Hough Bakery becoming the Star

Submitted by Norm Roulet on Mon, 07/17/2006 - 05:10.

 

Those who really know NEO know East Cleveland has some of the best historic property in Ohio, and they know Hough was one of the great businesses in NEO of the last century, having grown from a small storefront shop into a huge enterprise, that baked cakes most locals still treasure in their birthday memories (and which you may still buy at Archie's Lakeshoe Bakery, story here).  Few people connect Hough Bakery to East Cleveland, but for around 50 years Hough operated from a massive historic complex, once a coal distribution center for East Cleveland and then the Star Bakery, now owned and occupied by another great entrepreneurial family, the "Hot Sauce" Williams. Through my friend Abu Alli, I was introduced to the scion of the Hot Sauce Williams family, Lamond, and had the opportunity to explore what is probably over 200,000 square feet of sprawling food preparation and distribution facilities on many acres of prime land literally split between Cleveland and East Cleveland, just one block of the Euclid Corridor, two blocks the University Circle and Case, on high traffic Lakeview Avenue. I'm very familiar with historic property and the development getting underway in University Circle and that area of Cleveland and East Cleveland, and suggested to the Willimas that they should immediately put this property into planning with the rest of the community, and they are very enthusiastic to do that. So, this book is designed to assist with this planning process, for the Williams family, and anyone interested in participating to help develop this property and the community around that should contact me for more information - Norm Roulet at realneo [at] inbox [dot] com. See the links below for more information.

 

 

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Crain's quietly notes Bo Knez in EC

 

Crain's quietly notes Bo Knez in EC

 
Last February, Knez (Triban Investment LLC) bought an acre parcel for $100,000 on Wade Park Avenue near Lakeview Drive that once served as the parking lot for the former Hough Bakeries employees. In a joint venture, he also has the former Hough Bakeries Building on Lakeview under contract and is studying potential uses for it.

 

https://www.crainscleveland.com/real-estate/homebuilders-long-trek-downtown-cleveland?

 

News on Star Bakery site - Norm Roulet saw potential

 

REALNEO is being developed by Northeast Ohio regional economic development leaders, entrepreneurs, academics and other concerned citizens, with the support of many global information technology experts, to provide the region with a unique, world-class unforked open source framework providing the optimal virtual social network,collaboration and knowledge management systems for economic development and entrepreneurship in Northeast Ohio (and be the best in the world).

REALNEO stands for Regional Economics Action Links North East Ohio. This "ABOUT" "book" is our plan of action developing this community. Here are answered 12 questions asked of the developers to deploy this solution in this community and secure support and funding. Please read through to understand the concept and related development issues - feel free to post your comments.

 

 

https://www.crainscleveland.com/real-estate/hough-bakeries-property-finds-buyer

 

The long-empty complex of three buildings and parking lots at 1519 Lakeview Road, East Cleveland, was purchased Thursday, Dec. 19, by 1519 Lakeview LLC for $225,000, according to online Cuyahoga County land records.

The new owner of the property is a joint venture by homebuilder Bo Knez of Concord Township and Jim Miketo, best known as the owner of the Forest City Shuffleboard Club in Ohio City.

Knez said in a phone interview that the partners plan to find new uses for two of the buildings, with more than 100,000 square feet of space, and demolish a steel building on the site that is condemned. The buildings occupy a 4-acre site, which primarily includes multiple parking lots that once served Hough employees.

Rokakis-Frangos-Brancatelli working their EC game

I smell the Cuyahoga County Land Bank (Gus Frangos-Tony Brancatelli) and Western Reserve Land Conservancy (Jim Rokakis) in this "research." It is very sad that the Trust for Public Land has defaulted to these crooks. Ohio Housing Finance Agency and low income tax credits for housing to be developed adjacent to these "new" parks that are no doubt being planned by former county treasurer aka real estate kingpin, Jim Rokakis. Google NPI and "reimagining"

 

From Eric Brewer:

Famicos got $350,000 from East Cleveland after I left office as mayor to renovate one home. The plan was to renovate 15 for less money and sell it to more low-income home buyers at the cost of the renovation. Each renovation was capped at $25,000. 

They took all the $350,000 from the 15 homes and spent it on one and sold it to an employee for $68,000. HUD's secretary told me the type of profits the non-profits are making on home sales with federal money is illegal.

You got a house George Warren bought for $9800 in 1989 at 11116 Ashbury. I've written that I've known Famicos' director for the last 33 years. You just got here. 

What I know about Famicos is its practices. Warren bought the house in an arms length sale for $9800. His taxes should haven't risen much beyond it. 

Homeowners like Warren were anonymously and illegally "cited" out of their homes by being forced into housing court by Famicos' employees. I'm not saying this is the case with Warren but I know the practice. 

What we're seeing in the FBI and Inspector General investigations are people "connected" to these non-profits getting sweet heart deals on homes. One landbank employee got 5 homes. Two for free from HUD that were taken from poor homeowners who needed block grant money to stay out of housing court that went to renovate homes like the one you own.
I see you're connected to Jim Rokakis' Western Conservancy after moving here from Lima. You're promoting his organization on your Twitter page.He's a criminal to us. He's cool with you. 

In your case a $9800 home purchased in 1989 has a sales price of $215.000 in a neighborhood of $40,000 to $50,000 homes. So now the residents who live around you have to deal with your inflated property that was renovated with federal money earmarked for them to paint their homes, fix their gutters, porches and sidewalks to address their housing code violations. That's what the HUD money is for ... in the United States Code and the Code of Federal Regulations and the Office of Management & Budget circulars. It wasn't to benefit you. 

You're not low-income if you're living in a $215,000 home and about to create inflation that makes it harder for real low-income people in the area to afford their's. 

My late aunt left her home to my cousins around the corner on E. 110th Street. I know lots of people in the area who could have used some of the money Famicos spent to renovate the home you bought to repair their's as HUD money was intended.

So while you got a great deal your great deal came at the expense of the residents whose poverty generated the money that Famicos got to fix a home for you to get a sweetheart deal to buy. Did you really pay $215,000 for it? 

To top it off, the next time property valuations are done by that asshole Dennis Kennedy he's going to use your $215,000 to value my aunt's $53,000 home to $80,000 or $100,000. You ain't helping nobody.

Great for you. Sorry for us. Had Famicos' board consisted of two-thirds low income residents from the area, two thirds residents of the area like it's supposed to by law, I guarantee the real residents of the area you live now would not have allowed Famicos to use their money to benefit you.