Lakewood Eyesore Comes Tumbling Down

What was most recently an attractive destination for squatters and vandals at 1468 W. 117th Street is now only a few piles of bricks and rubble.

Demolition of the Highland Square Apartment building wrapped up this week — effectively ending a three-year process to resolve one of the city’s most visible nuisance issues.

In late 2008, the gas at the aging, 20-unit apartment complex was shut off and ordered the building vacated. 

With heat shut off, the building continued to deteriorate and became a frequent spot in the city for break-ins, squatters and vandalism, said Jeffrey Ashby, assistant director of public safety with the city’s department of housing.

In October 2009 — utilizing its revised nuisance ordinance — the city moved to have the property demolished.

“It was determined the building unfortunately had outlived it usefulness from the streetcar era in which it was built,” Ashby said. “The costs to bring the building up to current fire and building codes and the fact it had no parking for the 20-plus suites, brought us to the conclusion that demolition was the best solution.”

The owner and lien holders agreed not to appeal, and on Monday, the building came tumbling down.

According to 2008 county property records, the building and the land have an assessed value of $100,530.

According to LoveLakewood.com, the building is the second apartment building and fourth structure demolished on W. 117th St. in the past year. 

Ashby said the reason it took so long between the nuisance declaration and the final demolition, is that the city Community Development Department worked out an agreement with the Cuyahoga County landbank to utilize federal dollars to cover all costs of any abatement and demolition. 

“Finally, we will move to foreclose on the lien and get the property transferred to our Lakewood landbank,” he added. “The city can then help direct the redevelopment of this parcel on the W. 117th corridor.”