July 25 Akron Housing Appeals Board meeting

Covered by Documenter Bruce Taylor (see his notes here)

The former home of a neighborhood store known as the Kling Street Market is on the Akron Housing Appeals Board’s recommended demolition list, along with six other area properties following a July 25 meeting. 

The uninhabited house with an attached storefront sits at 836 Kling St. on the corner of Kling and East Crosier streets. It’s two blocks from an Asian market, a church and several residential properties in South Akron.

The market was founded in 1921 by Vito Spada, who continued to live in the house and operate the store until his death in 1968. Spada immigrated to the United States from Bari, Italy. 

Michael Ruby Sr., the husband of Spada’s daughter, Helen, operated the store until his death in 1977. 

According to an article in the Dayton Daily News, an Ohio Super Lotto ticket sold at the store split a $4 million jackpot in 1994. 

The commercial property was listed for sale in 2007, showing a cooler, shelving and counter seating in the brick storefront space. The market was known for supporting local vendors and artisans while in operation.

The two-bedroom, two-bathroom house attached to the rear of the storefront was built in 1898 and updated before it was put up for sale.

The listing, which boasted new appliances and large, clean rooms, was removed in 2013.

‘Dilapidated’ property surrounded by overgrown weeds

The building currently sits vacant and dilapidated, with boarded-up windows and surrounded by overgrown grass and weeds.

According to the board, the property does not comply with city enforcement orders, and the owner, listed as Joseph M. Ruby (Michael Ruby Sr.’s son) on the Summit County Fiscal Office’s website, has not been in contact with the Housing Compliance Division to make necessary repairs or improvements. 

Based on an internet search, it appears Joseph M. Ruby died in 2015. More than $36,000 in back taxes are owed on the property and no taxes have been paid to the county since 2014.

No representatives for the property were present to appeal the case at the board meeting. The board unanimously moved to raze the property.

Properties in Middlebury, Sherbondy Hill and Summit Lake make demolition list

The board reviewed 10 additional properties in South Akron, Middlebury, Sherbondy Hill and Summit Lake.

In four cases, owners or representatives spoke at the meeting, and in one case, an owner had made prior contact with the Housing Compliance Division.

A residential property at 76 N. Arlington St. in Middlebury has been discussed since fall 2023. This property remains in an unlivable condition. The board unanimously recommended demolition with costs charged to the owner.

Owners of a home located at 1110 Santee Ave. in South Akron informed the board that they expected to sell the property, which is part of an estate. Officials ordered an internal inspection and granted an extension until Sept. 26 to complete the sale.

The owner of a home at 254 McGowan St. spoke, showing progress on board-requested repairs, and requested more time due to contractor delays.

The board granted an extension until Sept. 26 to complete plumbing, electrical work and other repairs.

At the board’s June meeting, the property located at 1088 Schumacher Ave. in Sherbondy Hill received an extension until July 25 so a prospective purchaser could carry out due diligence on the house.

The purchaser informed the board on July 25 that she signed a purchase contract but has not completed the title search. It was moved and seconded to allow an extension of time until the Sept. 26 meeting to allow completion of the sale.

Properties recommended for demolition:

Properties granted extensions:

Section 150.051 of the city’s housing code outlines the demolition process, which generally begins with a complaint brought forth by residents or a city housing inspector.

Property owners have a right to appeal demolition. If denied, the property is added to the city’s demolition list. 

The Housing Appeals Board next meets on Aug. 22.

Brittany Nader has lived in the Akron area most of her life and is passionate about her city. She has covered Northeast Ohio’s music scene since the 2010s. She’s currently a producer for “Shuffle,” a public radio podcast which highlights the region’s music scene. The Kent State University graduate also works for a digital marketing agency.

Akron Documenters trains and pays residents to document local government meetings with notes and live-tweet threads. We then make those meeting summaries available as a new public record.