ODOT'S "PURCHASE" OF NORFOLK SOUTHERN CORP LAND AT $29.8 MIL FOR INNER BELT BRIDGE IS UNSUPPORTABLE

Submitted by Jeff Buster on Mon, 06/13/2011 - 11:47.

Norfolk Southern Corporation, the Ohio Department of Transportation, and Walsh Construction of Chicago are involved in what I believe to be a bad faith transaction – the “purchase” by the State of Ohio of 50 acres of disused rail yard in Cleveland, Ohio.

There are a number of reasons that this $29.8 million “deal” appears to be have been made in bad faith and against the public interest.

1. Norfolk Southern has had the land for sale for years at a much, much, lower asking price. Interview local commercial brokers and this will be confirmed.

2. ODOT has been “planning” land takings associated with the re-building of the Inner Belt bridge for years. There is no reason to credit the ODOT argument that this last minute purchase was necessitated by the threat of Walsh back charging the State $33,000 per day if Walsh access on Norfolk Southern land was delayed.

3. This “deal” may have already been in the pipeline in a pre-arranged collusive scheme between Walsh and NS vs ODOT , or Walsh, NS, and ODOT – allowing Walsh to be comfortable in their very low bid award of the Inner Belt job knowing that extras and/or kickbacks, were in the pipeline. My experience with construction public bidding would rate this "implausable" scenario high on the list.

4. It is public knowledge that ODOT has recently had corrupt personnel – on the take. This emergency land “purchase” smacks of much more than incompetency. While the cold storage building, the Gillota property, and other parcels were accumulated by ODOT in a timely manner, why was the most expensive parcel needed by ODOT not closed on in a responsible and timely manner?

5. I have personal knowledge about the property, because I met with brokers and made inquiry about it in about 2006. Since 2006 land prices in Cleveland have dropped - dramatically.

6. A year ago all the existing rails – which were relatively new - left in the yard were removed by a Norfolk Southern subcontractor which removal disputes NS present claim that the yard had RR value. The yard was used briefly in the early 2000's as an intermodal drive on terminal - but the entire yard slopes down towards the South - up the Cuyahoga River - not too smart for a rail yard. Bet they had a few run-a-ways when the car brakes weren't properly set.

7. The land is a lemon parcel because it only has drive access from one end – the entire 50 acres sits 25 feet below Broadway and 50 above the GCRTA trench.

8. This was the parcel once considered for a soccer stadium for Cleveland.

I encourage the FBI and the Federal prosecutor to make inquiry about this ODOT action. Remember, the only party who benefits from honest dealing is the public - and the public is not involved in this deal.

Jeff Buster

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The Great Rip-off-who will buy Giglio property?

Submitted by lmcshane on Mon, 06/20/2011 - 09:15.

Thank you Jeff for catching this...see post above.

realneo.us/content/odots-purchase-norfolk-southern-corp-land-298-mil-inner-belt-bridge-unsupportable

http://blog.cleveland.com/metro/2011/06/post_480.html

The building's steel rebar will be taken to a scrap yard and probably melted for other purposes, Clemings said. Concrete rubble will be recycled as fill material for use on the new bridge or other construction projects in the region, including Cleveland's new convention center and medical mart, Clemings said.

ODOT is still in the process of acquiring the building in Cuyahoga County Probate Court, Clemings said. The state has offered $4.51 million to the owner, she said.

The cost of demolition is estimated at $3.5 million.

So, ODOT can proceed with demolition, though they don't own the Cold Storage Building????--presumably, still owned by Fred Finley--whose cousin, Congressional Rep Marcia Fudge, with the help of Congressional Rep Dennis Kucinich, helped him to retain ownership in the building?!

Who bought Frank Giglio's property?

http://realneo.us/content/social-injustice-disrupt-it