Shopping center finally to be razed

Legal issues have kept the building standing for three years.
By ED RUNYAN
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
WARREN -- The final phase of demolition of the Parkman Road Shopping Center could start as soon as today, after a decision by a Trumbull County Common Pleas Court judge.
The demolition, which was started in 2004, will be completed next week unless further legal action stops it again. The shopping center is at the corner of Parkman and North Leavitt roads and formerly housed an Ames Department Store; it was a Grant's store before that.
The ruling
Judge John M. Stuard ruled this week ruled against the owner of the shopping center, Parkhurst Mall Corp. and Warren Atty. Donald L. Guarnieri. The judge said Guarnieri has failed to uphold his end of a 2004 agreement in which he agreed to repair the building to bring it up to code.
Warren city building official Chris Taneyhill had declared the building a safety hazard in January 2003 and ordered it demolished. That started litigation by Guarnieri in which he appealed Taneyhill's decision in February 2003 to the Ohio Board of Building Appeals, which ruled against Guarnieri; and then to the common pleas court in March 2003.
Taneyhill said Thursday that Richard Boccia Construction Co. Inc., Niles is scheduled to demolish the remaining 88,000 square feet of building starting Monday unless Guarnieri appeals Judge Stuard's decision.
Guarnieri could not be reached to comment.
Promises and problems
As part of an agreement in August 2004, Guarnieri agreed to make repairs to the building to bring it up to code within six months. Guarnieri said the work would cost about $1.1 million.
In March, however, Judge Stuard asked all parties to meet with the court at the property to view what work had been done, which was followed by a hearing on the status of the repairs.
"From a review of the evidence, this court concludes that instead of hiring a contractor capable of completing the necessary repairs in a timely and cost effective manner, a contractor was employed who admittedly did not have the expertise to complete the roof, which is about 40 to 50 percent completed," Judge Stuard ruled.
In addition to the roof problems, Stuard noted that much of the wood facia is rotted and nothing has been done to repair the interior. The parking lot and lights are in disrepair and a large amount of earth covers the parking lot.
Judge Stuard ruled, therefore, that he affirms the decision of the Ohio Board of Building Appeals to tear the building down. Judge Stuard also dissolved the injunction he had previously granted preventing the city from completing the demolition.
Judge Stuard ruled that Guarnieri owes Boccia Construction $78,986 for the work it has done so far. Boccia tore down the part of the building that formerly housed a grocery store in 2004, Taneyhill said. The demolition had already been started when Judge Stuard granted the injunction to prevent the demolition from being completed, he said.
The plaza has been vacant about 12 years.
runyan@vindy.com