16 next to the Barber Shop, and of course his radio station location, cell phone sales office, and part of the property next door. So one might think that Hestand would come in second place, but he comes in third, if one looks at square feet.

Second Place goes to Sam Williams, who owns most of Block 27 with the exception of the Green Country Internet offices and two lots adjacent. Williams owns the balance fronting on 3rd street and around the corner to Grand Escapes Travel, which is managed by his wife, Carolyn Williams.

Blocks 17 and 18 are owned largely by a number of unrelated business people.

Based on the above, three people own basically 50% of downtown Grove fronting on 3rd street.