Latest in the battle over Innerbelt Bridge property

CLEVELAND -- A crowd of city building inspectors, fire inspectors, engineers and lawyers combed through the Cleveland Cold Storage building Wednesday.

Building owner Fred Finley looked on. Finley claims the state is low-balling him in negotiations to sell his building.

Five years ago, the state wrote him and told him it did not need his building for the bridge project.

Finley spent money on architects, lawyers and consultants, trying to renovate the building into a condominium project, modeled after one in a similar building in Chicago.

The state then told him it needed the building for the project after all.

The Ohio Department of Transportation and Finley have been involved in several years of negotiations. The state's offered $4.5 million. Finley says that's about $3 million less than a fair price, including money he spent on the derailed project.

The state claims it's made Finley a fair offer.

Recently, the Attorney General's office wrote the city, informing it of the need to acquire Finley's building soon.

Recently, city inspectors condemned the building which had been vacant and standing as is for years.

Building and Housing Director Ed Rybka claimed the inspections and condemnation were not the result of selective enforcement because of state intervention. He was not familiar with the Attorney General's letter.

U.S. Congressman Dennis Kucinich and Congresswoman Marcia Fudge have both taken up Finley's cause, claiming he's not getting a fair deal.

Fudge and Finley both describe themselves as friends. The Congresswoman claims there is "discrimination" in  how the state has handled this.

Finley claims to be the only African-American property owner in the project's footprint. Finley is trying to block a sheriff's sale of the property.

His former business partner, Tom Embrescia, bought it for $66,000. Embrescia owns and makes money from large billboards on the buildings.

Finley is seeking depositions from state and local officials about how all this is being handled.

On Friday, a batch of lawyers will be in court. Congressman Dennis Kucinich's staff is working on behalf of Finley.

Finley claims this whole episode has cost him his house and ruined him financially.

He says he is prepared to fight as long as it takes to get a fair price.  

Some familiar with the case say it could delay the bridge project. The state hopes to begin construction in early 2011.

Others familiar with the case suggest Finley is trying to make the state pay for bad business decisions.