Cleveland: Building owner wins battle in Innerbelt bridge war

CLEVELAND -- On Friday, Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Judge John O'Donnell ruled that Fred Finley can keep ownership of the Cleveland Cold Storage building until a hearing in January.

The state of Ohio wants to get ownership of Finley's building as soon as possible for the new Innerbelt Bridge.

Finley and two Congress members, Dennis Kucinich and Marcia Fudge, claim the state is low-balling him and treating him unfairly.

Six years ago, the state told Finley it did not need his building for the project.

Finley spent time and money trying to develop his massive empty food warehouse into a trendy condominium project on the edge of the Tremont neighborhood.

Then the state changed its mind and told Finley it needed his building after all.

For four years, Finley's been battling to get what he feels is a fair price, including money he spent on the now-derailed condo project.

The state's increased its offer to $4.5 million. Finley claims that's about $3 million less than what he deserves.

The state claims its appraisal and offer are more than fair.

The situation is complicated because massive billboards on the building are worth a lot too.

The billboards' owner, well-connected businessman Tom Embrescia, bought his former partner Finley's building at an October sheriff's sale for $66,000.

Finley owes hundreds of thousands of dollars in liens and taxes. 

But the building only went to sheriff's sale in the wake of Finley's battle with the state.

Finley's lawyers want to see thousands of pages of documents and e-mails from the state and city to see if there is collusion to try and get his building.

City inspectors recently condemned it, after not taking action against it for years.