I try I really do – City of Lorain-OPEN LETTER

WHEN ALL IS SAID AND DONE MORE IS SAID THAN DONE!!!!

I have tried for years to help, give the benefit of the doubt but I am totally “cheesed off” – nothing changes – and why is that – no accountability. I have had retaliation, vindictiveness hurled through words and concrete for my trouble. BUT the tipping point has come…..

Check it out I have paid my taxes , volunteered up the yin yang – been involved for 30 years – took a derelict lot next door ( which we purchased for a nominal sum) but have now put into that lot over $22,000 in the last year . We didn’t have to do that we could have taken down the diseased and dangerous tree and just cut the grass.

Hello, City of Lorain having the new blue cart system, that wouldn’t fit behind our property like the old cans – just so my neighbors didn’t have to look at them cooking in the sunshine – we purchased a little home for them ( another 400 dollars) and covered them with trellis and roses .

So why is it when most of the street is adhering to rules for the past weeks( since the new garbage rules came out ) – I have watched garbage piles ( from the same address walk up and down the street for 9 weeks before it disappeared one night, grass that gets cut whenever.

and now for the 2nd week looked at mattresses infested with bed bugs ( Dale the Bed Bug Exterminator came and sprayed) WHY for the 2nd week have we looked at 2 box spring and mattresses leaning up against a dividing hedge.

Well I suppose it hides from view the red dump truck that is once again making it and its load part of the streetscape for the past 4 years – goes away and comes back like an unwanted relative. And around the corner more garbage and trash.

OK I get it some people will not follow the rules, don’t care or too lazy to follow but WHY should the rest of us have to put up with it…… why make any rules at all…… the Building Dept representative on facebook saying their side of the story

Heather Graves All of these lovely comments. I have one question and one question only to each and every one of you. When you go to work in the morning, afternoon, evening whatever the case may be…when your boss tells you to do something -you do it correct? I went through all of the comments. So…most of them are complaining because he is doing something. Others are complaining because he’s not citing in their neighborhoods. You do realize you can’t have it both ways correct? You can’t expect him to only cite what you don’t approve of. By all means make the complaints. The building department will do due process. If it’s a ghost foreclosure..meaning the bank gave orders to vacate and then never took possession…that house could sit there for YEARS, and then all of you can assume that it’s owned by the City of Lorain. Then there are the homes that are owned by someone that lives in Florida. What does anyone expect from that? Put out a warrant and send a pair of cops to go pick them up? I think you all need a reality check as far as what can and can’t be done in this city. I know…because I work in this department. As far as the gentleman that had his house taken a picture of after he took a picture of the inspector. Can you stop for a second and consider what these guys go through everyday? Constant complaints on them…threats…you have no idea. I get it…there is a genuine distaste for city workers, but please consider that we aren’t all bad. Most of us just want to go to work; work and go home without being yelled at, criticized and called names. We are all making our living one day at a time just as everyone else. I hope you all read this and at least a slight part of the other side.

You have my sympathy Ms. Graves but you and the staff are getting paid a million or so to do your jobs if it is so impossible to do them then maybe we should rethink the department and what will work…….. because I am not getting paid to look at trash and see property values tank WE ARE PAYING FOR THE PRIVILEGE ……….

A tale of two- do nowt – get nowt- Lorain

Part One– https://thatwoman.wordpress.com/2017/05/11/a-tale-of-two-city-houses-downing-of-quality/
Part Two– https://thatwoman.wordpress.com/2017/05/13/a-tale-of-two-continued-lorains-cast-offs/
Part Three – https://thatwoman.wordpress.com/2017/05/16/a-tale-of-two-a-tale-of-woe-lorain/
Part Four- https://thatwoman.wordpress.com/2017/05/22/a-tale-of-two-the-who-the-how-why/
Part Five- https://thatwoman.wordpress.com/2017/05/24/the-tale-of-two-the-how-supporting-cast/
Part Six- https://thatwoman.wordpress.com/2017/05/29/a-tale-of-two-the-why-land-of-iz-not-woz/

And here we go back onto the non express journey of one of the two properties used in this series. This house has a lot of history!
https://thatwoman.wordpress.com/2016/08/26/when-vision-is-cloudy-property-holding-llcs-ny-times/

May 2012-
1348 West Erie ,located on the entrance way to Lorain’s entertainment and business district ( also a bit of an oxymoron), has had a plethora of news articles, blog posts, discussions and yet today sits pretty much in the same condition as it was ( except this week the grass was cut and the window in the attic closed the door in the garage is still wide open !)but apparently some repairs were made in a couple of years of back and forthing – roof not being one of them

Oh! complaints were made for years- the Morning Journal used it as an example in their Point of Sale post – in 2014
http://www.morningjournal.com/general-news/20140620/lorain-house-sets-record-with-45750-escrow-requirement

realtors squabbled – this is why you will never sell another house in Lorain brigade -( Point of Sale) Well that didn’t stop the owners of 1348 West Erie – what is the point?????

Another bank dump from Fannie Mae and past the date of Point of Sale –
https://thatwoman.wordpress.com/2015/09/24/the-housing-tale-a-history-not-a-mystery-just-bank-business/

the point being they didn’t go through POS and a journey to the court room for the “housing court” – but that is only a misdemeanor .. cost of doing business?????? ( $110)

Sale Date: 2/3/2015
Sale Amount: $0.00
Conveyance: 2015090327
Grantor: FEDERAL NATIONAL MORTGAGE ASSOCIATION
Grantee: KAJA HOLDINGS 2 LLC

The Kaja journey continued in 2015 they spent a great deal of time wasting paper and man hours ( for which we the tax payer are footing the bill) in housing court

We had two different attorneys for Vision/ Kaja and the last attorney James White stated to me in August 8th of 2016

Several of the violations to the exterior have been repaired. The City’s required escrow to perform the repairs has been deposited with an escrow agent with repairs to follow.

Oh good something has happened at last thought I…… what happened was the property changed hands again to

Prosperity Investment Fund LLC – and on the 3/3/2017 it was back on the court docket now this becomes a little confusing because the auditors site has Kaja Holdings selling to Prosperity Investment Fund LLC – on 1/10/17 for the sum of $30,000 dollars– This LLC came into being 8/29/2016

The City of Lorain filed in Housing Court 03/03/2017 a charge that a certificate of Inspection was required and the defendant was Prosperity Investment Fund LLC and taxes are and were still owed
Delinquent Special Assessment: $952.02
Unpaid Taxes: $2,074.78
Full Tax Year: $5,327.83
Total Taxes Paid to Date: $0.00

But wait for it on the 15th of June 2017 we have another LLC coming into play 2/13/2017 FICC Realty Holdings LLC – and the property ( which still owes taxes ) being sold ? ( transferred) according to Auditors site just 4 days ago from this writing .

It seems we have another attorney in the line of attorneys…
CARMINE CAMINO
55 PUBLIC SQUARE, SUITE 2100
CLEVELAND,OH 44113

Effective Date: 02/13/2017 Attorney Camino was the registering agent for both PROSPERITY and FICC REALTY LLCs

So here I sit with a plethora of court dockets, inspection certificates, paperwork, news articles , trips to City Council – emails to Administration and attorney’s galore since the story broke in 2012 ( five years on) but the steps in this ongoing property saga are as broken as the one leading to 1348 West Erie Ave.

e

A tale of two- the Why- Land Of IZ not WOZ!!!

Part One– https://thatwoman.wordpress.com/2017/05/11/a-tale-of-two-city-houses-downing-of-quality/
Part Two– https://thatwoman.wordpress.com/2017/05/13/a-tale-of-two-continued-lorains-cast-offs/
Part Three – https://thatwoman.wordpress.com/2017/05/16/a-tale-of-two-a-tale-of-woe-lorain/
Part Four- https://thatwoman.wordpress.com/2017/05/22/a-tale-of-two-the-who-the-how-why/
Part Five- https://thatwoman.wordpress.com/2017/05/24/the-tale-of-two-the-how-supporting-cast/
January 2013 Photo Lorain 365

1. We now know that a property 3620 Clifton purchased in 2011 after five years of being open to the elements was deemed bad enough to be issued a search warrant in Sept 2012-

2. Declared a public nuisance and uninhabitable – the property listed for demolition ( along with two neighboring properties ) Jan 4th 2013

3.Given a reprieve because the “Duo of Will Do” ( Barbee and Johnson) owners pleaded before the Demolitions appeals Board for more time a week later Jan 11th 2013 by that same board . A board that had doubts caved to the “give em a break mentality”

-” and apart from the President who had to recuse himself ( Fire Chief Brown) had previously stated:

” for the record I have personally toured the last two properties (3620 Clifton) and they are a public nuisance. …. these properties are deplorable “

and Chief of Staff Derek Feuerstein ( No vote) we kept 3620 as part of our housing s stock in the City of Lorain.

But to be fair the City of Lorain Building Inspectors were to follow through and make sure the Duo of Will Do” would.

Did they continue to inspect in those ensuing months and years? I asked for all notes, inspections and reports and I received nothing in that regard from April 23rd 2013 through 2016 ??? Did not Mr. Cantu ( now retired- 2017) ever do a cursory contact??? If he did I didn’t receive any documentation .

Lorain 365 blog has its reservations at the time and JUNE 16th 2013

https://lorain365.com/2017/05/14/3620-clifton-avenue-part-three/

Demolition Board of Appeals meetings are held during the week and are impossible for me to attend. At the meeting held February 28, 2013, the owners were given another month to continue their work on the property. They were granted this extra time because they had roofed and secured the house, plus cleaned up the yard.

Since then, 3620 Clifton Avenue has never been mentioned in the newspaper again. I’ve gone by there a few times over the past couple months, but never stopped to take pictures because nothing had changed. When I went by there two weeks ago, I surprised to see that the houses on either side had been demolished recently!

The pictorial tour continued on that Lorain 365 post and the unanswered question from Lorain 365

How long does the City have to let this go on? Are the owners now caught up in the cycle of permit perpetuity? As long as there’s a permit in the window, the City will continue to watch from the sidewalk

AND THE ANSWER TO YOUR QUESTION LORAIN 365 IS YES!!!!!!!!

4.April 25th 2013 Mr. Ralph Cantu, the gentleman Building Inspector who first asked for the search warrant had a change of heart and on that date declared to the Demolition Board of Appeals that the roof was nearly completed and he had agreed they Duo of Will do ” were doing what they said they would”.

Mr. Nathanial Johnson – one of the duo declared 4 1/2 months after the initial Demo ruling

“We have only a four by four section left . We tore down the fence and put in three more windows .

Mr. Daniel Rodriguez ( Engineering) Can we make a motion to possibly remove this case from the Board demolition board?

and FAMOUS last words from Mr. Cantu Yes because we could cite him on property maintenance if he doesn’t continue to go on.

http://raunerlibrary.blogspot.com/2010/07/mark-of-hydra.html

” At least for another 4 years – you see 3620 was pushed to the back burner on the blogs – too many other issues with building and inspections reared their collective hydra heads

However in January 2015 this blogger asked Lorain 365 Blog to check out the property and GUESS WHAT , it was still as bad as ever and contacted Mr. Feuerstein as to what was happening with this property where it was in the system and the reply from Mr. Mason ( the then Director of Building Housing and Planning on February 9th 2015

LEON MASON ( no longer with the City of Lorain)
”

As it relates to the Clifton Avenue property (which I’m assuming is 3620 Clifton), it was forwarded to the County Land Bank to begin the foreclosure process. As you may or may not know, the process for demo has changed since the original program, and the county must take possession of the properties….

Due to statute of limitations being reached on some cases pertaining to nuisance inspections from previous years, the cases had to be dismissed. On that same note, the City can again issue notices as well as citations/summons for people to appear in court (e.g. tickets) for housing code violations.

I’m using the data as I type this email, to send letters to property owners whom are in violation of the Untenanted Property Registration ordinance, using the Vacant Property Report………There no longer exists a Nuisance Inspection Task Force; it is code enforcement with hopes on placing a strong emphasis on ENFORCEMENT.”

Sept 2016 and I started asking questions again and it looks like according to the public records request once again April 2016 -3 years after Mr. Cantu we can always inspect .. the property was before the Housing Court AGAIN!!!!!!
….
March 24th-2017 I contacted the Lorain County Auditor because 3620 Clifton had disappeared from their site…. demolished ??? but NO it was still alive and well and was then reinstated…… Can this tale get any better ?

How many heads on the Hydra….

1. a property that was deemed such a nuisance, a health hazard, on par with living in a 3rd world county for “insanitary conditions ” and ” according to Chief Building Official Klinar

This building has been deemed a dangerous building and poses an immediate danger to the public health and safety and welfare mandating summary abatement..

All fixed and abated because of a partial roofing and three windows – all the danger made to go away…. but it didn’t did it and the process starts all over again because according to one piece of paperwork hand written notes Chris Yates building inspector “nothing abated 7.18/16 and again 9/13.16 and still no change 11/22/16 …

May 16th 2017 the bloggers again went to inspect

Apart from this property still standing , the time the effort the frustration of 6 years of ownership with the Duo of Will Do and the 5 years before that … what of the waste of time, man power and sheer in my opinion lack of A decent “enforceable ” inspection process that is not equal across the system. This could be the reason this property on Lexington went from this in those same 11 years

to this

and why for the past 11 years we have had this at the “beginnings of Broadway???
This “expensive ” system to quality of life, to the taxpayers IS BROKEN

We are paying salaries for all these people,, INSPECTORS, JUDGES, FIRE DEPT, BUILDING AND PLANNING,SUPPORT STAFF,POLITICIANS ,AND HEALTHCARE AND MAINTENANCE , VEHICLES YOU NAME IT – THIS IS COMING FROM OUR POCKETS and there is a financial cost to us the tax payer…… and that will be the next item on the “AGENDA”

And we haven’t even touched upon 1348 W. Erie the poster child of Point of Sale

to be continued

The tale of Two – THE HOW-Supporting Cast

Original Image Scott Bakalar

Part One– https://thatwoman.wordpress.com/2017/05/11/a-tale-of-two-city-houses-downing-of-quality/
Part Two– https://thatwoman.wordpress.com/2017/05/13/a-tale-of-two-continued-lorains-cast-offs/
Part Three – https://thatwoman.wordpress.com/2017/05/16/a-tale-of-two-a-tale-of-woe-lorain/
Part Four- https://thatwoman.wordpress.com/2017/05/22/a-tale-of-two-the-who-the-how-why/
January 2013 Photo Lorain 365
Let us just have a quick reminder of the facts of 3620 Clifton.
Sept- 2012 Inspections galore prior to getting a search warrant to inspect the “inside and outside of the property The Health Dept., the Fire Dept and the Building Dept. inspections all agreed , it “constitutes a severe safety and health hazard to the community”.

January 4th 2013– The property came before the Demolitions Board of Appeals and all members present including the councilman Eddie Edwards for the area concluded it was a hazard, dangerous, and eyesore open to the elements filled with trash and vermin….

REMEMBER THESE PHOTOS OF JANUARY 2013 ( Lorain 365) AS WE CARRY ON DOWN THE ‘WAY OF THE 3620″

Because, after the glad handing all around and agreement this property should come down gave way to the “Duo of Will Do – Mr.Barbee and Mr. Johnson who owed at that time $431.00 in back taxes (twice what they paid for the property ) and to date they NEVER HAVE paid taxes

So in the months and yes it has been YEARS this property has been “dithered about the ” Duo of Will Do” DIDN’T and now well $2,964.19 OWED. How is this happening ??? well!!!! you might ask.

Mr. Joseph Barbee and Nathanial Johnson (Duo of Will Do) came before the Demolition Board of Appeals a week after their initial decision of January 4th 2013 to “take it down” and cried have pity pity please. And for 13 pages of testimony on that January 11th 2013 day . I have linked those pages at the end of this post. READ IT AND SEE HOW THE SYSTEM FAILS US-
Chief Brown ( who had to recuse himself) Derek Feuerstein ( Chief of Staff) who tried to pin them down the “missing in action Howard Goldberg ( Prudoff’s Community Development ) and Rey Carrion who pleaded their case very well the cast of characters all of whom had their say and they wanted a “plan” as to how the “$17,000 committed to the project would be spent-
Derek Feurestein at one point asked

DF- Can I ask a question does it really make sense to buy a house for $200?
N. Johnston – Because anything can be fixed- if it was a hazard why would you sell it like that ?
D.F We {City of Lorain} didn’t sell you the hazard – It was the COUNTY AUCTION)

ED> Note AH HA!!! and another character has entered into the story of 3620

Richard Klinar ( Chief Building Inspector was also at the meeting) also stated : The time frame on permits and inspections are controlled by the State of Ohio- the City of Lorain has nothing to do with it we can’t shorten or lengthen

Another cumbersome character the State of Ohio
The Duo of Will DO had a credit card limit of $17,000 for the property
and even Richard Klinar had his doubts
“Just a comment , I find it hard to believe you can replace , electrical , plumbing, heating , roof , siding, windows, doors, drywall and insulate for $15,000

I would have chimed “WHAT ABOUT THE FOUNDATION ISSUES” but by that time you could tell the way this was going the 2nd 2nd chance for the property known as 3620 Clifton As I sat in the audience that day hearing Ralph Cantu (Building Inspector) ask as we were leaving

” I don’t know why you people {bloggers} are so hard on George (Schneider) ( who had also been at the meeting appealing one of his “portfolio of properties coming down) he is such a nice guy!

NOTE TO SELF – maybe a building inspector should be required to inspect properties not like or dislike the property owner.hmmmmmmm

BUT the end result of that meeting the demolition was put into abeyance for another week………… and then from Lorain 365 blog who covered this property from the very beginning …

“It is my understanding that the owners of 3620 Clifton presented an acceptable plan to the Board and will have to bring proof of progress to the next meeting on February 28th.
I will be there.
The work started

Photo Lorain 365
The only way the Building Department knows if these serial second chancers are completing the work to code is if they report back to say the work is done and request an inspection. The Building Department can only drive by and look at the outside of the house from the public sidewalk or an adjoining property (with the owner’s permission).

As long as the outside looks good and the house is secure, there’s nothing else the Building Department can do unless they are invited inside by the homeowners. That needs to change. Stop the repeated prostitution of problem properties in Lorain. Break this vicious cycle before it completely breaks this city for good. It’s time, Lorain.

The pages of testimony
doc into
Doc1
Doc2
Doc3
Doc4
Doc5
Doc6
Doc7
Doc8
Doc9
Doc10
Doc11
Doc12

And four years later

To be continued………………

A tale of two – a tale of woe – Lorain

Original Image Scott Bakalar

Part One– https://thatwoman.wordpress.com/2017/05/11/a-tale-of-two-city-houses-downing-of-quality/
Part Two– https://thatwoman.wordpress.com/2017/05/13/a-tale-of-two-continued-lorains-cast-offs/

In our quest to find how Lorain’s housing stock in the 44052 went from this for example ( sold for $100,000 in 2005)
(photo Auditor’s site)

to this in just 12 short years

Photos Councilman Dennis Flores – 1939 Lexington
ED Note a visit to Mr.Flores’ Face book page as he walks his ward is worth a visit – ( rose-colored glasses a requirement for those that get depressed easily)
https://www.facebook.com/dennis.flores2

In that 12 year period we had Craig Foltin (R) for Mayor and a couple of appointed mayors eg. Romoser filling out the last weeks of his term as Foltin left for more lucrative climes, Mayor Krasienko (D),(2008-2012) and current Mayor Ritenauer (D), 4 Safety Service Directors 3 (Community Development Directors ( that department segued into Building Planning and Housing) BUT the common denominator is and was the Building Dept. and inspections.

Foltin – Building Inspectors department came under the direction of Bill Desvari who was told to be nice ( see file Broke Homes- Chronicle Telegram) brokehomes

I won’t go into the legal issues faced by Desvari the Chief Building Inspector or even the legal issues of S/S Miller, and the serious legal issues of Krasienko’s S/S Director – Robert Gilchrist or the fact the long time Community Development Director Sandy Prudoff went to jail in that period.
What I do know for sure down spouts have been seen as an important , very important code enforcement issue. https://thatwoman.wordpress.com/2015/02/01/ode-to-a-downspout-named-don-lorain/
I have to wonder why the dangling downspout at 1939 Lexington didn’t receive the same “inspection process” 😉

However, Lisa Miller and Lorain 365 has been on an “inspection process” of her own concerning 3620 Clifton
Part 1 https://lorain365.com/2017/05/12/3620cliftonavenuepartone/ 1 /13/13
Part 2 https://lorain365.com/2017/05/13/3620-clifton-avenue-part-two/1/19/13 and now we have the third in the series as Lisa revisited the “home” six months after the concerns of the Demolition Board of Appeals
Part 3 https://lorain365.com/2017/05/14/3620-clifton-avenue-part-three /6/16/13

“Since then, 3620 Clifton Avenue has never been mentioned in the newspaper again. I’ve gone by there a few times over the past couple months, but never stopped to take pictures because nothing had changed. When I went by there two weeks ago, I surprised to see that the houses on either side had been demolished recently!
How long does the City have to let this go on? Are the owners now caught up in the cycle of permit perpetuity? As long as there’s a permit in the window, the City will continue to watch from the sidewalk

Last Sunday Lisa and her camera revisited the “home” 4 years after that initial “inspection” of the 2nd , 2nd chance given to 3620 Clifton
Part 4 https://lorain365.com/2017/05/15/3620-clifton-avenue-today/ and they put up a parking lot – well not exactly it has just morphed in to “yard parking – and maybe the city inspection process was marred by the tree being in their line of sight.


There is a reason we have still got this lovely property .

I requested a public records request for information and documentation that followed this property and the poster child of 1348 West Erie from the city . It should be noted I received the information all 80 odd pages of it within hours , can’t complain about that efficiency.

Next up the talk the talk that enabled this fiasco……….

to be continued……

3620 photos Lorain 365 https://lorain365.com/

A tale of two- continued Lorain’s cast offs

Original artwork Scott Bakalar

Part ONE – https://thatwoman.wordpress.com/2017/05/11/a-tale-of-two-city-houses-downing-of-quality/

The tale of woe that has become Lorain’s deplorable housing , especially in the 44052 and 55 didn’t get where we are today by accident. So many years citizens, council people , newspapers and yes ‘Bloggers” pointed out there were situations needing to be followed through.

Multi- property owners going in 4 years from 34 properties to over 300 and the majority in poor condition, proofs those same people were trading properties back and forth to dump them ( so as not to be the registered owner when the Lorain Building Dept. came to call – the process had to start all over again. ). Then the “bank” dumps , unreachable predatory property LLC -majority being out of town- and so many reasons compounded to make the system broken BUT we also have ourselves to blame!

But first let me introduce you to Lorain 365 – Lisa Miller https://lorain365.com/ who wrote about one of the properties back in 2013 – in fact this property is the one we will be focusing upon — Let us start at the beginning: I was introduced to 3620 Clifton by Lisa on a winter’s day in January…..

Once upon a time in the Lorain

3620 Clifton Avenue – Part One
3620 Clifton Avenue – Part One
As Seen In Lorain: 3620 Clifton Avenue and the second chance
Posted on January 13, 2013 by Lisa

“Even though it was noted by Demolition Board member, 5th ward Councilman, and neighborhood resident Eddie Edwards that “Before the sale, the house sat empty for about five years, with its doors and windows open and generally falling apart…” and “The new owners also waited a year before taking action to repair it…” AND the Board went out to see this house for themselves AND took the Fire Chief with them AND talked to the unhappy neighbors – the owners have $17,000 and a plan and that was enough for the Board to grant them a second chance”

ED Note you will see

in the Lorain 365 post this was the original state of the home and was sold to the owners for 200.00 and it just gets better from there – this and the following post is a MUST READ, even if you just look at the photos included.

And then Part Two – a week after the first post as Lisa revisited the property that needed a roof and a few other things to stop it from being demolished .
3620 Clifton Avenue – Part Two

ED NOTE: However the one thing that always worried me ‘WHO IN THEIR RIGHT MIND ALLOWED THIS CARBUNCLE OF A TWO STORY ADDITION ON THIS LITTLE SLAB HOUSE IN THE FIRST PLACE!!! I am not an engineer or architect but to put this “weighty” two story addition on a one story slab home, “a cabuncle on the bum of pre blight” was not a well thought out “plan” – even I know this was so wrong and not just from an atheistic viewpoint.

3620 Clifton Avenue – Part Two

3620 Clifton Avenue – Part Two
As Seen In Lorain: 3620 Clifton Avenue and the second second chance
Posted on January 19, 2013 by Lisa

As Lisa questioned at the time 4 years ago :

I am amazed that this house, which has been inspected and re-inspected by TPTB (and then some), was deemed worthy of a second chance. Sitting exposed to the elements for at least five years, sold for $200 to two guys who let it sit untouched for two more years (sale date January 2011) – it meant nothing to anybody until the city came knocking with the wrecking ball

To be continued………..

Photos Lisa Miller – Lorain 365

What is their story and the story tellers- Lorain

I have lived in this old neighborhood of Lorain since we purchased our “starter home”- it will hopefully be the home where we “finish up”.
I know a few facts about the people who lived here through the 1/2 century before we became its caretaker. I certainly hope that someone will enjoy this home after we are gone BUT I don’t hold out much hope the way things go in Lorain.

too many examples to show…. this is the latest poster child 3620 Clinton and YES! it too has a story.

Local bloggers, council people such as Dennis Flores,
https://www.facebook.com/search/top/?q=dennis%20flores%20city%20of%20lorain%202nd%20ward%20councilman
have been trying to fight the blight of non enforcement of building codes for years. They have tried the name it and shame it until there were just too many to name. The outing of mega landlords with 300 such properties and those that followed him in his “business” plan. I went to housing court and another story. https://thatwoman.wordpress.com/2015/10/22/housing-court-and-you-lorain-continued/

However recently Lisa Miller of Lorain 365 Blog – (a blog https://lorain365.com/ that photographs the good and sometimes quirky in Lorain every day) posted a picture of a little building on Colorado Ave. Lisa , had her curiosity tweaked by the name on the top of the little building . “Giuseppino”.

I remember another “version” of that building from when I first came here. The building was right next to the Royal Canadian Legion ( no longer there) It was getting a little jaded even then but still someone still cared . This is how (with the help of picmonkey https://www.picmonkey.com/ ) I remembered this little building – original photo Lisa Miller.

The building changed hands through the years and at one point looked like a facsimile of what I remembered – this photo from the Lorain County Auditors site
and now of course Lisa’s photo of this week – SIGH

Lisa followed through researching the story behind the name on the building

http://wp.me/p1Rd8f-4Pt

A tornado memory – revisiting the Giuseppino 1924 building

This name and date stone turns out to be a memorial
to a 9-year-old boy who was killed in the 1924 tornado.

A family member reached out:
“That building was built by my Grandfather, Sam Garbo.
It was constructed with salvaged bricks after the tornado.
That stone, in fact, does say Giuseppino and is the child you reference.
His parents were Sam and Josephine Garbo, My Grandparents.
-Susan Garbo”

My genealogy search had ended with one Lorain connection,
a deceased 9-year-old child named Giuseppino Garbo. No relatives were listed.

Update 4/29/17:
Reader and contributor Rick Kurish picked up the search:
“You are on the right track in the research of this building. The nine-year-old child, Giuseppino Garbo, who is buried in Calvary Cemetery, is associated with the building. Giuseppino (English version Joseph) Garbo lived at 311 Colorado Avenue and was killed in the Lorain Tornado of June 28, 1924. He was buried in the children’s section of Cavalry Cemetery on July 1, 1924. While the grave marker lists the Italian version of his name, the cemetery records list him as Joseph Garbo. The marker also indicates that he was killed in the tornado. He is also listed in the Official Souvenir and Memorial Book of the Lorain Tornado, under the heading “Killed in Lorain Tornado”, as Joseph Garbo, 9, 311 Colorado Avenue.”

Much thanks to Rick and Susan for helping to fill in the blanks of Giuseppino’s story.

