The full home renovation comes nearly a decade after the Land Bank partnered with North Randall in the successful bid to replace a former 1970s era mall with a new Amazon fulfillment center bringing with it a corresponding 2,000 plus jobs. 

North Randall Mayor David Smith reminisced about the partnership and work acquiring the sprawling mall property for redevelopment.

“I remember years ago, sitting in my office with Gus Frangos, God rest his soul, to buy the whole [Randall Park Mall] property,” Mayor Smith said. “It turned out that we paid a little more than nothing for the property that began Amazon.”

Home to the former Randall Park Mall, now Amazon Fulfillment Center, and Thistledown Racino which make up more than 2.3 million square feet, North Randall is officially classified as “a village” due to the fact there are are fewer than 600 total housing units and only around 950 residents, according to the 2020 Census. 

In a place like North Randall where there are less than 200 single-family detached homes, it only made sense that the Land Bank seize the opportunity to help support and restore a small piece of that critical housing stock, explains Cuyahoga Land Bank Chief Strategy Officer Dennis Roberts.

“We were particularly excited about working in North Randall, because you guys are efficient, effective and inviting,” Cuyahoga Land Bank Chief Strategy Officer Dennis Roberts told Smith and attendees at the December open house for the newly renovated home. “Every time we had an issue, we were able to call you directly to smooth things out. We look forward to continuing this collaboration.”

Both Smith and Roberts talked about the long standing partnership between North Randall and the Land Bank at the fully updated, market-rate single-family home located at 4738 Derbyshire – one of the few residential streets in North Randall.

As of mid-December the three-bed, three-bath 1,734-square-foot home – after months of construction and weeks of interior prep – is (for now) on the market listed at for $299,900. 

While at the event, Smith again praised the work of the Land Bank mentioning another situation staff was asked to help with one of the few North Randall-residential parcels. 

“We tried everything we could to have that home taken care of. We met with the owner, the family, but they abandoned the house. So I was forced with the decision to remove the blight and tore the house down,” Smith explained. After the home was demolished, Smith said, he reached out again to Frangos and asked if the Land Bank’s Real Estate Development Team would build a new house on the now vacant property. 

The Land Bank did build a new home and the story demonstrates the many things the Land Bank can help with – even for village with only a few residential streets. “What you see is a collaboration, a partnership,” he added.

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The sudden passing of Cuyahoga Land Bank founder Gus Frangos in August left an irreplaceable void. His visionary leadership and unwavering dedication to revitalizing Cuyahoga County had a profound impact on countless lives. As the architect of Ohio’s land bank legislation, Frangos has a legacy that extends far beyond the borders of our county, shaping the trajectory of communities across the state.

His partnership with former County Treasurer Jim Rokakis in establishing the nation’s first county land bank marked a turning point in urban revitalization. Frangos’ tireless efforts to acquire and repurpose tax-delinquent properties have breathed new life into neighborhoods and spurred economic growth.

In the wake of his loss, many organizations have paid tribute to Frangos’ invaluable contributions. The following examples highlight the diverse ways in which his memory is being honored.

The Northeast Ohio First Suburbs Consortium (FSC) recently presented its annual Montlack Visionary Leader Award posthumously to Frangos and the Land Bank received the FSC’s Visionary Program/Project Award. Inner-ring Cleveland suburbs hit hard by the nation’s 2008 foreclosure crisis have bounced back, thanks, in large part, to work by Frangos and the Land Bank. Frangos’s wife, Christie, and son, John, accepted the leadership award on his behalf at an awards ceremony November 6 at the Mayfield Sand Ridge Club in Lyndhurst.  

The Building and Leveraging Opportunities (BLO) Foundation recently unveiled its second completed affordable housing project named the Gus Gold Door Initiative in honor of Frangos. The nonprofit organization dedicated to transforming lives and revitalizing communities through impactful initiatives partnered with the Land Bank on both of its first two housing projects, which were also awarded grant funding from Cuyahoga Land Bank Charities. “Gus was one of the first partners to believe in our mission,” Orlando Grant, BLO Foundation Board Chair, said.

Greater CLE Habitat for Humanity, which has partnered with the Land Bank on countless affordable projects over the years, recognized Frangos with its Community Partner Award at its annual meeting in November. “Gus’s deep faith inspired him to a life of incredible service that impacted countless people and families throughout Cuyahoga County and beyond. Under his leadership, the Land Bank has been a perfect partner to Greater Cleveland Habitat,” read its tribute.

Brookdale Orchard, a space comprising 58 gardens on 14,650 square feet of land in Cleveland’s Hough neighborhood, promotes fresh food sources and preserves the natural environment for peaceful community growth and gatherings. Created on land donated by the Land Bank, the Orchard and its founder Mittie Jordan recently dedicated a garden to Gus and praised his steadfast belief in the organization’s mission.

Frangos and his leadership will also be celebrated at the Ohio Land Bank Association annual conference in April. Frangos served as OLBA Board of Directors president from 2018-2022.

The Cuyahoga Land Bank is deeply grateful to the numerous organizations and individuals who have honored the legacy of Gus Frangos. These tributes not only celebrate his life and work but also inspire us to continue his mission of transforming communities. We extend our sincere thanks to everyone who has taken the time to commemorate Gus’s invaluable contributions.

The post Across the County, Organizations, Offices Pay Tribute to Gus Frangos appeared first on Cuyahoga Land Bank.

Imagine a cityscape transformed. Vacant lots teaming with possibility, replaced by thriving businesses and vibrant communities. This isn’t a scene from science fiction; it’s the vision driving the newly established Cleveland Site Readiness Fund (SRF), a bold initiative to reactivate blighted and abandoned industrial properties in Cleveland in order to attract good jobs, build neighborhood wealth, and reduce blight.

Building on Foundation

Cleveland has grappled with underutilized land for decades, a legacy of industrial decline and shifting urban landscapes. Instead of succumbing to these challenges, the SRF recognizes them as untapped potential. By strategically assembling and preparing these underused sites, the Fund creates “shovel-ready” parcels primed for development, attracting businesses and generating much-needed jobs.

The SRF Fund, seeded with $50 million in federal pandemic-recovery cash pledged by Cleveland Mayor Justin Bibb’s administration, aims to revive 1,000 acres of vacant or underutilized industrial land, focusing on sites of at least 10 acres. Proponents believe this will spur the creation of more than 65,000 jobs, including 25,000 at businesses on revitalized sites within the next decade.

More Than Bricks and Mortar

The SRF isn’t merely about bricks and mortar but building bridges — bridges connecting businesses to opportunities, residents to jobs, and communities to a brighter future. The Fund targets projects aligning with strategic economic development plans, prioritizing sectors with high growth potential, and focusing on creating quality jobs for local residents.

A Collaborative Canvas

The initiative isn’t a solo endeavor. Through a partnership with the Cuyahoga Land Bank, the Fund fosters collaboration, working hand-in-hand with government agencies, community organizations, and private developers. This synergistic approach ensures responsible development that enhances existing neighborhoods, respects environmental concerns, and prioritizes community input.

Brad Whitehead Tapped as Managing Director of Fund

Brad Whitehead, the former director and founder of the Fund for Our Economic Future, has been tapped as Managing Director of the new site fund. Whitehead is responsible for fundraising to augment $50 million in seed money from the city. He will also oversee efforts to find and prepare sites to lure manufacturers to city neighborhoods. Whitehead has a long track record of meaningful public service work focused on economic and workforce development and land use. He helped establish and provide initial funding for many of the region’s leading economic development organizations.

“People don’t want blight in their neighborhoods. They want safe, clean, and vibrant places for their families and an economic reason to stay and build a life,” says Whitehead. “This initiative is aimed at meaningful economic improvement in the lives of all residents.”

“The Site Readiness Fund is a proactive approach to an urgent problem,” says Gus Frangos, President and General Counsel for the Cuyahoga Land Bank. “We look forward to doing what we can to help turn the page on the past and transform these vacant lots and buildings into engines of prosperity.”

The post How a Land Development Fund is Ushering in a New Era for Cleveland appeared first on Cuyahoga Land Bank.

Cleveland’s inner-ring suburbs are looking to identify zoning issues and outline best practices for making the construction of infill housing more achievable throughout Cuyahoga County by updating, in some cases, turn-of-the-century zoning codes.

Infill housing Ðnew residential development on vacant, abandoned and underutilized property within built-up areas of existing communities Ðis a common housing strategy deployed by local community development corporations and established suburban communities. First suburbs are often built-out communities with only smaller, scattered vacant lots available; thus, infill construction on these lots becomes important to meet housing demand and diversify the local housing stock.

This type of development, however, is often difficult, and vacant lots are left unbuilt due to outdated regulations and complicated processes. For example, zoning regulations can often stand in the way of single-family infill construction. This type of construction occurs on individual lots that can often be smaller and tighter than zoning codes allow and can add time and additional costs to projects.

The Single-Family Housing Zoning Analysis, a project of the Northeast Ohio First Suburbs Consortium, in partnership with funding from the Cuyahoga Land Bank and supported financially by First Federal Lakewood, aims to assist inner-ring communities in expanding single-family infill development by identifying issues within zoning and outlining best practices for constructing desired infill housing more practicably.

“Regional problems need regional partners,” says Jennifer Kuzma, Director of the Northeast Ohio First Suburbs Consortium. “No one community can solve these issues on its own. We have found through our work that we can achieve much more together. This initiative is a great start to overcome obstacles that prevent the development of new housing stock in some of our more established communities.”

The initiative consisted of two phases. Phase One aimed to identify issues within zoning regulations that can make constructing desired infill housing difficult or cost-ineffective. It was an essential start to understanding the state of infill housing development in the First Suburbs, including its challenges and opportunities. “While some cities have updated their zoning laws over the years, some of our First Suburbs’ building and housing codes are over 100 years old,” says Kuzma.

Phase Two directly addresses the concerns and needs identified in Phase One and outlines best practices for improving zoning regulations and remove costly roadblocks to infill development. Several resources Ð educational material and technical assistance Ð were developed to strengthen communities’ infill processes and regulations to help build a more collaborative partnership between community members, development professionals, and governmental officials.

“We recognize infill development is not for every community,” says Kuzma. Many First Suburb communities have healthy programs that offer residents opportunities to convert empty lots into side yards for expansion, gardens and play areas for children and pets. Still, it’s a big priority for many other cities, and these resources can be a valuable tool in planning and development.”

“Thanks to federal, state and county demolition funds, we have rid our communities of many vacant and abandoned homes,” says Gus Frangos, President and General Counsel for the Cuyahoga Land Bank. “Those demolitions have left us with about 5,000 infill housing opportunities in Cuyahoga County alone, and this analysis will be valuable as older suburban communities pave a path forward.”

“We are excited to be involved in this significant project,” says Frangos. “We’re on the ground creating new housing opportunities and spurring additional development throughout Cuyahoga County. Any process that can help eliminate red tape for our team, local builders, and developers is welcome.”

First Suburbs leaders and stakeholders, housing development staff, Cuyahoga County leadership, Cuyahoga Land Bank staff, and First Federal Lakewood representatives recently participated in a zoning analysis and update presentation.  

The post First Suburbs Unveil Zoning Analysis Findings appeared first on Cuyahoga Land Bank.

Cuyahoga Land Bank President and General Counsel Gus Frangos was recently recognized by the Ohio Land Bank Association for his leadership and service to the Association and its 64 county members. Frangos served as OLBA Board of Directors president from 2018-2022.

The post Gus Frangos Recognized for OLBA Leadership appeared first on Cuyahoga Land Bank.

In the first of a series of FAQ videos, we provide an overview of the Cuyahoga Land Bank’s core activities.   In this video, President and General Counsel Gus Frangos discusses the value and importance of a Land Bank to address the aftermath of the foreclosure crisis. Director of Acquisitions, Dispositions and Development, Cheryl Stephens and Acquisitions Manager Kim Steigerwald discuss how the Cuyahoga Land Bank determines if a property is directed to demolition or marketed for renovation and Dennis Roberts, Director of Programs and Property Management outlines our renovation specification process for all properties available through our Deed-In-Escrow program.   Cleveland Councilman and Chair of the Cuyahoga Land Board Tony Brancatelli also provides testimonial evidence of the Land Bank working in the Slavic Village neighborhood to return properties to productive use and to reduce blight in an area hit hard by the subprime lending crisis. www.cuyahogalandbank.org

Watch the video on YouTube.

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