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FRANK SITS ALONE AS THEY TEAR DOWN HIS HOME - IF SOMEONE HURT ONE OF MY PETS I'M NOT SURE I WOULDN'T REACT THE SAME WAY.

Yes, Frank did make numerous repairs to his house.  Some of his friends that helped Frank clean the interior have several videos of the entire inside of the house.  I believe that the majority of Frank's severe mental health issues were defenitely aggravated by this entire ordeal.  He is saner than I would ever be.  :)

This time the owner of property wanted by the State of Ohio had more wealth and a plan to create housing in the cold storage plant next to the Inner Belt structure.  He was assured that his property was not needed to allow the Inner Belt construction to proceed, so he went ahead with his proposal.  And then some folks changed their minds---and the city quickly began to issue citations for the building, and to condemn the building and threaten to proceed with demolition. 

Sound familiar?  The cold storage property owner is Fred Finley--he is an African American businessman.  So, this time the taking will be more apparent as Congress representatives Dennis Kucinich and Marcia Fudge realize that it will not be as convenient to label this man, crazy or delusional. 

http://www.wkyc.com/news/local/news_article.aspx?storyid=125328&catid=45

 The building was sold to businessman Tom Embrescia who owns the firm that makes money from the building's billboards. Finley said he and the state are about $3 million apart. He wants paid for the building's best use value, not for an empty pile of bricks. And he wants compensation for money lost because of the state's about face. 

Tom Embrescia is represented by attorney Tony Coyne.  The same Tony Coyne who sits on the City of Cleveland Planning Commission...stay tuned.

Good question.  I think this is called "theft."    I do not understand how Frank could owe Tremont West anything.  The City collects on demo fees, etc. What gives them the right to steal Frank's stuff after they have him thrown in jail?  I think the FBI needs to investigate further county/city corruption by talking to former residents of TRemont.  Where did all of the poor people go that once lived there ?

Might as while start compiling the names behind this demolition. The PD article you link makes clear it was the vote of Cleveland Landmarks Commission member Jennifer Colemen that pushed the demo forward. She is a very "made" local architect, funded by the Cleveland Foundation... I've thought of her as a smart up-and-comer but I can't say if she is in fact good or evil, or if she should be on the Cleveland Landmarks Commission. Of course, there were other members who must have voted for demo and we must obtain their names. Also, considering the poor performance of the Cleveland Landmarks Commission representing us in dealing with the Breuer, it is safe to question whether any of the current members should be allowed to remain, and it is safe to say the way the Cleveland Landmarks Commission is appointed should be challenged, as it has led to such poor outcomes for the public.

The best way to determine the role of members of Cleveland Landmarks Commission in any of this would be for them to offer a public forum on this demolition, and for the members to participate in open discussions on the demolition, like this and at Tremonter.

Further, I have not seen any mention of the obvious involvement of people with the local Preservation Resource C

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> Tremonter.com is a variation of the platform Cuyahoga County uses to run their website to convey information.

Maybe I'm misunderstanding your statement, but Tremonter runs on Drupal, and I don't know of the county using Drupal for any sites.

It sounds like the less the TWDC and other establishment folks know or do about this going forward the better. Their work is done, and it sucked.

From what I've read, the first attack from the city upon Frank's historic farmland was 10 years ago... that was the beginning of the end, as the city took away from the visionary Giglio the means to feed and support himself that we now call Urban Farming. Frank was a forefather of what is now a movement farting its way through the large bowels of our establishment that just shat upon Frank. And establishment shit ain't fertile.

I'll help Frank make his property back into an urban farm, and I will help him fight for more land to farm if he needs it, and I'll even help him get workforce to help with the farming. His land may produce up to $5/square foot per year being farmed, and Frank farmed it before the City of Cleveland stole his farm. I believe he deserves his farm back.

Joe Stanley can design Frank a new home, and we may build it with recycled material from other demolitions in the area.

Where is the millwork stripped from Frank's old home - where is the lumber - was it stolen by the city?... Preserved?

It would be a good use of public money to prepare Frank's land for him to harvest, but I'm sure we can easily do it as well with just community support... I'm sure Frank will share with us his bounty... he could probably grow $100,000 worth of food a year, there, and sell it all right to the restaurants that feed the yuppies who are ruining his life.

How many square foot of land does Frank own?

I think Frank needs a lawyer to help him sue the City of Cleveland for the lost value of his food, the past 10 years, and his losses in the past few weeks. The rest of us should help Frank rebuild.

I'm meeting with Commissioner Jones Wednesday about an urban farming strategy for Cuyahoga County and I will include Frank's property in my proposal, if Frank is interested in this. Will someone check with him and report back

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If we can determine how big is his property we can approximate how much food he may grow and how much he may earn.

If there are some restaurants or markets or even neighbors in the neighborhood that Frank likes and that like Frank, we should make arrangements for them to advance Frank food now, in exchange for an equal share of food from Frank's property next Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter. 

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It appears Frank owns parcel 004-10-028, which is 4,738 square feet, and parcel 004-10-027, which is 4,720 square feet - 9,458 square feet - a little over 0.2 acres. That may easily produce $50,000 in food.

It appears there is property next to his that is not developed and is wasted growing grass... who owns that wasteland? It would be reasonable to add that to the parcels of the Historic Giglio Farm... kick Frank's prioperty up to .5 acres, to produce more food value to the community, and reduce mowing costs for the owners, probably being taxpayers.

Since we are putting urban farms on blighted land in the area, may I suggest we farm the disgraceful Grace property across the street, as well.

And, perhaps Frank may live in one of Grace's blighting board-up houses until Frank may find a new one for his lots?

Anyone know a good Christian there to ask? It is Christmas time.

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some help on this problem - please!?!

That's a good question?  How did they gain access to the property since the doors were locked and the windows were fastened down?  I've been trying to uncover this as well as other mysteries about this property since I learned of the search warrant posted on the buildig weeks ago.  Following the date lines, the amount of money, the fact that this property owner not only resides in the one beautifully finished house, but that she is a long time resident and a business owner in the neighborhood, and the hard work she has put into this property - why did they go after her at this time?  My investigation also revealed that there had been no citations issued in the past 12 months - that a recent exterior permit had been pulled for the house in question - I have made numerous calls to the inspector and have received no response, have contacted the building and housing department  - inquiring as to procedure for a condemnation order - was transferred to about six different numbers - finally received a call from a Mr. Tyrone johnson who went through some basics but as soon as I informed him that I was doing an article for the plain press - he clamed up and said he wasn't allowed to give me any answers - that I had to contact a number at the Mayor's office - I inquired as to why? Would not the answers be the same? and he just replied that I would have to call the number I was provided which I did and at this time - I will be making a visit to the noted office for as I am told, if the good inspector did somehow get inside the building - to write those 20 some plus detailed violations there would have been pictures.  Under the Sunshine Law - ORC 149.43 public records must be made available for inspection. 

This lady has suffered breakins, thefts, had the big new windows that she put into the new store front broken out - and now just out of the blue - they condem her house - "another frank situation perhaps." 

To address John Moss' interest in this equasion - he is no longer Chair person the the Housing Committee - that being so - what is he doing conducting secret meetings of any type at TWDC - In the September issue of the Plain Press, RESIDENTS RAISE CONCERNS ABOUT STEPPED UP CODE ENFORCEMENT IN TREMONT - by Chuck Hoven, Mr. Moss makes it perfectly clear as to his intentions - and he has no empathy for the poverty stricken, the elderly or the low incomed residents of the neighborhood.  Even though Mr. Moss himself has been advantaged according to county records by a two family dwelling on West 11th street that he managed to gain title from the Famicos foundation (a foundation established for the neediest of famlies) for the good price of $0 and a second home from the Cleveland Housing network for the measley sum of $20,000 - while he was off managing Merril Lynch assets in the One Hundred Ten Million Dollar range and Turner Construction projects in the One Hundred Million dollar mark.  (Chech out his Bio on helenmoss.org)  Some of the poor people I know in this neighborhood are happy to just be able to feed their families in this day and time and to have a roof over their heads, a place to keep their kids together and safe and warm means everything - what kind of a j............s would get behind code enforcement and cause undue hardship and add additional financial stress to families - causing them additional worry - when he comes from the wealthiest of families - he should be run out of town - I don't care how rich he is, what kind of business man he is, what kind of education he's got - you know - YOU CAN'T BUY CLASS WITH MONEY!!!!

SSI is a collusion of the Cleveland Foundation, Neighborhood Progress Inc. and Enterprise Community Partners (PDF file), and they are using their considerable economic and political power to change your community to their standards.

So, who is the Cleveland Foundation and why are they changing your neighborhood? If you don't like it, attack!

Who on their board represents your interests?

 

David Goldberg

Chair
Appointed 2002 by the board of directors

David Goldberg is chairman of the board of Cleveland-based AmTrust Bank, a $17 billion financial institution with retail branches in Ohio, Florida and Arizona. He also chairs the board of trustees for Neighborhood Progress Inc., and is immediate past chair of the Downtown Cleveland Alliance. He is a member of the boards of the Greater Cleveland Partnership, United Way of Greater Cleveland, University Hospitals, the Mount Sinai Health Care Foundation, and the Fund for Our Economic Future. In 2003, he and other members of Cleveland's Jewish and Palestinian communities formed an organization called Ishmael & Isaac to help victims of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Goldberg earned a bachelor of science degree from Ohio State University and a juris doctorate from Case Western Reserve University School of Law. 

 

 

The Rev. Dr. Otis Moss Jr.

Vice Chair
Appointed 1998 by the Bank Trustees Committee

The Rev. Otis Moss Jr. has been pastor of Olivet Institutional Baptist Church, and a spiritual and civic guiding hand in Greater Cleveland, since 1975. He has been involved in the civil-rights movement for more than 40 years, and Ebony magazine named him one of America’s 15 greatest black preachers. Moss is a founding board member of the Greater Cleveland Roundtable, the civic catalyst for economic inclusion and social equity that is now part of the Greater Cleveland Partnership. He is a long-time member and former chair of the board of trustees of Morehouse College. He earned a bachelor of arts degree from Morehouse and a master of divinity degree from Morehouse School of Religion of the Interdenominational Theological Center.

 

Charles Bolton

Appointed 2004 by the chief judge, U.S. District Court, Northern District of Ohio

Entrepreneur and investor Charles Bolton is chairman of the board of directors and a partner of the private investment firm Brittany Corp. as well as Polychem Corp., which manufactures strapping for the commercial packing industry. He is also the former director of the Ohio Department of Development's Office of International Trade and a former member of the Ohio Senate. Bolton is a trustee of the Cleveland Museum of Art, the Musical Arts Association, and the Kelvin and Eleanor Smith Foundation; an honorary trustee of Case Western Reserve University; and a life trustee of Hawken School. He holds a bachelor's degree in American history from Harvard College and an MBA from the Harvard Business School.

 

Terri Hamilton Brown

Appointed 2002 by the board of directors

Terri Hamilton Brown has served as senior vice president for corporate diversity at National City Bank, president of University Circle Inc., and executive director of the Cuyahoga Metropolitan Housing Authority. She holds a bachelor’s degree in economics from the University of Chicago and a master’s degree in city planning from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Brown is a trustee of United Way of Greater Cleveland and ShoreBank-Cleveland. She is a graduate of Leadership Cleveland.

 

Tana Carney

Appointed 2001 by presiding judge, Cuyahoga County Probate Court

Tana Carney serves on the boards of the Cuyahoga County Library Foundation, Cleveland Botanical Garden and Cleveland Council on World Affairs. She has worked at the Cuyahoga County Treasurer’s Office as public information specialist and has served as staff associate for the Administration of Justice Committee. She holds a bachelor of arts degree from Goucher College and a master of arts degree from Case Western Reserve University. 

 

Paul J. Dolan

Appointed 2008 by the Bank Trustees Committee

Paul Dolan is president of the Cleveland Indians, a position he has held since 2004. Previously, he served as vice president/general counsel for the team. Prior to that, Dolan was a partner for 17 years at Thrasher, Dinsmore & Dolan, a law firm based in his native Chardon, Ohio. He graduated with a bachelor of science degree from St. Lawrence University and earned his juris doctorate from the University of Notre Dame Law School.

 

Joseph P. Keithley

Appointed 2002 by the board of directors

Joseph Keithley is chairman of the board, president, and chief executive officer of Keithley Instruments, which develops measuring and metering instruments for high-tech electronics manufacturing. He holds a bachelor of science and a master of operations in research and industrial engineering from Cornell University and an MBA from the University of Michigan. Keithley is a trustee of Case Western Reserve University, Judson Retirement Community, and the Greater Cleveland Partnership. He is on the advisory board of Cornell University’s Electrical Engineering School. Keithley is a vice chairman of the NorTech and the Ohio Aerospace Council. He is also a member of the corporate council of the Cleveland Museum of Art, a director of Brush Engineered Materials and Nordson Corp., and an advisor to Early Stage Partners.

 

Frederick R. Nance

Appointed 2005 by the Bank Trustees Committee

Fred Nance serves as the managing partner of Squire Sanders & Dempsey's Cleveland headquarters and chairman of the Greater Cleveland Partnership. His areas of legal practice have included commercial litigation, sports law, construction law, white-collar crime, public-private partnerships and project counseling. He's experienced in both federal and state courtrooms, but is also skilled at resolving problems without resorting to courts. Much of his practice in recent years has included high-stakes negotiations involving community interests, and he participates often in alternative dispute-resolution proceedings. An array of business and legal groups and publications have recognized him as one of the nation's top lawyers. He serves on many boards, including the United Way of Greater Cleveland, the Cleveland Clinic, BioEnterprise, and the Catholic Diocese of Cleveland Foundation.

 

Sandra Pianalto

Appointed 2004 by the board of directors

Sandra Pianalto has been president and chief executive officer of the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland since 2002. She joined the bank in 1983 as a research economist. She is a member of the board of the Greater Cleveland Partnership, University Hospitals Health System, United Way of Greater Cleveland, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum, Northeast Ohio Council on Higher Education, and the Catholic Diocese of Cleveland Foundation. She holds a bachelor's degree in economics from the University of Akron and a master's degree in economics from George Washington University.

 

Maria Jose Pujana, M.D.

Appointed 2002 by the Bank Trustees Committee

Dr. Maria Pujana is a clinical neurologist and neurophysiologist who is also deeply involved in the arts. She has been an adjunct instructor at Case Western Reserve University’s Center for Global Health and Diseases in the School of Medicine since 1994. She earned her medical degree from the Universidad Complutense in Madrid, Spain, and was chief resident of the neurophysiology department at Veteran Hospitals there. She is a member of the board of the Cuyahoga Community College Foundation, MetroHealth Foundation, the Beck Center for the Arts, and the Cleveland chapter of the American Red Cross. She is president and designer of Marise Jewelry Designs.

 

James A. Ratner

Appointed 2006 by the administrative judge, 8th Ohio District Court of Appeals

James A. Ratner is chairman and chief executive officer of Forest City Commercial Group, a commercial-real-estate development and management division of Forest City Enterprises. Ratner is a board member of the Cleveland Museum of Art, Urban Land Institute, and Playhouse Square Foundation. He holds a bachelor's degree from Columbia University and a master's degree from Harvard University Graduate School of Business Administration.

 

Alayne Reitman

Appointed 2002 by the board of directors

Alayne Reitman is a trustee and assistant treasurer of Hawken School and a trustee of the Immerman Foundation and the Robert S. and Sylvia K. Reitman Family Foundation. She is also a member of the board of directors of Sifco Industries. She holds a bachelor of arts degree from Emory University and an MBA from the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School.

 

 

 

The Rev. Hilton O. Smith

Appointed 2006 by the mayor of Cleveland

The Rev. Hilton O. Smith, an ordained minister, is a senior vice president of Turner Construction, where his responsibilities include managing the company's community and corporate affairs. His leadership extends to numerous civic boards; most notably, he is the former president of the Cleveland Metropolitan School District Board of Education. He holds a bachelor's degree from St. Augustine's College in Raleigh, N.C., and an honorary doctorate from David Myers University in Cleveland.

 

Ratanjit S. Sondhe

Appointed 2008 by the Center for Community Solutions

Ratanjit Sondhe is an acclaimed author, writer and columnist. He has served as a keynote speaker at a variety of international conferences and other forums, in which he speaks on stress management, ethics and applied spirituality. Sondhe is also a radio and television host; has been a board member for the Kent State University School of Technology, the Urban League of Greater Cleveland, and the American Red Cross; and is founder and chair of both the Discoverhelp Foundation and the Business Association of Sikh Enterprises. He has master of science degrees in chemistry and polymer technology from universities in India. In addition, Sondhe is founder and president of POLY-CARB Inc., a material science company acquired by the Dow Chemical Company.

 

Frank C. Sullivan

Appointed 2004 by the Bank Trustees Committee

Frank Sullivan is the president and chief executive officer of RPM International, a Fortune 1000 maker of specialty coatings and sealants. He held various commercial lending and corporate finance positions at Harris Bank and First Union National Bank prior to joining RPM as a regional sales manager. He serves on the board of the Greater Cleveland Chapter of the American Red Cross, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum, the Greater Cleveland Partnership, and the Timken Co. Sullivan was president of Leadership Cleveland’s Class of 2001 and is a member of the Cuyahoga County Bluecoats. He received his bachelor’s degree from the University of North Carolina as a Morehead Scholar in 1983.

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please have this lady with the demo order contact me via e-mail llymiller [at] yahoo [dot] com or by phone 216 386-6546.  Any other people with info regarding unfair building and housing issue in Tremont, especially those that have lost their homes, PLEASE contact me.  This is not going to end.  Someone is assisting with an investigation of this problem. 

I am one of the two houses on the next to demo in Tremont list.  I filed an appeal.  However, my compliance date is 12/20/08 and the city wouldn't give me an appeal hearing prior to the compliance date. 

The violations on my search warrant were met with a pulled permit as per a City of Cleveland attorney.  The permit should have stayed the process, he said.  Four days later, my property was condemned anyway.  The condemnation order has fictitious violations in addition to the original violations.  I have pictures proving these facts. 

According to our last housing meeting, it is viable that while I'm waiting for my appeal hearing on 01/27/09, my house could be torn down any time after 12/21/08.

The property/parcel on the demo list?  Not the house on the original search warrant, but the home I just put the final touches on it's renovation in mid-November.  Not sure how to, but I could post pictures of the finished product for everyone's review...

The process to stop the wrecking ball?  Not very clear.  I pulled a permit, which according to some at the City - is an automatic stay.  Regardless, my home has been condemned.  I filed an appeal, which according to some, is also an automatic stay, but accoring to B&H at the Tremont housing meeting - neither of those things matter. 

And I was told that the City doesn't have to go to court to tear down my house.  And if they choose to tear it down... they'll mail me a letter.

So, theoretically speaking, it is very possible that my house could be taken down without me ever getting to say or do a thing about it.  No day in court??

I am, however, waiting for a followup call from Building and Housing...

Tick tock tick tock...

In the mean time, I have pets, tenants, and our entire lives are in that building.

I saw the contractor taking belongings out of Franks Giglio's home.  Am I and my tenants to suffer the same plight?  Is some contractor going to roll up and take my antique stove?  My power tools I need to make a living?  My tenant's business?  My other tenant & his girlfriend's entire life?  I mean, just how does this thing work?  Do we then get to see our things posted for sale on Craig's List???

Do you have any idea how it feels to roll the paperwork of this story out in front of someone and have them respond, "move out anything you care about..."  Damn it.  That's my home and I care about all of it... and I don't have that much to begin with..

I do have a second house on the anterior property to start fixing in the spring.  It doesn't look great, but it is in better shape than the one I just finished.  It is also secure and I own occupy the property.  No one is getting inside, the door is secure and the windows are screwed shut.  The structure is sound. It is no threat to anyone.   And besides, the Gospel Press sat vacant for an extra couple years.  No one posted a search warrant there and commanded 30 days to renovate - and people broke in there to adventure all the time... (risks? danger of falls? health issues with the standing, stagnant water on the third floor?)  I love the Gospell Press project and as a neighbor, was more than willing to support the extra time they needed to get this project done.  But I'm being slammed for reasons that were very real to their project.

Further, I checked with my immediate neighbors - based on the success of Phase One, they would like to see Phase Two completed and housing more Clevelanders.  No one is more impacted than me and my immediate neighbors.

So, while I wait for my return call about the state of my home, I can't help but ponder:  Due process?  Proper service?  Where is my day in court?  Democracy?  Constitution?  Bad Economy?  More pressing city issues? Hello? 

lmcshane - just be alittle patient, the FBI WILL GET THER - THEY'RE NOT RAIDING ALL THESE CORPORATE OFFICES AND AND HOMES, COUNTY RECORDS, ETC., ON A WHIM.  CHANGE IS COMING - YOU JUST KEEP PUSHING - WE HAVE TO KEEP THE FIRE HOT -

You should start scanning and posting all the legal documents of this case - pretty soon a lawyer will smell big money and jump to Frank's defense.

As soon as you say judge, you say politics... and NEO politics will make Illinois look like pre-school, when Obama gets in office and starts dismantling the evil corruption the 0.1% put in place to amassed their perverse wealth. It will take a few months for him to shake up the FBI and CIA and then they will swoop in...for real.

Which judges and courts have signed any orders against Frank... breadcrumbs?

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Not to mention that the phone number on the Affidavit, 216-241-7720, is the number to my Concierge Service. We open before the City and close well after the City.

I find it really hard to believe that someone called this number and "didn't get an answer or a machine."

This is a place of business and even if I'm not here, I have people who work for me. Every phone call is a potential business transaction. My folks understand that well. If they are with a customer, they look at the callerid and call the number back. And we have an answering machine.

Didn't you notice the Cleveland Foundation just took their corporate-charity BOD/GCP and the public-funded TeamNEO Christmas shopping in Europe. Frank called and chatted with Dan Moulthrop each morning, making the whole process as transparent as the Cleveland Foundation's IdeaStream...

A very few strong Foundation forces here fund and justify the secrecy... after all, they are The Fund For Our Economic Future... and they say, "oh, you poor city we stripped of tax base, you can't afford consultants... you can't afford lawyers... you can't afford transition teams... you can't afford public forums... you can't afford public relations...you can't afford free elections... let us help!"

They give a few $1 million and some tickets to Europe (is that legal), and fund new taxes to pay themselves back. They make "us" hire a bunch of McKinsey consultants and Fred Nance and Squire Sanders, over and over... they conclude, "we'll take all your public funds and spend it smarter, for you... we're Your Foundation!... trust us."

Live with it, or do something about it. Changing all that starts with challenging your public officials to pledge allegiance to the public.

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As a frequent Tremont visitor but not insider, I never had any idea all this was happening under the surface there. I'm glad all this is coming forward as it makes me more committed than ever to the businesses and people I love there - and we are certainly spreading the word. 

I hope everyone reading this here will make a special trip to Tremiont to shop and dine this holiday season. Tell them REALNEO sent you.

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