A demolition excavator brings down the Hubbs Motel Friday. (West Life photo by Kevin Kelley)

Center Ridge motel now history
By Kevin Kelley
Westlake
Published Nov. 4, 2009

The Hubbs Motel, which had been at the center of the infamous decades-long lawsuit between the city and businessman Charles Shimola, is no more.

The Center Ridge Road motel, which the city acquired as part of a settlement reached a year ago, was torn down Friday by workers from American Demolition. The company was paid $17,800 by the city for the demolition work, Service Director Don Glauner said.

But before the workers began the demolition, Ward 6 Councilman Mark Getsay and Law Department secretary Vera Goss took the controls of a demolition excavator to punch the first hole into the building.

“Everyone’s excited about it finally coming down,” Getsay told West Life.

City officials had complained for years about maintenance violations at the motel, which they considered a blight on the area.

Former Ward 6 Council representative Nan Baker, now a state representative, said she had received frequent complaints about the property from residents of the nearby Prestwick development. In addition to maintenance issues, broken down cars and trucks frequently filled the Hubbs parking lot, Baker said.

Mayor Dennis Clough said that everyone recognized that it was an eyesore for years.

“Vacant land would be an improvement over what was there,” Clough said.

Vacant land will in fact be what takes the place of the motel at 31259 Center Ridge Road, at least for now, city officials said.

“At this point, we don’t have a definite plan,” Clough said of the property.

One possibility that has been talked about for the property would be senior housing, Clough said. The mayor said he has heard many seniors say there are not enough housing options in the city for retirees once they decide to downsize out of a single-family home.

If the senior housing option is pursued, Clough said it was unclear what form any project would take.

“That would be a new area for us,” the mayor said, adding that the city would have to research options in that area.

Other options, Clough said, are using the property for recreation or as green space.

The lawsuit with Shimola dates back to the 1980s and revolves around Shimola’s plans to develop his properties.

Under the settlement, the city paid Shimola $15 million. In addition to the motel, the city obtained a portion of a shopping center property owned by Shimola. The city provided Shimola with a sewer easement for an existing sewer serving the shopping center property that Shimola will retain.

The agreement also calls for Shimola to expand an existing auto body shop and develop 13 single-family homes on property south of the auto body shop.

The city had alleged over the years that Shimola sought to develop his properties without proper approval from the city. City officials also maintained that Shimola failed to properly maintain his properties, which they said were in deplorable conditions.

For his part, Shimola alleged in his lawsuit that the city’s actions against him resulted in lost income of up to $120 million.

In addition to capping off the sewers and cutting off utilities to the property, city officials had to evict people living at the property without authorization as late as March. The city legally took ownership of the property at the beginning of January.

“These people did not have leases or any written agreements,” explained city prosecutor Andrea Rocco.

When the individuals dragged their feet when told to leave, the city was forced to file a notice of eviction in the Rocky River Municipal Court, Rocco said. This gave the people more time to find other accommodations, Rocco explained. In addition, Joyce Able Schroth, director of the city’s department of community services and a licensed social worker, met with the people to offer assistance, Rocco said.

In addition, a man, woman and her three kids and five cats were found at the motel by Westlake Police in late winter basically living as squatters, Rocco said. After a brief discussion, they left without incident, Rocco said.