“There is no intended use at this time,” Dyer said of the property.

According to records at the Clarion County Courthouse, W.A. Rea II, R&S Associates, and R&S Metals Corp. sold the parcels to the Cleveland Clinic Foundation, with the sale recorded Nov. 4.

The Cleveland Clinic Foundation paid $716,000 for the property, generating a real estate transfer tax of $14,320.

According to Robert Ragon, Clarion Borough zoning officer, the property is in an industrial zone.

Ragon said the zoning designation would prohibit the property from being used for patient care or treatment, however, the zoning designation does allow for a laboratory or research use.

Dyer said as the purchase of the property is a “new transaction,” the foundation could still be planning its use for the site.

According to the Cleveland Clinic’s website, the organization is “a not-for-profit, multispecialty academic medical center that integrates clinical and hospital care with research and education.”

The website states, “Founded in 1921 by four renowned physicians with a vision of providing outstanding patient care based upon the principles of cooperation, compassion and innovation, Cleveland Clinic has become one of the largest and most respected hospitals in the country.

“Cleveland Clinic facilities can be found throughout Northeast Ohio , as well as, around the country and world including:  Cleveland Clinic in Florida; Cleveland Clinic Canada; and Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi.

“Cleveland Clinic Health System is comprised of nine community hospitals and three affiliate hospitals and are accredited by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations, the nation’s largest accreditor of healthcare organizations.”

 The purchase could be a double-edged sword for Clarion Borough.

While any new businesses, jobs and residents would be welcomed in the borough, the Cleveland Clinic Foundation is a not-for-profit organization.

Not-for-profit property owners can apply for exemptions from local real estate taxes.

More than 75 percent of the property in Clarion Borough is already exempt from real estate taxes.