The walls came tumbling down on April 24. It’s the first step was taken in the village’s revitalization project. Residents and officials watched the arm of the steam shovel reached out and take the first bite of a house. One neighbor called the house an “eye sore in the community.”
“The property has been sitting vacant for about eight years,” said Lance Weimer, who purchased it a little over a month ago.
“I bought it for the specific purpose of extending the parking area.” Weimer and his wife, Monica own Lance’s Center for the Martial Arts Studio, which sits next door to the vacant property.
“I attended Lakemore Elementary School and have lived in the area most of my life. The community development here is going to be a really great thing,” he stated.
Lakemore resident Billie Jo Geyer and Mayor Mike Kolomichuk started the demolition. With sledgehammers raised, Kolomichuk counted and together they took the first swings at the house shattering the front window.
Geyer lives behind the dilapidated property and has been working for a long time to get someone to tear down the abandoned property.
“It is about time,” she was heard to say as the walls tumbled and the roof collapsed.
Kolomichuk said the homes that cannot be rehabilitated are the ones that will be removed. “Not only are they potential fire hazards and potential infestation problems, but they are dangerous.”
''Being springtime, it's a time of renewal. This is actually very fitting that this first house will come down in the springtime because it's the renewal of the village,'' Kolomichuk said. “We are very fortunate as Warren (Senior Administrator for the Department of Community and Economic Development, Warren Walfish) has a lot of vision and he has put his heart and soul into this. We couldn’t have done it without him and Russ Pry (Summit County Executive),” he added.
As residents watched the last wall collapse, cheers were heard.
“It’s a great start,” said Financial Officer Rick Quay. ‘I think it is good to see something happening finally, and it is a big step forward for us and it is positive.”
“People do not realize how long it takes to plan a sizable project like this one. Tearing down this property is the beginning of rebuilding the blighted areas within the Village of Lakemore,” said Village Zoning Inspector Chad Pryor. “Summit County could have chosen anywhere to spend this money. We are fortunate that they decided to spend it here in Lakemore. The people of Lakemore are going to be very excited and very pleased when it is all done,” he said.
“This is part of the county wide demolition program,” said Walfish. “The county will pay the first $7,500 of the cost of demolition for residential property.”
Anyone interested in taking advantage of the county's Waiver Demolition Program should contact the Department of Community and Economic Development at 330-643-8760 or go online to http://www.co.summit.oh.us/executive/dev.htm.
